Waverley - 2018 program

[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.

[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.