Not even on my mind, but I spotted the Waverley moored on the Clyde last night, at the Science Centre.
While I got a pic of the paddler, plus the centre, tower, and even the TS Queen Mary in the background, it was a dull grey evening.
Even the shot was grey – the Waverley’s lighting had been quite prominent to the eye, but is almost invisible in the pic, which was disappointing.
PS Waverley Science Centre Glasgow Tower TS Queen Mary
Having mentioned the depressing lack of interest with regard to some maritime projects and vessel rescues (which I won’t divert into here), it’s actually quite nice to be able to mention positive progress with regard to the TS Queen Mary, now permanently berthed on the River Clyde next to the Glasgow Science Centre.
I even managed some pics (in better weather than we have now – I haven’t been down there for ages, and only passed quickly a few weeks ago, during the ‘warm’ spell). Still there 🙂
TS Queen Mary
It makes a nice change not to be mentioning some bad news about one such project.
The Princess Royal has backed efforts to restore a historic steamship, which is berthed in Glasgow.
The TS Queen Mary, which is undergoing a multimillion pound refurbishment, returned to the city for the first time since 1977 in November 2016.
Friends of TS Queen Mary said Princess Anne’s decision to become the ship’s royal patron was a “huge honour” which would boost the restoration work.
The steamer was named after her great-grandmother Queen Mary.
…
Chairman of TS Friends of Queen Mary Iain Sim said: ‘We are delighted and deeply honoured that Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal has agreed to become our Royal Patron.
“This is a great boost for our ongoing work to restore this British icon to her former glory and to preserve her for future generations.”
The TS Queen Mary was built in 1933 and was affectionately called “The Glasgow Boat”, having sailed daily from Broomielaw.
…
Trustees say that once restoration works are complete, the TS Queen Mary will offer educational experiences for school pupils.
It will also be offered as a venue for functions.
Glasgow’s Lord Provost Eva Bolander said: “I’m incredibly proud to support this multi-faceted project to refurbish and promote this iconic steamer as an exciting visitor attraction as well as an educational, interactive maritime experience.
“Its permanent berth at Glasgow Science Centre is the perfect location for what was once the world’s largest and most luxurious Clyde pleasure steamer.”
While I just keep one eye on events around the City of Adelaide, and only recently learned of the significance of the Falls of Clyde, there are blogs which are better placed to find detail about the progress and status of these projects.
One such is ‘The Old Salt Blog‘, which I’ve been alerted to a recent post that summarised the situation around the City of Adelaide (better known to Scots perhaps as The Carrick), and which attracted a comment about the Falls of Clyde in response, and is worth a closer look…
In 2017, it was announced that a permanent home would be created for the ship in Adelaide’s Dock 2. A new road and pedestrian walkway would be built and the area would become ac enter for historic ships and boats. A minimum of $3 million in funding toward maintaining the vessels over the next five years was also promised.
In the last two years, nothing has happened to prepare Dock 2 for the clipper ship. The area is still a largely inaccessible, industrial wasteland. In the meantime, however, real estate development has progressed in the area around Dock 1. The clipper ship City of Adelaide is being kicked off the dock to make way for a 750 unit housing development.
World’s Oldest Clipper Ship, City Of Adelaide – Forced to Move, In Need of a Home
It’s worth looking at that post, and the first reply (I’d have to quote the whole text for it to make sense, and don’t think I can). This mentions the problems with the Adelaide, Falls of Clyde, Cutty Sark (even the Glasgow School of Art, due to the fires these have suffered), but at least is able to be positive, with references to Glenlee, Queen Mary, and Maid of the Loch.
Things may be dire for some, but over time, others are being saved.
Maid of the Loch 2013 © Thomas Nugent via geograph
TS Queen Mary
MV Glenlee
Sunk Carrick
I’d almost forgotten about the arrival and return of the TS Queen Mary to Glasgow.
The story bubbled up into my news feeds for a few days at the time, but since then – nothing, so it had slipped my mind.
I’d crossed the bridge over the Clyde at the Glasgow Science Centre, where I noted the PS Waverley was moored, and carried on to the Festival Park, the last tiny vestige remaining of the 1988 Glasgow Garden Festival, and where I was headed for a quick look as I was in the area.
While it’s nice that the park survives, there’s no real clues as to why it’s there.
Worse, for someone who saw it being created, what could once be recognised as having come from the festival site is now largely hidden by undergrowth. It’s not that the place is neglected, it’s not, but rather being cut back to let the features show, the plants have been allowed to grow over them.
That didn’t take to long (it was only a flying visit), but the roads past this park are INSANE!
I was almost run over when my attention was diverted for a moment…
What appears to be a dual carriageway is in fact two, two-way roads with a divider between them, and there are big signs every few metres warning users to LOOK BOTH WAYS as they cross each one.
This aerial view of Pacific Drive (courtesy of Google Earth) illustrates the madness…
Pacific Drive
From the top, you can see two lanes with arrows showing traffic flow to the right, and the third lane flows to the left.
But if you look to the left you’ll also see things change as the arrows show it becomes one lane to the right and two lanes to the left,
There’s then the physical carriageway divider, which is a raised area.
The fourth lane shows an arrow indicating traffic flow to the right, while the arrow in the fifth lane points to the left.
Small wonder the fences around the pedestrian crosses are covered with LOOK BOTH WAYS signs – you can see them in Street View.
And pedestrians HAVE to cross those lanes – there’s actually a BUS STOP sited on that central divider.
And BUS LANES are the reason for this insanity.
I was waiting for some slow cars coming from the left to pass the crossing near the right edge of the above pic.
They took so long to arrive, I had forgotten both sides of this dual carriageway carried two-way traffic, and had started to cross before I remembered and looked to my right.
Of course, another car had entered that junction while I’d been watching the snails, but fortunately was not moving quickly, at least not as fast as my embarrassment level!
Really? This was the BEST traffic management somebody could come up with?
The same person must have trialled this in Cambuslang first, where they’ve this mixed carriageway in place for years, AND similar warning signs regarding two way traffic, with a warning to LOOK BOTH WAYS on each side of the road.
Having made it across the road (alive) I was just ambling back towards home when I notice there were too many funnels on the horizon.
That was when I realised there was another ship moored around the corner from the Waverley, and that it had to be the old Queen Mary.
It’s a bit of a sorry sight at the moment (but will hopefully be restored to become an attraction), and is being stripped, as evidence by the skip alongside.
Good job I’m mastering wide shots/stitches – this is the view from the steps at the bottom of the Glasgow Tower.
Click the pic for a bigger version.
Queen Mary Pacific Quay
I had thought of heading around the other side of the old dock to get another pic – but this is fenced off as it belongs to private dwelling over there, so I had to make do with some more shots from further away.
There’s a funny story to go with the pics – it seems that towards the latter part of 2017 site security spotted a man hiding on the deck of the old ship. Police attended the scene and found a 29-year-old man. He later appeared at Glasgow Sheriff Court charged with being on the ship without lawful consent and with the intention to commit theft.
As noted in referring to the skip, a large amount of scrap metal lies on the ship, and he had intended to steal and sell it.
TS Queen Mary
It’s getting interesting down at Pacific Quay.
But, how times change.
I was at a pre-completion viewing of the Science Centre, and saw an Imax film before these venues opened. Now I’d be pressed to buy tickets to get into the same places – oh well (I can take pics for ‘free’). The Glasgow Tower wasn’t ready then!
Queen Mary – Glasgow Tower – Science Centre – Imax Theatre
Reflection.
Pity it was getting dark (note the lights, and that this is an enhanced image), and I NEVER get dead calm water – a mirror smooth reflection in the water would have been nice.
Glasgow Pacific Quay Queen Mary Glasgow Tower Reflection
The steamer will be berthed permanently at the Glasgow Science Centre and will be connected to the SSE Hydro and SECC complexes.
A period bar and restaurant will feature menus from ships around the world giving this important part of Glasgow one of the best venues in the city.
Plans are to create a skills academy on board the TS Queen Mary, providing a training ground for chefs for the maritime world.
This was noted on the 85th anniversary celebrations of the TS Queen Mary.
The event celebrated the maiden voyage of the Clyde’s last turbine steamer, whilst raising awareness of the ship’s on-going restoration project.
Secret Scotland 