Martyn Mackrill in his studio, putting the finishing touches to his painting of King Edward on speed trials in 1901. Large 45x32cm prints of this masterpiece can be bought from CRSC — maybe something for family members/partners/friends to give their steamer-dreaming loved ones?
CRSC has some outstanding gift ideas for ship enthusiasts at Christmas. Choose from our list and take the sweat out of shopping — simply order for yourself or a family member/friend and we’ll do the rest! Here are our ‘Top Ten’ recommendations:
Cover of the 2022 CRSC Calendar
● 2022 Calendar — our top-of-the-list tip. Each month features a mix of well known Clyde and West Highland vessels, past and present, in outstanding locations. A bargain at £14 (£12 for CRSC members). Click here to buy.
● Large colour print of Martyn Mackrill’s painting of King Edward on trials in 1901, a magnificent seascape embracing Toward and a wonderful sky. Buy it as a Christmas gift for yourself! It’s ideal for framing and hanging on the wall of your study or living room. A snip at £20 post-free (£15 for CRSC members), packed in a special cardboard tube. Click here. Also available are similarly sized enlargements of King George V and Duchess of Hamilton.
● Our latest DVD with recent clips of Finlaggan at Islay, Isle of Mull at Oban, Maid of the Loch out of the water, Waverley around the Clyde piers (some filmed from a drone), plus footage of Isle of Arran, Lord of the Isles, Loch Linnhe — as well as, yes, Rev PS Goodship’s unforgettable appearance at the Club AGM. Hilarious! £17 post-free, £15 for paid-up CRSC members. Click here.
● Clyde Steamers in Colour, our DVD of vintage Clyde steamer footage, filmed by the late Ian Brown in the 1960s and 70s. This all-time favourite is still available at the bargain price of £14.50 (£12 for members). Lots of memories! Click here.
● Our vintage photo offer comprises 12 fabulous 7×5 prints from CRSC’s unique archive, including Duchess of Hamilton arriving at Gourock in all her glory, Glen Sannox in dry dock, the 1931 Lochfyne off Tarbert and the car ferries Claymore and Pioneer at Port Askaig. A ‘must’ at only £16 post-free (£12 for members). Click here.
● Around the Clyde (and other places) in 20 Years is a book for those who love CalMac ferries, the islands they serve and the recent history of the west coast ferry scene. Hopefully the reader will also have a chuckle along the way: it is written by Stuart Craig, CRSC’s foremost humorist and an inveterate island-hopper. £12. Click here to buy.
Pleasures of the Firth details the entire history of the Clyde steamers
● Waverley Steam Navigation Company, compiled by Alistair Deayton and Iain Quinn, is a must for anyone interested in delving behind the legend and discovering the inside story of the ship’s first 25 years in preservation. At the book’s heart, taking up half its 192 pages, is a remarkably detailed account of Waverley’s year-by-year progress, covering the meticulously planned early overhauls and internal improvements, the spectacular voyages round the British coastline, the struggles to make ends meet and the satisfaction of seeing tireless efforts rewarded. Click here to buy at the bargain price of £16.50.
● Pleasures of the Firth: Two Hundred Years of the Clyde Steamers, a 312-page hardback by CRSC magazine editor Andrew Clark. This is a modern classic — a comprehensive history of the development of steamer travel on the Clyde, detailing such favourites as Columba, Jeanie Deans, Duchess of Hamilton, Waverley and the car ferry Glen Sannox, and bringing the story right up to the 21st century. It is jam-packed with photographs and ship plans, most of them previously unpublished, and includes a fascinating fleet-list, put together with help from John Newth. At £35, CRSC Shop is offering £5 off the recommended retail price.
● Steamers at War commemorates the part played by Clyde steamers in the 1939-45 conflict. For the first time the story of this fascinating period in the history of the Clyde fleets is told in a single volume. Since it was published in 2015, Steamers at War has received many accolades in the press. £11.95 post-free.
● Waverley, Last of the Clyde Steamers. Andrew Clark’s pictorial history of the world’s last sea-going paddle steamer covers her launch at Pointhouse, Glasgow, in 1946, her years under the flag of the Caledonian Steam Packet Company, her adventures in the Hebrides and on the Thames, and her various colour schemes — all told with an outstanding collection of illustrations, half of them in colour and most in print for the first time. A bargain at £8.50.
For more ideas from the CRSC Shop, click here. Or why not gift CRSC membership to a family member or friend for the introductory rate of £10 for the first year: you can do so here.
Published on 31 October 2021