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Last Sea-Going Paddle Steamer Turns 80
2 Oct
Summary
- The Waverley, world's last sea-going paddle steamer, celebrates 80 years.
- Restored to 1940s style, it offers nostalgic trips around UK ports.
- Gifted for £1 in 1974, it has since carried six million passengers.
The Waverley, the world's final sea-going paddle steamer, has marked its 80th anniversary since its launch on Glasgow's River Kelvin. This iconic vessel recently passed through London's Tower Bridge as part of a commemorative voyage on the Thames.
Restored to its authentic 1940s style and now based on the River Clyde, the Waverley undertakes nostalgic journeys around various UK ports. It is recognized globally as a significant historic ship, attracting over 150,000 passengers each summer for the past three years.
The oil-fired steamship, launched on October 2, 1946, by Lady Matthews, replaced an earlier Waverley lost during the Dunkirk evacuation in 1940. Initially intended for cruises on Loch Long and Loch Goil, it became a beloved sight for Glaswegians.
Entering service with the London and North Eastern Railway (LNER) on June 16, 1947, the Waverley eventually came under Caledonian MacBrayne ownership. After its withdrawal from service in 1974, it was gifted to the Paddle Steamer Preservation Society for a nominal £1.
Operating on a not-for-profit basis since then, the Waverley has carried six million passengers on routes across the UK. Its general manager described reaching 80 years as a "remarkable achievement," highlighting its role in offering people the joy of steam travel.
The paddle steamer is scheduled to continue its sailings on the River Thames until October 11, 2026. It will then return to Scotland for the concluding weekend of its anniversary season, with two final sailings on the Clyde on October 17 and 18, 2026.
