Ken Angell - An Obituary

Words & Photos by Stuart Mears

Writing an obituary for a friend and former work-mate is never easy. Having to write obituaries for two is particularly sad, yet having scarcely finished John Lees’ obituary I learned that Ken Angell had also passed away. Ach.

Although I was only signed on ship’s articles at the same time as Ken for three summer holiday spells whilst I was at school and intermittently when I was Balmoral’s motorman in 1988, again, like John, Ken proved to be a very big part of my brief seagoing career.

When I was first around Waverley in the late 70’s and early 80’s, Waverley’s engineering team were exclusively Scottish, but with the arrival of Prince Ivanhoe, came an influx of Welsh engineering expertise. Sadly the Prince Ivanhoe venture did not last as long as anyone of us would have liked but a positive of that was that we ended up with Ken on Waverley, and I’ve always thought that Firth of Clyde Steam Packet Company Limited’s loss was very much our gain, so to speak.

As with John Lees, since hearing of his passing, I have found myself smiling a lot as I’ve been remembering Ken and again, that is surely a measure of the man.

Some random memories. In no particular order:

Anyone who knew Ken must surely remember his infectious laughter which seemed to be almost permanently about to break out. But as well as his undoubted ability to brighten the place up, he was never slow to let you know if things were not up to his expectations and for a young aspiring engineer this was an invaluable mentorship. I well remember being on a particularly intense run ashore to the Off the Record bar in Glasgow and it’s fair to say that as an 18yr old I was still exploring the boundaries as to what counted as sensible drinking! The next morning I was paying the price for such overindulgence and was coiling the shore power cable with scarcely concealed nausea. I’ll never forget Ken coming down the alleyway and letting me know exactly how stupid I’d been. At the time I probably just had a bit of a huff but as the year’s have passed, I’ve come to realise that in this instance and many others, he was really just looking out for me in his own inimitable way.

It was Ken who gave me my first task as a member of the engineering department. On a bright sunny morning in Glasgow I was sent with Ken for some job or another on the steering engine. We got as far as the hatch on the poop deck when Ken turned to me and in very solemn tones announced, “Right, I have an important job for you, young ‘un. Get it right, and we’ll be fine. Get it wrong band you’ll have a bloody miserable summer holiday job. Listen carefully. I want you to make me a cup of coffee. However, I want one heaped table spoonful of coffee in it. Not a tea spoonful, a table spoonful. Think you can mange that? Good-oh, off you trot.” I was convinced it was a wind-up but I did as I was told and low and behold it was actually what he wanted. This turned out to be no emergency hangover recovery cuppa. It was just how Ken liked his coffee. I can’t have made too bad a job of it because over the ensuing seasons on both Waverley and Balmoral, it’s safe to say I made Ken quite a few!

When I had been on Balmoral as motorman in ’88 for a few weeks, Ken came aboard to visit during the overlap of a couple of days when Waverley and Balmoral were both on the Bristol Channel at the same time. He tracked me down in the Steering Flat and asked how things were going. When I diplomatically replied that I was learning more about painting than marine engineering, he said he’d have a quiet word with the Chief. That same day and for the rest of the season I was suddenly driving the starboard main engine at just about every pier! Again, he was really just looking out for me in his own inimitable way.

Ken was a man for whom all apart from the bottom two stud fasteners on his boiler suit seemed purely for decoration rather than function, but given the elevated temperatures in both Waverley and Balmoral machinery spaces, I reckon he was smarter than all the rest of us!

When I was working in Waverley’s engine room, during school summer holidays,  one of my daily tasks was to polish the brasses, including the large copper funnel that sits out on one of the walkways that extends over the main engine, and it’s smaller brass companion. I used to fetch those in from their allotted positions and buff them up from the comfort of the engine room tool chest. Never being one to let the opportunity for a bit of fun pass by, Ken soon had us playing them bugle style, usually on an early morning run down from Glasgow. A favourite was “When the saints go marching in” complete with harmony parts, with me holding down the melody….sort of, and Kenny heading off on some freeform jazz improvisation.

He could deliver a bollocking and a compliment in the same sentence! When Waverley was undergoing her wheel transplant in the early 90’s I was down in Avonmouth for the start up and run to the dry dock. Unknown to me Ken had been summonsed from Balmoral to help the new chief with the intricacies of the Waverley’s machinery. When he arrived on the engine room platform and spied me there his outburst to me in front of everybody was along the lines of “oh for *&#! Sake, if you’d let on YOU were here I could have told them to get lost, you could have shown them the ropes (!) and I’d have had another couple of hours in me bed”! In amongst the expletives and moaning about getting dragged out of his bed there was actually a back handed compliment that he thought the ship would have been in safe enough hands with just me there. To be honest I think it was just a bit of flattery but I walked a bit taller that day nevertheless.

One week when we were stormbound in Swansea on Balmoral, Ken and I were tasked with re-jointing one of the cylinder heads on the port engine. Things had not, to be fair, got off to a great start as , whilst we started on the cylinder head, Iain Mac and Thundermop, the other motorman were working beneath and had removed the crankcase door. These two were obviously not used to working as a team….ahem. As the increasingly irate exchanges wafted up to us astride the cylinder head Ken and I became increasingly helpless as we tried to contain our mirth in silence. However, once Thundermop actually dropped a bit of engine on Iain’s head I’m (slightly) ashamed to say we fell about laughing

By this stage in the proceedings we were actually at the point of getting the head off the engine casing by a well established though rather novel means. This involved backing off the cylinder head nuts by about an 1/8^th of an inch then starting the engine…..sort of. The trick was just to put the starting air on the engine, not go for full blown ignition. The blast of air would jack up the cylinder head till it hit the nuts that had been slackened. This was then repeated until the head was easy to remove by chainblock. At this point a young steward stuck his head into the engine room to see what was going on. He was obviously and understandably bored stiff, on a wet day in Swansea on an almost deserted ship and we were subjected to an endless stream of questions about what we were doing and why. Now, call it coincidence but Ken seemed to have become a bit over enthusiastic and, as well as slackening the nuts off a wee bit more than the regulation 1/8^th of an inch, also came within an ace of actually starting the engine! The resultant explosion of sparks, flames and smoke, had the steward departing up the alleyway never to be seen again for the rest of the day! 

Priceless.

Just Like Ken.

Ken in Balmoral's Engine Room

Stuart Mears

 

"Big John" - My Obituary to John Lees by Jim Harrison

The following are my thoughts on "Big John", as I knew him and I would like them to be posted as my  personal obituary to John.

"Big John" in 1986 (Jim Harrison)

I was very sorry to hear of the death of John Lees, one of the Waverleys formidable characters, the world will be a lesser place for John not being in it.

I remember John  starting with WSN Co at the old Anderson Quay terminal in 1975  as part of a job creation scheme at that time. I grew up with John at my side and watching my every move - there was always the water and oil don't mix thing there, but that banter was part of the great Waverley aura, which gave the ship its character, but in turn, it was the people characters that made the ship. I sometimes felt that this man was there to make my life a misery, but I quickly realized that John was a mentor and taut me and many other young people that came through the Waverley, valuable lessons about being better persons, and how to work hard and get on with the job and life in general.

Many people never saw the true john Lees, they only saw the grumpy cigar smoking facade that so often was present on the engine room platform. I was privileged to have been on the receiving end of John's true personality. A kind and generous person, as was Sandra, they were both true people with a fantastic warmth. Tania, my wife,and I, were taken in by John & Sandra, when we had no place to live in 1985, and given a roof over our heads, we will always be for ever in their debt for that generosity, and their warmth. But over the years I somehow felt that I earned John's respect as a person,and as a sailor, possibly because of my voyages on "Westward Ho", but John gave me and many other youngsters a leg up on the journey through adolescence and on into adulthood.

I for one feel that the world has lost one of my Waverley mentor's that shaped my future. The world has lost one of life's true characters that you only come across once in a lifetime.

I too, like Stuart Mears, will be regailing my memories of "Big John" in the days and weeks to come, and once again john will no doubt put me through a mirriard of emotions, but mostly I'm sure I will be smiling and laughing.

The phrase that will stay with me for the rest of my days is "aye there's a good time coming son", as John would say to me on several occasions on our many pas sings during our days during the long winter months and during those long summer days at sea. And yes there is a good time comin.

Jim Harrison 

Tylorstown

March 2011

About Jim Harrison:-

"I became involved with Waverley in 1977 and worked on the ship through to 1989, working on Waverley & Balmoral starting off as a galley boy and then moving on to the deck as AB and taking command of "Westward HO" for the 80's -  I finished with Waverley in late 1989.
I spent much of my adolescent years working on the ship and being influenced by such characters as David Neill, John Lees, Kenny Blacklock, Steve Michelle, and Ken Angell to name but a few.
 So Waverley is very much ingrained in my make up and John helped shape my future, and I still look back on my "Waverley Years" with great fondness.
I hope that this gives you some of my background.
I feel that I, along with many of the above people did the groundwork for those now taking the Waverley & Balmoral into the 21st century."

Swanage Pier - HELP!!

Not strictly Scottish related but important to the continued operation of Waverley on the South Coast. Swanage Pier requires extensive works to remain operable. Our colleagues in the Wessex Branch have posted on their blog here. Please donate if you can.


Thanks

Gavin Stewart
Scottish Branch Chairman

Chairman's Blog No 14 - Winter is Upon Us! (in more ways than one)

On behalf of the Scottish Branch Commitee may I wish you all a Happy New Year! Lets hope that season 2011 is a good one.

Well winter is once again upon us - what do you mean I hear you cry - its been here for weeks!! The deep freeze set in earlier than last year with temperatures in Glasgow and the West of Scotland plummeting to below -10degC. The photos below show our paddler shivering at her snowy Glasgow Science Centre berth.

Another winter is also upon us - volunteer winter work parties commence on both Waverley and Balmoral on Saturday 15th January. This year - as with every year since the ships entered preserved operation - voluntary input vital to their ongoing operation. Remember formal skills are not required - just enthusiasm!

If you are interested in attending work parties on Waverley then just turn up at the ship from 10am onwards on the 15th and ask for the person in charge.  The only restriction is that you must be over 18 years of age.You will be required to give the ship's engineer contact details for H&S purposes and if you have safety shoes and a boiler suit that you dont mind using then please bring them along. You'll be pleased to hear that the ship is heated throughout the winter but additional layers of clothing may be an idea in case you are given an outdoor job.

Car parking is via the Glasgow Science Centre car park - tokens are available from the ship's engineer to allow you exit the car park. Waverley is located adjacent to the Science Centre tower (her berth is sometimes also referred to as Pacific Quay)

There are no catering facilities available on board during the winter but the microwave in the crew mess is available as is on tap hot water, tea & coffee. The only toilets operational are the crew toilets but not to worry you will be shown the ropes on arrival!!

The main thing is to enjoy yourself - theres a good bunch of up to twenty people attend over the winter so you'll be made very welcome -  that coupled with the fact that you can take satisfaction from the knowledge that you contributed to the ship's operation in 2011 make volunteer work parties a must.

Go to the Waverley Excursions Website for a blog entry about work parties.

Balmoral work parties take place in Bristol - see http://www.pswaverley.org/ for further details.

I'll sign off for now - leaving you with the forementioned snowy pictures!!

Gavin Stewart

Scottish Branch Chairman

Photo Copyright Joe McKendrick

Photo Copyright Joe McKendrick

Photo Copyright Joe McKendrick

Chairman's Blog No13 - ps Lincoln Castle Update.

As you may recall the PSPS were offered the former Humber Car / Passenger paddler Lincoln Castle earlier this year. For very real reasons the society council made the difficult decision not to take on the ageing vessel due to the level of work required to make her a viable entity for ongoing preservation whilst not posing a risk to Waverley, Kingswear Castle and Balmoral.

It transpired at the time the PSPS council were making the decision another potential buyer had appeared and all (we thought) was well. HOWEVER this was a false dawn and despite the forming of a preservation group the owner of the vessel took matters into his own hands and demolition of the 1940 Inglis built vessel started.

I recently received an email from Chris Woolley containing the following link which takes up the story and has photos of the vessel in the stages of demolition.

ps Lincoln Castle update.

It is my personal opinion that any potential preservation candidate should of course be considered but in these difficult economic times the financial implications not only of the project but the effect on existing interests must always take precedence. The society's volunteers have helped it keep it's vessels in service through good and bad. Taking on Lincoln Castle would have been a paddler too far.

Thanks to Chris for sending the update link.

Gavin Stewart
Scottish Branch Chairman

Birthday Boat Balmoral!!!

Waverley's fleetmate Balmoral continued to celebrate her 60th anniversary in style with a visit to Cowes, Isle of Wight on Saturday. This port of call was familiar territory to the former Red Funnel vessel as the Southampton - Isle of Wight service was the one she was originally built to serve.

The photo above (kindly supplied by Chris Jones) shows her arriving at Cowes looking very smart and flying the Red Funnel houseflag from her foremast.

Red Funnel still run this service to this day using a mixture of roll on roll off car ferries (built between 1994 and 1996 by Ferguson Shipbuilders Ltd, Port Glasgow) and fast catamaran passenger vessels.

Whenever you see Balmoral visiting the many ports she sails to and from around the UK be sure to give the Birthday Boat a wave - or even better take a sail on her!!

Gavin Stewart

Two Ships Day on Bristol Channel

Entering service for her 60th year, MV Balmoral made her first sailing of her 2009 season on Wednesday 17th June when she sailed from Bristol, down the River Avon and met up with her fleetmate PS Waverley in the Bristol Channel.

The following selection of photos have been provided by Chris Jones.

A well loaded Balmoral with Waverley in the background

Conditions look rather damp, keeping many passengers below
who missed the two ships passing in the channel

Waverley dressed overall to celebrate her younger fleetmate's
big event, salutes in the traditional manner
with her steam whistle as the two ships pass

Waverley alongside at Penarth Pier

A scene from the beginning of Waverley's time on the Bristol Channel
as she arrives into Avonmouth after her journey from Ayr

Her duties for the day completed, and having taken on necessary supplies,
Balmoral sets sail for the Irish Sea and this year's fleeting visit (just!)

to Scotland when she will operate two days of sailings from Garlieston on
the Solway Firth on Friday and Saturday of this week to Douglas, Isle of Man.

Only a few more days and Waverley will also be setting course
back to the Clyde for the start of her summer season -
but first the PSPS ScottishBranch Charter on 23rd

Thanks to Chris Jones for providing his photographs for use on our Blog

Charles McCrossan

CALLING ALL MEMBERS!!!!

YOUR SHIPS NEED YOU!!!

Please see the note below from Waverley Excursions, who are looking for direct assistance from the members of The Paddle Steamer Preservation Society.

I guess some previous bar work / catering work would be helpful, though not essential.

Being smartly turned out, diligent and reliable, however, is.

As well providing much needed assistance to the ship, you will be representing the society. This year, more than ever, we must demonstrate to those who operate our ships for us that we are not merely a bunch of armchair enthusiasts who just go on and on and on and on and on and on about how marvellous it was on the Jeanie/Caledonia/Talisman (Ian!)/Bristol Queen/Ravenswood/Golden Eagle/Saint Columba/insert your own favourite here (delete according to allegiance!).

I’m sure there must be a few members out there who in fact used to serve in these capacities in years gone by aboard Waverley. So, get the rose tinted memory specs off and give it a go!

Please contact Eric Armstrong at:

Waverley Excursions Ltd,
Waverley Terminal,
36 Lancefield Quay,
Glasgow G3 8HA

Tel: 0845 130 4647

PS I’m doing a week on the Main Clyde Season, and probably a day on the Western Isles too.

Very Best Regards,

Stuart Mears

WAVERLEY EXCURSIONS LTD

VOLUNTEER JOB DESCRIPTION

Background

The company are looking for volunteers to serve in the lower bar on Waverley and Balmoral. And the Caledonian Tea Room on Waverley.

The three posts will require to be rostered to ensure that we have full cover for each of the outlets during the sailing programme in each area.

In addition to serving in the bars and tearoom it is hoped that the volunteers will interface with our customers to ensure that they have a good onboard experience. A good knowledge of the history of the ships and the local area would be an advantage.

Volunteers will not require to pay fares for the time they are on board and will be given free meals as appropriate.

Ideally those volunteering should be able to confirm their availability well in advance and it would be helpful if they were available for a reasonable period of time e.g. several days.

Once we have identified the number of volunteers who may be available, the time they each can give and have a finalised timetable we need to see how we can roster the volunteers to provide full cover. We will need to identify standby call outs to cover any unexpected call offs.

Job Description

Lower Bars.

The main role is the serving of beers wines and spirits to customers. The volunteer will normally be working alone in the bar but will have the full support of the Chief Steward. The role includes cash handling and use of the electronic till. Full training will be given.

The other role is the re stocking of the shelves / fridges, crisps etc together with clearing the tables and keeping the bar in a customer friendly condition.

From a commercial point of view the volunteer should as their interpersonal skills to increase sales wherever possible

Caledonia Tea Room.

The main role is the serving teas, coffees biscuits and confectionary to customers. The volunteer will normally be working alone in the tea room but will have the full support of the Chief Steward. The role includes cash handling and use of the electronic till. Full training will be given.

The other role is the re stocking of the shelves / fridges, crisps etc together with clearing the tables and keeping the tea room in a customer friendly condition.

From a commercial point of view the volunteer should as their interpersonal skills to increase sales wherever possible.

More "firsts" for MV Balmoral

I have already recorded MV Balmoral's unusual calls on Sunday 28th September 2008 and related the sad story of being taken unawares when she berthed at a different point to that expected, resulting in disappointing photographs of the special occasion.

However, one of the River Clyde's prolific shipping photographers, John Newth, was in the right place at the right time on the opposite river bank and has very kindly provided several of his photographs of the event for use on the blog.

Balmoral arriving at Clydebank

Balmoral alongside at Clydebank with the entrance to Rothesay Dock immediately behind her stern and the storage tanks at the dock can be seen in the background

Balmoral prepares to depart Clydebank - this shot gives some impression of just how little berth frontage Captain O'Brian had to work with when coming alongside. The fence section at right angles to the river came right to the edge and proved a particular challenge.

Balmoral heading off down river past the new Clydebank College Building

As has already been reported on here, Balmoral moved from Greenock to berth overnight at Gourock on 1st October. Some nightime sleuths captured her there in the dark (already posted)and another intrepid reporter arrived just as she was moving away in the morning. Luckily another of the Clyde's shipping photographers who lets very little get past him (except three south coast chain ferries - private joke!) was up bright and early and caught Balmoral at Gourock in the daylight.

John Crae has also kindly allowed his photos to be used for the PSPS blog

Balmoral alongside at Gourock with Jupiter at the linkspan on the Dunoon service

Balmoral alongside at Gourock

Sunday 5th October was MV Balmoral's last operating day of the 2008 season - and what a day she had, compared to others throughout the season. 3 full round trips in one day - one from Greenock and two from Glasgow. Over 500 passengers each trip - 1500+ over the day. I am no expert on her sailings and loadings but surely there must some some firsts in there somewhere. All I know is that we had a most enjoyable trip meeting QE2 and escorting her to berth on Sunday morning and her crew are to be congratulated on delivering a great experience to all her passengers on what must have been a really gruelling day for them.

A view on board Balmoral during the morning cruise

Balmoral dashes off from Greenock at the end of her 1st cruise of the day, heading for Glasgow with a few stalwarts on board - some of whom, I think, probably stayed aboard for all three cruises. Dedication, dedication....!

Balmoral is now at her winter lay up berth in Bristol - she may not have had the best of seasons, weatherwise, but her last day in service was one of the best days for sailing for a long, long time.

Many thanks again to John Newth and John Crae for allowing me to use their photographs on the PSPS Blog

More of John Newth's photos can be seen at http://clydesights.com/ and

John Crae's at http://jcrae.smugmug.com/

Charles McCrossan

Balmoral Salutes a Retiring Legend

(Clicking on most of the new pictures below will open a larger high resolution view)

On Sunday 5th October the veteran Waverley Excursions motor ship Balmoral played a significant part in the final visit of one of the greatest ships that the world has ever known to the river of her birth . The celebrity was, of course, RMS Queen Elizabeth 2 the last of the great Clydebuilt passenger liners. The QE2 was built at the former John Brown shipyard in Clydebank and was to be the last of many fine passenger liners built on the river. In fact, the majority of the ships built for the famous Cunard Line were built on the Clyde (122 in total) and, when the QE2 is handed over to her new owners in Dubai in December 2008, it will be the first time in its near 170-year history that the Cunard fleet has not had at least one Clydebuilt ship in its number.

The first four Cunard liners were paddle steamers designed according to the advice of the renowned Clyde engineer and shipbuilder Robert Napier. The first of the four was the PS Britannia. At the time of her construction in 1839 Napier had yet to establish his shipyard at Govan near Glasgow, so the hull of Britannia an her sisters where built by several shipyards on the lower Clyde and towed up river to Napier’s Dock to have all of their machinery installed. Napier's Dock was at the eastern end of what is now Lancefield Quay, now Waverley Steam Navigation's office and workshop. His marine engine building works was in the adjacent Hydepark Street.

The first Cunard paddler Britannia

(Cunard Archives)

Although the Cunard Line (founded by Canadian Samuel Cunard) was long associated with the port of Liverpool, its headquarters, a lot of the capital raised to finance the Company and its early fleet of vessels was raised on Clydeside, principally by the established shipowner George Burns. The partnership regaled under the impressive title of the ‘ Glasgow Propriety in the British & North American Royal Mail Steam Packet Company’. Details of the Burns family's influential position in the development of steam navigation can be found here. In fact, the Company did not change its name to the Cunard Steamship Company until after the death of its founder in the 1880s. Again, while most of the Line’s ships, prior to the QE2, were registered in the port of Liverpool, the early fleet of ships were registered in Glasgow. After Napier established his new shipyard in the 1850s one of the first ships that he built there was the huge paddle steamer Persia for Cunard. She was the largest merchant ship in the World at the time of her construction.

PS Persia under construction at Robert Napier's Clyde shipyard
(source unknown)

The last ocean-going paddle steamer built by Napier for Cunard was the PS Scotia, launched at Govan on the 25th June 1861.

Model of PS Scotia, Cunard's largest and last ocean going paddle steamer

(Model at the Science Musuem, South Kensington, London)

As the Cunard ships became bigger the principal builder became the Fairfield Shipbuilding & Engineering Company, set up by the brilliant shipbuilder and engineer John Elder, a pupil of Napier. John Elder’s father David Elder was Napier’s highly regarded foreman for many years. The huge screw steamers Campania and Lucania represented the peak of Fairfield’s contribution to Cunard.

RMS Campania, Cunard's Record Breaker

(Model at the Science Museum, South Kensington, London)

As the 19th Century drew to a close, and Cunard’s liners became so large that the main production of liners for Cunard moved yet further down the Clyde to Clydebank where the shipbuilders J & G Thomson had established a sizable state-of-the art shipyard directly opposite the location where the River Cart flows into the Clyde. That location was to become more important as the 20th Century progressed.

Early in the 20th Century the Cunard Line, by then under the chairmanship of Baron Inverclyde of Wemyss Bay, was facing a substantial threat from large American concerns,. Lord Inverclyde negotiated assistance from the British Government for the construction of two huge new liners to fend off the American challenge. The sister ships were Mauritania (built on Tyneside) and Lusitania, which was built at Clydebank, by then under the ownership of John Brown & Co.. The relationship between Cunard and Brown’s lasted for over sixty years with many of its finest and largest ships built at Clydebank. The building of the progressively larger Cunarders was only possible at Clydebank due to the River Cart opposite , which eliminated the restriction imposed by the relatively narrow River Clyde. The decision to locate the yard there was an inspired choice by those that could not have known of the giant liners that were to be built in the next century. Consequently, world renowned Cunarders such as Aquitania, Queen Mary, Queen Elizabeth and Caronia were all created at Clydebank and the association continued with the order for Yard No 736, which became QE2 on her launch in Sept 1967. Sadly, she was to be the last prestige Cunarder to be built at Clydebank, or anywhere else on the Clyde.

Yard No 736 at Clydebank Shipyard in Sept 1967
(picture by the late William Davies)

In 2007, when the announcement came that QE2 was to retire to Dubai as a floating hotel (just as her illustrious predecessor, Queen Mary, done at Long Beach, California in 1967) there was some considerable regret that the strong link between Clydebuilt vessels and the Cunard fleet, dating back to the very founding of the Company, was finally to end. The final visit of the ship to Clydeside, on 5th October 2008, was going to be filled with an emotion that only shipbuilding and maritime communities can fully appreciate.

The Balmoral was rostered to participate in that great event. In fact, though not a Clydebuilt ship, Balmoral had a significant association with QE2 as the liner was to be the first Cunarder to be registered in the port of Southampton, which had replaced Liverpool as the Line’s main base port many years earlier. Balmoral was also registered in Southampton as she served the Isle of Wight from the city in her first life (subsequently, when she was acquired by Balmoral Excursions Ltd in 1986, her registry was switched to Bristol).

QE2 first returned to the river of her birth in 1990 when she was escorted by PS Waverley and the paddler had greeted the liner 'home' on subsequent visits in the 1990s. Balmoral had assumed the role in 2007 when she accompanied the departing Cunarder almost as far as Toward after her visit to the Clyde for the 40th anniversary of her launch in 1967. See pictures of the launch and the 40th anniversary visit here.

Due to different timings for the liner’s last ever return to Clydeside, the Balmoral was able to join a large flotilla of craft including the Royal Navy destroyer HMS Manchester that escorted the liner on her arrival. So at the early time (for a Sunday) of 0900 an almost capacity quota of passengers joined the 59-year old motor ship at Greenock’s Customhouse Quay to go and meet the liner. After a unprecedentedly poor summer (even the previous day was horrible), the 5th October 2008 dawned with an almost cloudless blue sky. It was almost like a dream that the weather could be so good and undoubtedly it added immensely to the enjoyment of the tens of thousands of people who came to see the Clyde’s last great liner for the last time.

Balmoral, dressed fore and aft for the special day at Greenock about 0900.

Queen Elizabeth 2 had served, like her predecessors, as a troopship in time of conflict (Falklands War 1982) and as a mark of that the Royal Navy honoured ‘our old friend’ by assigning the Type 42 destroyer HMS Manchester to escort the liner from the lower Firth of Clyde to the famous ‘Tail of the Bank’ anchorage off Greenock .

The magnificent QE2 arrives back on the Clyde for the last time

HMS Manchester escorted QE2 from the lower Firth of Clyde to the Tail of the Bank

After the extremely successful escort sailing Balmoral left Greenock for Glasgow to bring another near capacity crowd of passengers to view the liner at the Ocean Terminal at Greenock. As an added bonus Balmoral cruised around a number of large naval vessels that were at anchor off Greenock in preparation for extensive naval exercises off the West Coast.

Balmoral heading upriver to Glasgow

Balmoral passing QE2 on her second special sailing

Balmoral passing the Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal
(with the classic motor cruiser Fenella in the foreground)

Balmoral ‘threading the needle ‘ between HMS Ark Royal and the destroyer HMS Manchester.
Waverley's original base, the derelect remains of Craigendoran pier, can be seen in the Background

Within the next decade both of these vessels may be replaced by new tonnage under construction on the Clyde and elsewhere, Manchester by one of the six Type 45 destroyers currently under construction at Scotstoun and Govan and Ark Royal by the new aircraft carriers HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales (the largest sections of which will be constructed at Govan)

Balmoral having a brief look at the RFA Mounts Bay (built upriver at Govan) and HMS Bulwark, constructed at Barrow-in-Furness. Bulwark's landing craft were also built at Govan.

Balmoral headed back upriver to Glasgow to embark yet another near capacity crowd before setting sail to join the flotilla that escorted magnificent QE2 away from the Clyde – all in darkness so no pictures I’m afraid.

Capt Andy O'Brian, Waverley Excursions senior master takes Balmoral away from Greenock.

Balmoral’s season is over and it is no secret that it has been a most disappointing one. Therefore, it was good to see her so busy on that most unforgettable of days. Next year is her Diamond Jubilee. Let us hope it will bring her the passengers that she deserves to have.

Balmoral's 2008 season ended on a high with three full load sailings in an unforgetable day

QE2 has gone from the Clyde and we know that we will never see her likes again here.

(More General pictures of the QE2 visit on alternative website - links to follow)

All pictures by Stuart Cameron except where indicated

Strange Bedfellows!!

(Words by Gavin Stewart, Photographs by Alistair Black)

I think it would be fair to say that Balmoral has visited a good few unusual places during her 20+ years under the Waverley Steam Navigation flag. One such place was Gourock – headquarters of Caledonian Macbrayne – former owners of her fleetmate Waverley.

After completing her September weekend programme of sailings Balmoral had remained alongside Customhouse Quay, Greenock until yesterday (Wednesday) when she moved to Gourock presumably to free the Greenock berth for Northern Lighthouse vessel Pharos – which is now alongside.

The photos below show Balmoral with Dunoon – Gourock ferry mv Jupiter (built Port Glasgow 1974) moored astern of her and another view of her alongside last night.

Balmoral has now left Gourock and is at Waverley’s berth at Glasgow Science Centre. She is due to undertake special sailings to view QE2 as the Clydebuilt liner makes her way up the West Coast of the UK visiting ports as part of her farewell cruise. Balmoral will leave Greenock CHQ at 0930 on Sunday 5th October to escort the famous liner up river to her berth at Greenock Ocean Terminal. There is an afternoon cruise to view QE2 leaving Glasgow at 1400 returning at 1800. Balmoral will depart Glasgow at 1930 bound for Greenock (arr 2100) to escort QE2 down the river of her birth for the very last time - returning to Greenock at 2330.

After de-storing etc Balmoral will then leave Greenock for the light sailing to her home port of Bristol for winter layup.

Gavin Stewart

Lochranza - At Last!!

The motor ship Balmoral is also operated by Waverley Excursions and sails in support of the PS Waverley. Since Lochranza pier re-opened, there have been a number of planned sailings to Lochranza by the Balmoral during her normal September weekend visit to the Clyde but none of these have actually taken place, mostly due to weather conditions, when alternative cruises have been provided in more sheltered waters.

2008 proved to be the year that Balmoral eventually reached her planned destination and provided us with a very enjoyable cruise for the day, on Sunday 28th September.

However, Lochranza was not Balmoral's only unusual call for the day - she also made a call at Clydebank on her way down river from Glasgow.

Unfortunately it was not clear where Balmoral would actually call

and a number of us waited to see her come alongside

the restored Titan crane at Clydebank

- a great location in perfect sunlight.

In the end she arrived and berthed unexpectedly at the edge of Rothesay Dock,

resulting in a mad dash to try and catch a photo looking straight into the sun

After her Clydebank call,
Balmoral speeds off for her next call at Greenock


Balmoral arriving at Greenock

Balmoral at Lochranza

One of the least interested residents at Lochranza!

There were actually 4 deer together in this area but they were among

various obstructions which spoiled the line-up with the ship

Just what Clyde Cruising is all about - sitting in the sun,

enjoying the scenery and fresh air, passing the time of day with friends,

putting the world of coastal cruising to rights,

recounting exploits and previous journeys and planning for the next trip

A compilation of some short video clips taken during the Lochranza visit,

starring a few local heros (but no deer!) who pull out the stops

to make Waverley and Balmoral trips

1 possible and

2 memorable

Thanks to all concerned for another great trip.

Charles McCrossan