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 No 14 - Branch Festive Lunch Cruise 2010.

Yes folks it getting towards that time of year again - you know - the one where we all eat and drink far too much, watch the Wizard of Oz and The Great Escape for the zillionth time on Christmas Day and then eat Turkey for the next month!!

Well how about getting away from all that for the day with the Scottish Branch Festive Cruise?

On Monday 27th December the Branch have once again chartered Clyde Marine Motoring's mv Cruiser for our popular festive cruise into Loch Goil via Blairmore for a short stopover while the caterers setup a delicious buffet lunch for passengers to enjoy amidst some of the Clyde's most beautiful scenery.

We have been blessed with excellent weather in recent years so heres hoping for a repeat performance in 2010!

Cruiser will leave from Greenock's Victoria Harbour at 11am - returning at 3.30pm.

The Buffet Lunch is optional but is highly recommended!!

Click on the booking form below and select "Print" then fill it out as required.

The form also contains further details of the day.

See you on board!!



Click on Image then Print

 Gavin Stewart

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

Caledonia Sounds

(Words & Pics by John Easton)

A few pics of the late Colin MacDonald (distinguishable, of course, by the bushy beard) and his Caledonia Sounds during their long associaton with Waverley on the Clyde.
Research has confirmed that Colin, in fact, first appeared on Waverley in 1990 as a substitute for another band, which must accredit him with one of the longest day and night stands in musical history!!

Apart from entertaining in the Jeanie Deans lounge on Fridays and Saturdays, Colin was always keen to preserve the tradition of strolling musicians on deck when the heavens allowed and as can be seen other well revered Waverley devotees such as fiddler Jim Clark were always welcome to join the band on the run.




Inevitably there were changes in the Caledonia Sounds line-up over the years and the most recent trio were Colin, crooner Alex and Colin's chief comrade George on drums. Collectively they recorded a CD "Waverley Party Time" which was what Colin was all about!!! His repertoire from Scottish dance music to standards, swing, pop and golden oldies was remarkable. His devotion to Waverley was legend.

John Easton

CHRISTMAS CAROL SINGALONG

Assistant Purser and Waverley enthusiast Simon Morgan has organised the following fundraising festive singalong.

See above for details (click on image to zoom)

Cheques should be made out to Simon Morgan.

Fancy a "right gid" singalong? Then this is the event for you!

Two Waverley Stalwarts

Above: Great to see them back aboard - Jim Clark (fiddle) and Ian Moffat (Accordian)

For a large part of her preservation years passengers aboard Waverley have been entertained by a wide variety of musicians. Jim Clark, accompanied by the late Len Edwards, and by Ian Moffat have combined the entertainment with raising funds to keep the paddler in service. It is estimated that Jim's efforts have raised in excess of £25,000 and he has been greatly missed by many Waverley supporters over the past couple of years in which has suffered some ill health.

It was a great boast to all Waverley's regular passengers and long serving crew members to see Jim back aboard during one of the paddler's early August sailings and even more so on her final sailing of 2009 to Tarbert in Loch Fyne on 25th August when Jim and Ian performed many old favouites and raised well over £200 in generous donations from the passengers.

On the second call at Tarbert on Tuesday it was announced that there is reason to hope that the paddler will be able to return to a full programme of calls at Tarbert. (The paddler's Tuesday itinerary to Tarbert is one of only 2 of the 2009 Clyde excursions that have operated since the start of the ship's preservation operation in 1975 but in the last couple of years she has only been able to call at certain tidal conditions). The East Pier at Tarbert has been in service for around 130 years having been built to accommodate the huge 300 foot long paddle steamer Columba, which was delivered from J & G Thomson's Clyde shipyard in 1878 to serve on the prestigious 'Royal Route' mailboat service from Glasgow to Tarbert and Ardrishaig, the latter at the eastern extremity of the Crinan Canal. Passengers from Columba could traverse the Canal on the small steamer Linnet, boarding another paddler (notably the Chevalier) for onward passage to Oban (where they could connect with other steamers to the Hebrides) or continue to Fort William and Corpach tho connect with the Caledonian canal paddle steamer for onward transit to Inverness.

As Waverley departed Tarbert for the last time in 2009 Jim and Ian played 'We're no' awa' tae bide awa' while passengers joined in the singing that reflected the sentiment of the occasion. Great to see both gentemen aboard again.

Above: View of the East (or Columba) pier at Tarbert, Loch Fyne from Waverley following her final departure of 2009


The longest Clyde paddle steamer of all, Macbrayne's Columba arriving Tarbert East pier


Stuart Cameron