PS Waverley: Last seagoing paddle-steamer in the world sets out on first voyage of the season

Glasgow’s relationship with its steamboats has a long and storied history, embodied by one last paddle steamer. From the start, they were an important form of transport and a connection between Glasgow, the islands of the west coast of Scotland and towns along the Clyde. It was a quirk of legislation that led to their place in local folklore.

Lobbying from the Temperance Movement, started by John Dunlop in Glasgow in 1829, led to an act of parliament aimed at curbing local drinking habits. As a result, pubs were shut after 11pm at night and the sale of alcohol in Scotland’s public houses was banned on a Sunday. The prohibition didn’t apply to those travelling on passenger boats.

In Glasgow, on a Sunday, steamboat companies would compete on the Broomielaw, charging a small fee to take passengers down the Clyde to destinations like Rothesay, Dunoon and Gourock, serving drinks on the way. The legal loophole created the world’s first booze cruise, and the word “steaming” entered local usage. 

PS Waverley, was the last paddle boat built in Glasgow in 1946 and is the last seafaring passenger-carrying paddle boat that still sails anywhere in the world today. After a recent restoration of its engines, trips are set to continue for many summers to come. She originally sailed from Craigendoran on the Firth of Clyde to Arrochar on Loch Long until 1973. Bought by the Paddle Steamer Preservation Society, the Waverley was restored to her 1947 apperance and now operates passenger excursions around the British coast, along the Clyde and on other rivers, including the Thames.

The Waverley paddle steamer was repaired last summer after an appeal for funding raised £180,000 to complete restoration work. Over 2,000 people donated to the appeal as the local community rallied around to make sure that the ship’s legacy is preserved. PS Waverley, named after Sir Walter Scott’s first novel, is moored beside the Glasgow Science Centre.

Paul Semple, Waverley Excursions’ general manager, said: “She is the world’s last seagoing paddle steamer. The Waverley holds a very special place in many people’s hearts, particularly in the west of Scotland and along the Clyde coast.”

In 1974, Billy Connolly played a banjo onboard, singing a song he wrote called Clydescope: “Grab a steamer and sail down the Clyde. No kidding, it’s a magic way to spend a day. Try it on The Waverley.” You can watch the paddle steamer’s first trip along the Clyde of the season in the video above.