P.S. "Waverley" at Kyle-a

P.S. "Waverley" - The world's last sea-going paddle steamer.

Folder: Shipping around Kyle
Built by A&J Inglis at their Pointhouse shipyard on the River Clyde in 1946, the paddle steamer Waverley was completed in 1947, having been towed to Greenock to receive her engine. She entered service with the LNER, plying between the railway company's piers at Craigendoran and Arrochar, becoming the property of the British Transport Commission on nationalisation in 1948.

By 1973, the ship was u…  (read more)
P.S. "Waverley" at Kyle-a

P.S. "Waverley" at Kyle-a

09 May 2007 1 2 352
Since entering preservation in 1975, Waverley has been lovingly restored and is reputed to be in better condition than ever before. Cosmetically, she has regained her original 1947 condition but her navigation and safety equipment meets all of the standards required by a modern passenger ship. Her summer season often includes a few days based around Kyle and Skye, offering fans, enthusiasts, tourists, and locals the chance to enjoy stunning scenery aboard one of the finest vessels ever built. This series of images shows the elegant ship leaving Kyle, bound for Portree.
P.S. "Waverley" at Kyle-b

P.S. "Waverley" at Kyle-b

09 May 2007 325
Leaving Kyle pier behind, Waverley sets off for Portree, the main town on Skye. A ship's funnels are an important part of its identity and Waverley has reverted to the original LNER colour scheme of red/black with the white stripe. During her working life, they received a new livery following each change of ownership: BTC buff, then MacBraynes' Red with rampant lions. The hull and paddleboxes have also been restored to their 1947 colours, making her one of the most photogenic ships afloat.
P.S. "Waverley" at Kyle-c

P.S. "Waverley" at Kyle-c

09 May 2007 1 282
Seemingly effortlessly, Waverley can quickly achieve her cruising speed, usually about 13 knots. Her Rankin & Blackmore triple-expansion engine can churn out 2100hp (about the same as a Class 40) and will use about 165 gallons of fuel per mile, or about 8,250 gallons to Portree & back. A minimum of 19 crew is required.
P.S. "Waverley" at Kyle-d

P.S. "Waverley" at Kyle-d

09 May 2007 328
At 2401 ft, Beinn na Caillach makes a substantial backdrop to this shot, as Waverley steams west, towards the Skye Bridge. Confusingly, there is a second mountain with the same name, the same spelling, and virtually the same height, about 10 miles to the west of this one, just beyond Broadford. In the Gaelic, both of them translate as "The hill of the old woman", which isn't really much help. It's no wonder folk get lost.
P.S. "Waverley" at Kyle-e

P.S. "Waverley" at Kyle-e

09 May 2007 310
Although built to accommodate up to 1,350 passengers, today's modern safety regulations restrict Waverley to a maximum of 860, depending on where she is steaming. Some cruises do sell out but, on this occasion, there were plenty of unsold tickets. According to Waverley Excursions Ltd, they need to generate a minimum of £12,000 every day that Waverley is scheduled to sail.
P.S. "Waverley" at Kyle-f

P.S. "Waverley" at Kyle-f

09 May 2007 322
As Waverley steams towards the Skye Bridge, the village of Kyleakin is now visible in the background. The first official ferry between Kyle and Kyleakin began operation in 1841 and as traffic increased, so did the size of the ferries. The last vessels used, on 16th October 1995 (the day the bridge opened) were the MV Loch Dunvegan and the MV Loch Fyne , which could each carry 36 cars and 200/250 passengers.
P.S. "Waverley" at Kyle-g

P.S. "Waverley" at Kyle-g

09 May 2007 2 2 402
In this final shot from 2007, Waverley is passing the old ferry slipway in Kyleakin, bound for Portree. These 7 shots are maybe a bit repetitive but I hope they work quite well as a set. With a lot of ships, you really need a front, or side, view but this lovely old vessel looks good from any angle. Just above the Ensign on Waverley's stern, one of the Serco range support boats is moored at the "dolphins". These two small, adjacent piers were built to moor one of the ferries overnight, in the days before the 24-hour service was introduced. A better description can be found here.
P.S. "Waverley" off Kyleakin-a

P.S. "Waverley" off Kyleakin-a

29 Apr 2011 284
Viewed from the railway pier in Kyle, P.S."Waverley" steams parallel with Kyleside in Kyleakin with the 09:00 Broadford - Kyle - Raasay sailing. Now usually known as the "last sea-going paddle steamer in the world", this lovely vessel entered service with the LNER in 1947, commonly working between the railway piers at Craigendoran and Arrochar. Her busy summer seasons now include visits to such far-flung ports as Bristol and London. Contrary to popular belief, this Waverley did NOT go to the Dunkirk evacuation, although she did visit the French coast in more recent times.
P.S. "Waverley" off Kyleakin-b

P.S. "Waverley" off Kyleakin-b

29 Apr 2011 301
PS Waverley steams gracefully between Kyle and Kyleakin piers, before turning to call at Kyle with the 09:00 sailing from Broadford. Built on the Clyde by A&J Inglis (now the site of the Riverside Museum of Transport), this elegant steamer has now (2017) passed her 70th birthday and is said to be in better shape than ever before.
P.S. "Waverley" off Kyleakin-c

P.S. "Waverley" off Kyleakin-c

29 Apr 2011 311
Waverley makes a fine sight, cruising past the ruin of Castle Moil at Kyleakin. This ancient Norse fortress was a seat of the Mackinnon clan and levied tolls on traffic long before the Skye Bridge got in on the act, although Findanus and "Saucy Mary" were after shipping, not motorists. The remains have featured in many a calendar.
P.S. "Waverley" arrives at Kyle

P.S. "Waverley" arrives at Kyle

29 Apr 2011 3 4 444
After spending the afternoon cruising around Raasay, Waverley approaches Kyle pier as the voyage draws to a close. The trip had started from Broadford at 09:00 and had called there on the return leg from Raasay. The next day's voyage was to start from Kyle, hence the different route on the way home. This is a rare example of my wife's camera work. I couldn't get this shot, as I was propping up a deck-rail aboard the vessel, so Martha gets the credit for this one.