Latest news with #PaddleSteamerPreservationSociety
Wales Online
30-05-2025
- Wales Online
50 years of steam magic: discover the beauty of Ilfracombe via the magnificent Paddle Steamer Waverley
Summer is the perfect time for family adventures. This summer, families can embark on an enchanting adventure by water, by setting sail on the magnificent Paddle Steamer Waverley - which has recently received a Visit Wales Gold Award for 2025 - as she celebrates 50 years of sailing in preservation. From Monday, June 2 until Wednesday, June 25, families can take a trip like never before aboard the world's last seagoing paddle steamer, with cruises departing from Penarth, Swansea, Tenby and Porthcawl to the charming and idyllic North Devon seaside resort of Ilfracombe, a nod to what has been a long-standing tradition for South Wales passengers. Once aboard, take a step back in time as you observe the magnificent triple expansion steam engine, bringing to life the authentic charm of a real steamship as you hear the telegraph ring, witness the engine's graceful motion, watch the paddles turning through the portholes and sense the soothing aroma of hot oil and steam. Waverley's master, captain Dominic McCall, said: "We have developed our best possible sailing programme for South West Wales to ensure that as many locals and visitors as possible have the opportunity to step aboard Waverley and enjoy a traditional pleasure steamer excursion." (Image: Waverley Excursions) Introducing Waverley Waverley is named after Sir Walter Scott's Waverley novels. She was built to replace the 1899 Waverley, which was sunk by enemy action on May 29, 1940 at Dunkirk. Waverley's keel was laid on December 27, 1945 but due to material shortages after the war, she was not ready for launch until October 2, 1946. It wasn't until the following year on January 20, 1947 that she was towed to Greenock for the installation of her boiler and engines. Her maiden voyage was on June 16, 1947. Waverley was built for the route up Loch Goil and Loch Long from Craigendoran & Arrochar in West Scotland. She now visits several areas of the UK, offering regular trips on the Clyde, The Western Isles, the Thames, South Coast of England and the Bristol Channel with calls at Liverpool and Llandudno. Waverley is the world's last seagoing paddle steamer. In 1974, at the end of her working life, she was famously gifted for just £1 to the Paddle Steamer Preservation Society. Waverley Steam Navigation Co. Ltd., a charity registered in Scotland, was set up to own and operate the ship. Waverley then began a second career as a beloved tourist attraction. Since she has been in operational preservation, she has been awarded four stars by Visit Scotland, an Engineering Heritage award, and has carried more than six million passengers from more than 60 ports around the UK. Throughout your cruise, full catering facilities will be available, allowing you to indulge in a hot or cold snack, afternoon tea and cake, a wholesome meal in the Dining Saloon - or you can simply relax in one of the steamer's comfortable lounges. (Image: Waverley Excursions) No cruise is complete without visiting the souvenir shop, where exclusive gifts and mementos await, allowing you to carry a piece of Waverley's legacy home with you - ensuring the memories of your special day last a lifetime. Special offers are available on selected dates, allowing a friend to travel with you, free of charge*. Children travel for just £1, whilst under 5s travel free of charge on all sailings. If you dream of creating unique family memories that will last a lifetime this summer, then don't miss out on a Waverley Excursion. Bookings are now open, with tickets available from or you can secure your cruise by calling the booking office on 0141 243 2224. *Seniors bring a friend for free on selected sailings only. Buy one senior ticket and receive a second ticket free of charge. Both passengers must be aged 60 or over to take advantage of this offer. Applicable to advance bookings only.
North Wales Chronicle
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- North Wales Chronicle
Waverley back in North Wales this week for four-day visit
On Thursday, May 29, Waverley will set sail on a cruise from Holyhead along the North Anglesey Coast before arriving in Llandudno with the option to spend time ashore or stay aboard Waverley for a cruise viewing Great Orme and Puffin Island. The Waverley will head out on an evening cruise of the North Anglesey Coast, from Llandudno to Holyhead, on Sunday, June 1. This will take in views of the Great Orme, Puffin Island and Moelfre. There are afternoon cruises on May, Friday 30 and Saturday, May 31 (sold out). Click here to check cruise availability. "I particularly enjoy cruising the North Wales coastline with its stunning seascapes. RELATED STORIES: On board the Waverley! DayTwo in Llandudno in pictures Waverley sets sail from Llandudno Pier - first time in five years! "I look forward to taking Waverley back to Holyhead and Llandudno this year and welcoming passengers aboard for a great day out." The Waverley returned to Llandudno for the first time in five years in 2023. This followed a £3million refurbishment. Back in the mid-seventies, the Waverley was threatened with the scrapyard. How she was rescued is told in a new film, Saving Waverley, showcasing previously-unseen interviews with two key figures involved and released as the ship celebrates her 50th anniversary of cruising with the Paddle Steamer Preservation Society. Passengers will be able to purchase a copy of the film on board or by clicking here. On a 2010 Waverley cruise to the Bristol Channel island of Lundy, Terry Sylvester and Douglas McGowan were recorded by journalist Nigel Heath and cameraman John Dakin telling how the two bought the ship from the previous owners in 1974 for a token Scottish £1 note. A council grant allowed them to run the first cruise from Glasgow on May 22, 1975, but it took the enthusiastic support of Scotland's Sunday Mail readers to enable them to carry on the next year and build a programme later extended to many UK ports. Since then Waverley has earned thousands of fans around the country, recapturing the golden ago of steamers, and was named National Flagship of the Year 2024 by National Historic Ships UK. The new film also includes a 60th anniversary cruise on Waverley's sister ship, the MV Balmoral, National Flagship of the Year 2016, and all profits will go to the two volunteer-run charities maintaining these historic vessels.
Rhyl Journal
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Rhyl Journal
Waverley back in North Wales this week for four-day visit
On Thursday, May 29, Waverley will set sail on a cruise from Holyhead along the North Anglesey Coast before arriving in Llandudno with the option to spend time ashore or stay aboard Waverley for a cruise viewing Great Orme and Puffin Island. The Waverley will head out on an evening cruise of the North Anglesey Coast, from Llandudno to Holyhead, on Sunday, June 1. This will take in views of the Great Orme, Puffin Island and Moelfre. There are afternoon cruises on May, Friday 30 and Saturday, May 31 (sold out). Click here to check cruise availability. "I particularly enjoy cruising the North Wales coastline with its stunning seascapes. RELATED STORIES: On board the Waverley! DayTwo in Llandudno in pictures Waverley sets sail from Llandudno Pier - first time in five years! "I look forward to taking Waverley back to Holyhead and Llandudno this year and welcoming passengers aboard for a great day out." The Waverley returned to Llandudno for the first time in five years in 2023. This followed a £3million refurbishment. Back in the mid-seventies, the Waverley was threatened with the scrapyard. How she was rescued is told in a new film, Saving Waverley, showcasing previously-unseen interviews with two key figures involved and released as the ship celebrates her 50th anniversary of cruising with the Paddle Steamer Preservation Society. Passengers will be able to purchase a copy of the film on board or by clicking here. On a 2010 Waverley cruise to the Bristol Channel island of Lundy, Terry Sylvester and Douglas McGowan were recorded by journalist Nigel Heath and cameraman John Dakin telling how the two bought the ship from the previous owners in 1974 for a token Scottish £1 note. A council grant allowed them to run the first cruise from Glasgow on May 22, 1975, but it took the enthusiastic support of Scotland's Sunday Mail readers to enable them to carry on the next year and build a programme later extended to many UK ports. Since then Waverley has earned thousands of fans around the country, recapturing the golden ago of steamers, and was named National Flagship of the Year 2024 by National Historic Ships UK. The new film also includes a 60th anniversary cruise on Waverley's sister ship, the MV Balmoral, National Flagship of the Year 2016, and all profits will go to the two volunteer-run charities maintaining these historic vessels.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Yahoo
Waverley: 50 years of the paddle steamer bought for £1
Douglas McGowan thought it was a wind-up when he was offered the Waverley paddle steamer for £1. He was one of a group of young enthusiasts who enjoyed a jaunt out on a paddle steamer in the 70s. But they never thought they would actually own one. However that is exactly what happened back in 1973 and Scotland's beloved Waverley, the world's last seagoing paddle steamer, is still going strong. She is marking a special milestone of fifty years since the ship ran its first passenger sailings after being taken over as a heritage attraction. The steamer was first launched on the Clyde in 1946, intended for cruises up Loch Loch and Loch Goil - and she became a familiar sight for generations going "doon the watter" for their holidays. Now something of a national treasure, Waverley was triumphantly returned to service in 1975 by a very determined group two years after the very cheap purchase. "I thought it was a wind up at first," said Mr McGowan from the Paddle Steamer Preservation Society (PSPS) on the offer from Caledonian MacBrayne. The company had briefly operated the ship before making the £1 offer to the society. Mr McGowan had to persuade his committee in London that it was a genuine offer and then, he said, "the fun and games started". They did not have a really clear idea of what to do with the ship as the offer had been totally unexpected. But an inspection of the hull showed that it was in decent condition and a public appeal raised £100,000 - a huge sum for the time. Fifty years on, the Waverley's 2025 sailing season is now underway. This year she will visit 74 ports and piers around the UK. "Waverley has witnessed so much change in her lifetime," said Paul Semple, general manager at Waverley Excursions. "The river area and the riverside has transformed, yet Waverley has remained". Like many involved with the ship, Mr Semple sailed on her as a child. He started work with her as a student summer job in the mid 90s and has never really left. He said keeping a heritage steam ship running was not easy. And over the years there have been challenges like repairs, maintenance, new boilers, incidents where she has gone into a pier and Covid. "Money is a challenge," Mr Semple said. "But also the people to work the ship to learn the skills of a paddle steamer to ensure that she's here for many years to come". On the first public sailing of the new season, there is a real air of excitement. One young boy is celebrating his birthday, and others have childhood memories. "As a kid it was magic," said Alistair Quinlan, who was born and brought up in Helensburgh. He remembers family and Sunday school trips on the Waverley. "The fact that the engines are open," he added. "Just the sound of it - it is a living playground for young children". Another passenger, Diane MacKinnon, explains that her husband was born very nearby. "He remembers when the river was full of ships like this and everything was really busy on the Clyde," she said. The enthusiasts who took over the Waverley more than 50 years ago said they could never have imagined it would be still going strong today. "The nice thing about Waverley is that she's not stuffed or mounted in a museum somewhere," said Douglas McGowan of the Paddle Steamer Preservation Society. "She's alive and well and in very good condition". The enduring allure of The Waverley paddle steamer Moment The Waverley steams under London's Tower Bridge Waverley finally sets sail after two years
Daily Record
18-05-2025
- General
- Daily Record
New doc explores how world's last seagoing paddle steamer was saved by Sunday Mail readers
Since its launch in 1946 the Waverley has remained a firm favourite with day-trippers for its legendry voyages 'doon the watter' from Glasgow's River Clyde around the west coast islands. The incredible story of how Sunday Mail readers helped save the world's last seagoing paddle steamer is revealed in a new documentary. Since its launch in 1946 the Waverley has remained a firm favourite with day-trippers for its legendry voyages 'doon the watter' from Glasgow's River Clyde around the west coast islands. It is listed by National Historic Ships UK as 'a vessel of pre-eminent national importance' and was built to replace a previous Waverley sunk in 1940 while helping to evacuate troops from Dunkirk during WW2. But in the mid-1970s she fell into disrepair and faced being sent to the scrapyard before being bought for £1 by the Paddle Steamer Preservation Society (PSPS) which then joined forces with this newspaper to campaign for her survival. Now the tale of how she was rescued is recounted in a new film Saving Waverley featuring previously unseen interviews and footage. Terry Silvester, former Chairman of the Waverley Organisation and a lifelong supporter of the ship, said: 'The appeal was led by the Scottish Sunday Mail, which ran a great campaign with full colour, centre spread, Ten Days To Save The Waverley. 'This brought people's contributions flooding in and we sailed in '76 and, of course, have sailed ever since.' This month the 78-year-old Waverley celebrates her 50th anniversary of cruising with the PSPS after its Spring sailing schedule kicked off on Friday. Much of the footage in the new film, produced by John Dakin and featuring interviews by Nigel Heath, was recorded on a sailing in 2010, but remained undiscovered on a disc for 15 years. He added: 'It really all began when we realised in 1969 that the Waverley had become the last paddle steamer in the world that went to sea. 'The Waverley at that time was owned by the Caledonian Steam Packet. 'We started a campaign in Scotland with my partner in crime Douglas McGovan to try and persuade them to keep the Waverley as a tourist attraction and this was quite successful for a number of years. 'But in the winter of 1973 Douglas got a phone call asking him to go down to Gourock for a meeting. 'He discovered then that the Waverley, laid up for the winter as usual, had the men withdrawn from work on the ship. so it was obvious they were not going to recommission it for 1974. 'So Douglas said will you come to Scotland for the meeting but I said I'm not coming to Scotland in the middle of the winter to be given the ship's bell as a memento. I said 'you go get the bell'. 'He called me and said I've been to the meeting and they offered to give us the bell, but they also offered to give us the rest of the ship as well. 'This was a bit of a shock because the Paddle Steamer Preservation Society was a very small organisation, it had in monetary terms in those days three and six in the bank and this frightened everyone to death. 'The society really was going to try and turn down the offer with honour. 'But three of us said 'look you can't be the Paddle Steamer Preservation Society if you turn down the last chance you're ever going to get of owning a real seagoing paddle steamer'. 'So we said we have to have a go. 'It really was as simple as that.' Named after Sir Walter Scott's debut novel, PS Waverley was built just after World War II as a replacement for a vessel which was sunk during the Dunkirk evacuation. It was in August 1974 that the ship was officially handed over to Waverley Steam Navigation Co. Ltd, a company formed by the PSPS. Douglas McGovan, former chairman of Waverley Excursions said: 'We were just a couple of enthusiasts. 'But much to our astonishment I got a phone call from their general manager inviting me to his office. 'I thought they were going to say the Waverley is finished. 'Thanks for your support but we're going to send her to the yard. 'But instead he said that we are going to offer your society the Waverley for free, as a gift. 'To make the deal legal I had to hand over that famous Scottish £1 note.' A council grant then allowed the society to run the first cruise. And in May 1975 she set sail for the first time under the new deal, departing Glasgow with a send off from the Glasgow Police Pipe Band. But it took the enthusiastic support of Sunday Mail readers to enable them to carry on financially the following year. And to build a programme that was later to extend to visit ports around the UK. Since then Waverley has earned thousands of fans from all around the country, recapturing the Golden Age of Steamers, and was named the National Flagship of the Year 2024 by National Historic Ships UK. In 2003 a heritage restoration programme was carried out at a cost of £7 million and in 2019 there was also a Boiler Refit. Appeal raised £2.3million with donations from over 8500 individuals, the PSPS, the Scottish Government and several trusts and foundations. The new film is available now on DVD for £16.50. All profits from the DVD will be going to volunteer-run charities.
