Latest news with #SavingWaverley
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.
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.
