Framedlight

The PS stands for paddle steamer and the Waverley is the last sea going paddle steamer left in the world! She was built in 1946 and is now in the tender care of a preservation society. Her home town is Glasgow and she was used by the ferry company Calmac until 1973 when it was decided that she was too expensive to maintain. The Waverley Steam Navigation Company now look after her and raise revenue by running trips around the country, starting in the Clyde and moving down finally to London, from where she returns to the Clyde for the winter. Alan, who is a demi - Glaswegian, remembers childhood holidays in the frozen north where a trip on the Waverley was always the highlight. And it happened last October that the conjunction of the stars was in perfect alignment for a visit from Alan's sister from Florida and a Waverley excursion on the Thames. It was a complete family day out with as many relatives as we could muster for the evening sail. We set off from Tower Bridge Pier, ...

Alan had booked two tickets for a day trip on the Waverley, as it was something he had done when he was a kid and he thought his Mum would enjoy it. All three of us could not go as we had Hettie the dog with us, so I elected to stay behind (thinking I would get in nearly a day's photography). It was supposed to be a stormy day but the sea was mill pond flat and there was no rain until late in the afternoon. I went down to the quay in Rothesay to see them off, and took a few pictures and a couple of videos, particularly so I could record the sound of the paddles which is magical. You can see Alan and Rene crossing the gangplank and then in their positions on the boat. The ship was built around 70 years ago  and is the last ocean going working paddle steamer in existence; you can go below decks and see the engine working, a nostalgic experience of brass and oil.