Club Meeting

On Thursday 16th September, President Derek Clark welcomed everyone to a virtual meeting of the Rotary Club of South Queensferry. The speaker was Gordon Wilson, a retired electrical engineer who is now vice chairman of the Paddle Steamer Preservation Society which has raised three million pounds towards the restoration of historic vessels. His subject was PS Waverley, of which there have been two. The first was built in 1899 by A&J Inglis to transport the public between the many piers on the Clyde and Islands on the West Coast. She saw service as a minesweeper in both world wars and was sunk in April 1940 at Dunkirk. A new ship, also named Waverley, was built for LNER by the same builders. She entered service in 1945, and on nationalisation of the railways, passed to CSP/Calmac and continued in service until 1973 until, needing much attention, she was sold to the charity WSN for £1. They completed repairs and had her sailing again by May 1975. Waverley visited Llandudno pier for the anniversary and spent ten days doing tours between Liverpool and Fleetwood. In 1978 she spent four weeks on the Thames carrying 54,000 passengers between various ports. In 1979 Waverley visited the Western Isles, the Mersey, the Bristol Channel, the South Coast and the Thames with great success. In 2016, now under the Paddle Steamer Preservation Trust, she returned to the Thames sailing between London and Southend in September, when the weather in the Thames is generally better than in the Clyde. In 2019 serious boiler defects were discovered. She was refitted in January and February and did trials between Milport and the Kyles of Bute  before returning to service. Sadly, on 3rd September 2020 Waverley was damaged when she hit the new pier at Brodick on Arran. Gordon's presentation was stunningly illustrated with beautiful shots of the Clyde scenery which brought back memories to west coast members of the club. Gordon was introduced by Robbie Brechin. Graham Clarkson did the vote of thanks.