Scottish steamships sail off the Solent
There was a rare and wonderful sight in the Solent on Sunday and Monday when two heritage steamships met up with one another
Southampton based Steamship Shieldhall was staying in Poole for one week and returning to her home port after visiting the Bournemouth Air Festival, whilst Paddle Steamer Waverley was enjoying part of her three-week long sailing programme in the south of England.
The two steamships sounded their whistles and sirens. A number of vessels accompanied Shieldhall and Waverley as they steamed alongside one another for approximately one hour.
Paul Semple, MD of Waverley Excursions, noted: ‘It was fantastic for Waverley to meet up with Steamship Shieldhall off the Isle of Wight and for both ships to steam side by side with plenty of tooting! Bringing these two wonderful historic Clyde built ships together is something we can all be proud of. Those involved know only too well that maintaining and operating a historic vessel is not for the faint hearted but occasions such as this make it all worthwhile. I must congratulate the Shieldhall team for their achievement in keeping such a fine ship in steam and for their support in arranging such an event with Paddle Steamer Waverley.’
About Steamship Shieldhall:
A heritage cargo-passenger ship, included in the National Historic Fleet, Shieldhall was built and launched on the Clyde in 1955, to a classic pre-WW2 design. She had a long and successful first career with Glasgow Corporation – year round, carrying treated sludge out to sea and, in the summer, taking passengers ‘doon the watter’ on pleasure trips. Bought in 1977 by Southern Water she was finally withdrawn from commercial service in 1985 – but saved and purchased for £20,000 in 1988 by the Charity that still owns her today.
Steamship Shieldhall is one of the country’s most important historic vessels, her heritage significance underscored by her listing as part of the National Historic Fleet. Fundamental to her significance is that she is fully operational, each year providing thousands of people with the opportunity to experience steam--powered sea travel.
Her hull and superstructure are as they were when built. Her boilers and steam engines are original and of a similar configuration to those of far earlier vessels, such as RMS Titanic.
Shieldhall is one of the very few active vessels worldwide that can demonstrate the steam technology that eclipsed sailing ships in maritime trade. Shieldhall's unusual combination of riveted and welded joints is illustrative of the transition in ship building methods after the second world war. Shieldhall has two triple expansion steam engines, steam operated auxiliary engines, operating pumps, fans and deck machinery all powered by two oil fired scotch boilers. This technology dates back to the late 1800s and was widely used on merchant ships until the 1960s. Surviving vessels with this technology are invariably static. Shieldhall is one of a few that can be experienced in operation.
About Paddle Steamer Waverley:
Waverley is the World’s last seagoing paddle steamer having started her career as the final steamship built for the London and North Eastern Railway in 1947. After a career on the Firth of Clyde Waverley was withdrawn from service in 1973 and offered to the Paddle Steamer Preservation Society (PSPS) for the token sum of £1.
Following a public appeal Waverley’s fires were relit again in 1975 at the start of her second career in operational preservation. In the late 1970s Waverley widened her horizons with annual trips to several areas of the UK including those with a rich history of coastal pleasure steamers including the Thames, South Coast, Bristol Channel and North Wales.
A multi-million pound rebuild in the early 2000s helped ensure her continued operation although in recent years the cost of annual maintenance has resulted in public appeals to ensure sufficient funds are available.
Waverley now carries over 100,000 passengers annually while visiting over 50 ports and piers around the UK. Her enduring public appeal has ensured that the last of the great Clyde paddler steamers lives on to offer a truly unique experience, and direct link to our rich maritime, industrial and social heritage.