WAVERLEY COLLIDES WITH PIER AFTER £2.3 MILLION BOILER REFIT
A number of passengers were injured when ex-LNER paddle steamer PS Waverley collided with a pier at Brodick on the Isle of Arran, days after the vessel returned to steam following an extensive £2.3 million refit.
The 1947-built ship returned to service on August 22 for the first time in nearly two years, following the fitting of a pair of new boilers; its 2000-built ones were discovered to be life-expired during winter maintenance works in early 2019, which forced the cancellation of the rest of its scheduled sailings for the year (SR493). The appeal to cover the cost of replacing the boilers reached its target in just seven months and included a £1m donation from the Scottish Government (SR501).
Paul Semple, general manager of the ship’s operating company – Waverley Excursions Ltd – said: “Following the release of the timetable on August 18, we were swamped with almost all sailings sold out for the initial programme until September 6. Due to demand, we then released further sailings, taking the season to September 12.
“The response to Waverley being back in service has been highly positive and, despite some restrictions due to Covid-19, such as face coverings and limited catering, we were getting some excellent feedback from passengers.”
However, just 12 days after it returned to service, Waverley collided heavily while berthing at Brodick pier on the Isle of Arran; 24 passengers were injured and some were sent to hospital, while the rest of Waverley’s planned sailings for 2020 have been cancelled.
Mr Semple said that investigations into the cause of the accident were “ongoing” and that it would be “some time before we know the cost of repairs, but they are likely to be undertaken when Waverley moves to dry dock for her annual survey in 2021.”
The Marine Accident Investigation Branch is also investigating.