Paddle Steamer Waverley - merged posts

[whole diary]

[grahame]

31st August 2018 to 4th September - Paddle Steamer Waverley on the Bristol Channel
7th to 20th September - on the south coast (Weymouth, Swanage, Southampton, Portsmouth)
21st September to 7th October - Thames estuary and London

Start at http://www.waverleyexcursions.co.uk/plan-your-trip/bristol-channel/



Fond, fond memories ... I may well go down to the sea to see her and perhaps have a ride.

[grahame]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-45310086

Hundreds of passengers on board The Waverley paddle steamer were left stranded when it broke down in the middle of the Clyde.

The ship was stuck between Greenock and Helensburgh for several hours but later made it to Greenock.

Waverley Excursons Ltd said it was due to a problem with boiler controls and it regretted the inconvenience and disappointment of passengers.

Specialist engineers will now try to repair the ship.

Tommy Barnes, who was on board the steamer, told BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) Radio Scotland: "There are worse places to be stranded but after a while it does start to wear thin."

The Waverley set off from the centre of Glasgow at 10:00 on Saturday, and it was due to stop in Helensburgh, Dunoon and Rothesay.

All goes to show that any piece of public transport has occasional problems and ...

Waverley Excursions said it tried to book coaches to transport passengers who disembarked at Helensburgh, but none were available.

... there are never buses available when you need them.

[Oxonhutch]

PS Waverley's problems back in 1981 led to my first ever helicopter ride.  She had taken a post-university group of us over to Lundy Island from Ilfracombe for a week's holiday in blissful isolation.  Unfortunately, prior to her arranged return on the following Saturday, she ran aground in Cardiff Bay and put herself out of action for the next few weeks.  We were well and truly stuck in this 'blissful isolation' unless we stumped up ca. £30? each for the helicopter journey to Hartland Point, plus the taxi fare to Barnstable station.  It was a king's ransom for us - I used to draw out £5 in those days for a weekend's entertainment.

[chuffed]

The paddle steamer Waverley is laid up in Scotland and unable to sail until she has new boilers fitted. Hardly surprising that an appeal has been launched. Such a shame that Balmoral is also laid up  awaiting new hull plating and upgraded crew accommodation. I do hope we have not seen the last of these two vessels. One would hope the Heritage Lottery fund could come to the rescue, but I fear that they would only pay for new ventures, and not 'running costs'.

[grahame]

Very sudden .. I had been looking at the schedules just the other day.  Many, many happy memories of Waverley.  She has come back from the seemingly improbable before and I really hope she does so this time.   Was looking at the dimensions the other day ensuring she could fit through a sing bridge at Sea Mills.  Great memories of one of our final days out with Mum - a decade plus ago now - Southend to the Pool of London, with Tower Bridge lifted for us to pass under. Oh - us and hundreds of others on her.

[grahame]

From an email just received

Thanks to continuing support, the fundraising appeal to save paddle steamer Waverley has reached its £2.3 million target just seven months after it was announced that the famous steamship would not operate in 2019.

The Boiler Refit Appeal has attracted donations from over 8,000 individuals with support from the Paddle Steamer Preservation Society, several trusts and £1 million from the Scottish Government. Arnold Clark and the Swire Charitable Trust have both just confirmed their support taking the appeal to its target.

Eddie Hawthorne, CEO^▸ (Chief Executive Officer) & Group Managing Director for Arnold Clark, made the following statement: “I’m delighted that we’re able to contribute £50,000 towards the restoration of the Waverley. Arnold Clark understands how significant the ship and its heritage is to Glasgow and we were keen to help towards the £2.3m fundraising target. I’m looking forward to seeing the Waverley on her way back ‘Doon the Watter’ soon.’

Waverley will be moved from Glasgow to Greenock, under tow in January, where the major “open-heart surgery” will take place. The full works are expected to take around four months to complete allowing Waverley to undertake her regular cruises around the west of Scotland, the Mersey, Bristol Channel, South Coast and the Thames in 2020.

Many happy memories of Waverley ... I hope to have a chance to sail on her next year

[bradshaw]

Christmas cheer; the target for the Waverley has been reached

https://www.bridportnews.co.uk/news/18121824.appeal-save-paddle-steamer-waverley-reached-target/

[grahame]

Fond, fond memories ... I may well go down to the sea to see her and perhaps have a ride.

News from Waverley Excursions

Waverley's General Manager, Paul Semple, sends the following message.

I had envisaged 2020 would be remembered for Waverley returning to service and visiting those areas of the UK^▸ (United Kingdom) accustomed to hearing the sound of her paddle beats. Plans were well developed to celebrate Scotland's Year of Coasts and Waters and to visit some piers which had not seen Waverley for several years. However, the impact of Covid-19 severely delayed the boiler refit and drastically reduced what we could offer in 2020.

In a typical season Waverley records over 100,000 passenger journeys, in 2020 we recorded just under 6,000 - a devastating reduction of business. I believe the decision to operate for just two weeks was the right one, demonstrating that Waverley was once again back in steam and able to sail. With limited passenger capacity due to physical distancing requirements and such a short season we were not able to generate the essential funds required to survive this winter period which is why we had no option but to launch the Covid-19 Relief Appeal.

And I WILL share a link to that appeal ... https://www.waverleyexcursions.co.uk/supporting-waverley/donate-to-waverley/

In regard to the 2021 sailing season the timetable is being developed. Next year we will mark the 75th anniversary since Waverley's launch and join in the delayed celebration of Scotland's Coasts and Waters. As you will appreciate there is some uncertainty in terms of how we operate, and the number of passengers Waverley can carry at any one time.

The whole Waverley team is committed to operating the ship and to providing an enjoyable experience for everyone who steps aboard. We will continue to share information with you as soon as possible through e-newsletters like this and updates across our social media channels. I hope we will be able to share further updates on the success of the Covid-19 Relief Appeal in the coming months, the appeal must realise its target if Waverley is to enter service in 2021.

I very much hope to be one of the passengers who can make a journey on Waverley next year.  She carries many memories for me, from sailing from Oban to Iona through to Southend to the Pool of London, with Tower Bridge lifting to let us through.

[grahame]

On this day in 1946, Paddle Steamer Waverley was launched on the Clyde - happy memories of early life times going "doon the water" on her even before she was withdrawn and preserved / became a heritage vessel which she has now been for longer than her "service" life.  Amazed we have not had a thread on Waverley that I could easily spot to follow up today.

See National Historic Ships

She has been on the South Coast over the last few weeks - now in the Thames Estuary and will be returning to Glasgow in a couple of weeks for her final sailings of the season.

[grahame]

http://www.wellho.net/mouth/708_Linescapes-of-Mull.html

[Oxonhutch]

Fondly remember my one way trip from Ilfracombe to Lundy way back in 1981. One way because she wasn’t available for the return trip as she had run aground with a full loading of pensioners in Swansea Bay earlier the following week. Did get my first ever helicopter ride as a result - that I could ill afford, as I was a poor, brand-new graduate at the time.

[Western Pathfinder]

I have fondish memories of my mother dragging me out of school as a trip was to be had that was quite possibly the last time that the ship would've of been sailing the channel
If only she'd known what was to come ,still a day off school was never not to be taken advantage of.

[Chris from Nailsea]

Amazed we have not had a thread on Waverley that I could easily spot to follow up today.

There you are - I've found that one for you. 

CfN. 

[grahame]

From today - at https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1266129811079974

Passing under Tower Bridge.   One of my fond memories of Waverley is taking this excursion what must have been about 20 years ago from Southend Pier up to the Pool of London and back out - my memory of it is as the last trip with my mum - though we didn't know it at time.  So very much "bitter sweet".   I have looked at this year's program; I won't be taking the trip I don't think but I'm sorta there in spirit. So many memories from and of Waverley.

[grahame]

Hoping to take a trip this summer - https://waverleyexcursions.co.uk/

2025 DATES BY SAILING AREA

Waverley’s 2025 sailing programme will be release area-by-area in early 2025.

First public sailing of 2025 – Friday 16th May
Clyde Spring Sailings – Friday 16th May – Sunday 18th May
Glasgow to Oban sailing – Monday 19th May
Oban & Inner Hebrides – Tuesday 20th May – Tuesday 27th May
North Wales & The Mersey – Thursday 29th May – Sunday 1st June
Bristol Channel & South West Wales – Monday 2nd June – Tuesday 24th June
Northern Ireland – tbc
Glasgow & Clyde Coast Summer – Friday 27th June – Monday 25th August
South West – Thursday 28th August – Monday 1st September
South Coast & Isle of Wight – Monday 1st September – Tuesday 24th September
London & Thames Estuary – Wednesday 25th September – Sunday 12th October
Glasgow & Clyde Coast Autumn – Saturday 18th & Sunday 19th October