There can’t have been many in the sizeable audience for the first CRSC meeting of 2025 who hadn’t heard Iain Quinn speak before, even if it was just over the speakers aboard his beloved paddler. The ensemble at Glasgow’s Maldron Hotel already knew that with Iain one gets exactly what it says on the tin; and Mr Q was on top form as usual. Here is how Stuart Craig took in the proceedings.
A video of the evening will follow on the website in a few day’s time: a technical hitch has delayed it.
At the start of the CRSC meeting on Wednesday 8 January 2025 club president, Graham Hogg, and our speaker Iain Quinn, paid tribute to two former CRSC members who sadly passed over the Christmas and New Year period: Ian Somerville (who was president 1997-98) and Ian Wilson (past committee member). Both were steamer enthusiasts of long standing and contributed to our club in their own way.
The pioneering turbine steamer King Edward
Iain then changed tone and, speaking without notes in his clear, resonant articulation, he embarked on a personalisation of his ships in the manner which is quite unique to him. His subject was the eleven turbine steamers built for Clyde service. “What? No paddle-steamer?” I hear you ask. Not tonight!
From the pioneer turbine King Edward of 1901 to the dainty Marchioness of Graham of 1936, he dealt with each one in turn. Not a nuts-and-bolts, nor a here-there-and-everywhere account, but a pleasing pictorial representation of each ship from the perspective of the photographer of each stunning image. And he managed to squeeze the odd paddler into the frame too!
MacBrayne’s magnificent Saint Columba – built in 1912 as the second Queen Alexandra – catches up on the paddler Caledonia in the Kyles of Bute
Iain was generous in his recognition of the photographers, his acknowledgments were a ‘Who’s Who’ of those who captured the history of the Clyde steamer through the lens: William Ralston, Robin Boyd, Valentine’s of Dundee, Fred Plant, Ian Brown, Richard Orr, and his own father Edward.
Many of the black-and-white images were familiar to us, but demonstrated how fine detail and subtle lines could manifest on photographs taken in the era before colour film.
Indeed, in contrast, some of the over-coloured postcard images Iain showed made the Caley funnels look like slabs of marzipan.
A couple of photos revealed that some of the effects and techniques employed today are nothing new.
The first image Iain showed was an aerial shot of King Edward at Largs in 1951, which looked as though it had been captured from a drone. And an image of Saint Columba at Rothesay had clearly been doctored in order to remove her third funnel.
The stokers aboard the GSWR’s only turbine steamer Atalanta are piling on the coal in this view of the 1906 steamer in her original condition
Iain did not linger long on each of the turbines, but he had something to say about each of them – of course he did!
King Edward: “her engines lay well down in her hull, in case, perhaps, that they were not a success and had to be replaced.
Atalanta: “would roll on wet grass, given a chance.”
Duchess of Argyll: “had stays fitted to secure her twin funnels during trials in case they fell off.”
Glen Sannox: “had narrower black tops to her funnels then the Argyll.”
King Edward: “disembarked 1,000 Japanese POWs at Greenock.”
Marchioness of Graham: “had a similar hull shape to Atalanta.”
Queen Mary II: “in 1957 had her new boiler fitted, and her two funnels replaced by a single one in just 24 hours”
Queen Mary II, “the Glasgow boat”, heading down past the Clyde shipyards on a charter
For me the icing on the cake of Iain’s presentation were the black-and-white pictures of Duchess of Montrose, Duchess of Hamilton and Queen Mary II – mainly because I remember sailing on them. Oh how we miss them, could the latter ever sail again? Were they the perfect embodiment of the turbine Clyde Steamer? Oh… now I’m beginning to sound like Iain.
The hearty applause at the end of the presentation was in recognition of the time Iain had taken to prepare his ‘talk’ and of how much the audience enjoyed it. Iain thanks Iain MacKinnon for his help in preparing his talk.
How about joining CRSC? You can do so for just £15 by clicking here — and you’ll receive all the benefits, including our annual Review of west coast ship movements, a 56-page colour magazine, discounts on special cruises, and access to photo-rich ‘members only’ posts. Questions? Email info@crsc.org.uk
Published on 15 January 2025