With Waverley watching benevolently from her berth at the Science Centre, Queen Mary is towed stern-first into the former Prince’s Dock at Glasgow on 9 November 2016 — copyright photo CRSC/Andrew Clark
Shortly before 3pm on Wednesday 9 November 2016 the former Clyde excursion steamer Queen Mary was reunited with Glasgow, the city she was built to serve but had not seen for nearly 40 years. Report by John Newth.
After her triumphant return to the Clyde in the spring Queen Mary was drydocked by Dales Marine Services at Greenock. In the Garvel Dry Dock her hull – which was found to be in remarkably good condition – was stripped back to bare steel and fully primed and repainted with modern protective coatings, restoring the veteran close to her original appearance. Another period in the James Watt Dock followed while further cleaning up on board took place.
On a wintry November morning, Queen Mary left Greenock under tow. No waves and cheers from hordes of well-wishers this time but, in contrast, just a few sporadic clicks from the cameras of some hardy souls enthusiastic enough to brave the chilly, damp conditions.
Passing Dumbarton Rock, behind which she had been launched in 1933, Queen Mary made steady progress upriver in the capable hands of two of Clyde Marine’s tugs. Once past the Riverside Museum the pace changed. Queen Mary was to be moored in the former Prince’s Dock, adjacent to Waverley at her Science Centre berth: it would be the first time for several decades that the former consorts would winter within sight of each other.
Queen Mary was turned in the river, and then brought stern-first into the canting basin before being berthed on the north wall of the dock, her home for the next few months.
A report on Queen Mary’s arrival back in the Clyde from the Thames in May 2016 can be found here.
Heading home: Queen Mary is manoeuvred out of James Watt Dock, Greenock, on the morning of Wednesday 9 November 2016, before being towed to Glasgow — copyright photo CRSC/Douglas Brown
Two Clyde Marine tugs take Queen Mary in hand as she is turned off Greenock before proceeding upriver. The paintwork looks good, especially the white waterline — copyright photo CRSC/Douglas Brown
On her journey upriver Queen Mary passed the former Clyde shipyards of her youth — copyright photo CRSC/Stuart Craig
The tow proceeded at a good pace, and the docking procedure in Glasgow was smooth — copyright photo CRSC/Stuart Craig
Queen Mary comes within sight of Waverley at the Science Centre — copyright photo CRSC/Andrew Clark
‘I belong to Glasgow’: Glenlee and the Riverside Museum (in background) add to the historic atmosphere of Queen Mary’s return home — copyright photo CRSC/Andrew Clark
The cant: Battler (right) leads Queen Mary round by the bow, enabling her to enter dock stern-first — copyright photo CRSC/Andrew Clark
In step: Waverley and Queen Mary reunited — copyright Stuart Craig
At rest: the two steamers in neighbouring berths — copyright Stuart Craig
Queen Mary heads ‘doon the watter’ from Glasgow in 1933, her first season — copyright CRSC Archive Collection