The Duchess of Hamilton

[WC1]

Did the Queen Mary sail from the Broomielaw to Campbeltown in the mid sixties ,seem to remember being aboard her then.

The Queen Mary II sailed from Bridge Wharf in Glasgow (where the casino now stands, just downstream from the railway bridge) to Dunoon and Rothesay, then cruised round Bute. That was her exclusive part of the summer schedule for many years. She was re-boilered round about 1972 in preparation for taking over from the Hamilton on longer routes such as down to Campbeltown. So far as I can remember, when she took over the Campbeltown route she started at Gourock just as the Hamilton had done. You can still see her, by the way, in London. Back to her original two-funneled condition, she's now a floating bar/restaurant on the Thames Embankment just upstream from Blackfriars Bridge.

[howlsatthemoon]

You can still see her, by the way, in London. Back to her original two-funneled condition, she's now a floating bar/restaurant on the Thames Embankment just upstream from Blackfriars Bridge.

Found this photo, is this her?

[EMDEE]

Another one that used to make an occasional appearance in the 60s, presumably standing in for the Duchess of Hamilton, was the PS Caledonia, a one-funnelled paddle steamer.

[WC1]

Found this photo, is this her?

It is indeed.

Another one that used to make an occasional appearance in the 60s, presumably standing in for the Duchess of Hamilton, was the PS Caledonia, a one-funnelled paddle steamer.

Her visits to the town were more likely to have been special excursions rather than scheduled services, as she wasn't designed for the longer hauls. By coincidence, she too went to the Thames and - renamed 'Old Caledonia' - she became a floating bar/restaurant near where the Queen Mary is now (just above Waterloo Bridge). Round about 1980 she went on fire and was too badly damaged to repair. Her engines are in a steam museum somewhere in Hampshire I think.

From the photo of the Queen Mary, you'll see she's back to being simply the Queen Mary. In 1934, when the new Cunarder, then just known by her yard number, 534, was ready for launching, the Williamson Buchanan company that owned the steamer agreed to add the "II" to her name so that Cunard could call their's "Queen Mary". Thus the steamer became the only Clyde steamer ever to have a number suffix - Queen Mary II.

[Mod4]

Quick question - should this be in Local History or is it correct in here?

Can be moved with a shadow copy left in here which takes you to the correct section. Interesting thread.

[Govangirl]

I would definitely say yes tomoving it. It's indeed very interesting and I've learned so much from the posts. Thanks to you all.

[bill]

The Duchess of Montrose

One way of distinguishing between her and the Hamilton is to count the number of small windows forward of the low level landing door on the main deck - the 'Montrose' had three, the 'Hamilton" had four.




Queen Mary2




Caledonia

[blueboyno1]

I have some pictures of the Jeanie Deans in Rothesay bay and at Rothesay Pier ,did she get into Campbeltown.

[WC1]

I have some pictures of the Jeanie Deans in Rothesay bay and at Rothesay Pier ,did she get into Campbeltown.

Ah the good old Jeanie Deans. Truly a legend, possibly the most popular steamer of them all. She was based at Craigendoran on the north side of the Clyde and mostly served on day excursions up Loch Long to Arrochar or down to Rothesay and the Kyles. I'm pretty certain she never made it as far as Campbeltown.

Mentioning Craigendoran reminds me of the sheer number of Clyde steamers that existed in the 1950s and 60s. A fair number were based at Gourock, such as the Hamilton and Montrose, the Caledonia and the newer Maids and the car ferries (the Bute and Cowal). Over the water at Craigendoran were the Jeanie Deans, the Waverley and the Talisman, while the independent MacBrayne boats had to use Princes Pier at Greenock. The Queen Mary II berthed at Bridge Wharf in Glasgow. I well remember that on a summer evening between eight and nine o' clock you could stand at Gourock Pier and see the Firth almost crowded with turbines and paddlers as they passed on the final homeward stretch of their day's excursion. They always seemed to be packed with folk. And the sun was always shining. See me? See nostalgia?!

[Willianways]

What happy memories have been stirred by these messages and the wonderful pictures. In the 1950's we lived near Dundee but because my mother was a Campbeltonian we would make an annual pilgrimage. It was like that song "Trains and Boats and Planes" and you could have added buses too but my absolute favourite was the boat trip to Campbeltown. We travelled on the Duchess of Hamilton and on the Lochfyne. I bought little sailor dolls on both of them with the name of the ships on their hats and they sit perched on the curtain rail in my sister's bedroom to wink at me when I go to visit. I can still clearly remember going into wee shops on the ships to buy them.

It always seemed to be sunny when we sailed into the Wee Toon and with friends waving to us from the pier I felt we were on the Queen Mary. Lovely.

[blueboyno1]

I have some pictures of the Jeanie Deans in Rothesay bay and at Rothesay Pier ,did she get into Campbeltown.

Ah the good old Jeanie Deans. Truly a legend, possibly the most popular steamer of them all. She was based at Craigendoran on the north side of the Clyde and mostly served on day excursions up Loch Long to Arrochar or down to Rothesay and the Kyles. I'm pretty certain she never made it as far as Campbeltown.

I also have come across a picture of the original Waverley .Do you know much about her other than she was a mine sweeper in the first world war and that she was sunk at Dunkirk in the second world war.

[WC1]

I also have come across a picture of the original Waverley .Do you know much about her other than she was a mine sweeper in the first world war and that she was sunk at Dunkirk in the second world war.

Before my time!