Silver service high tea

“I was delighted to read the article about TS Queen Mary II in the Craigie column recently,” writes a steamer enthusiast. “I spent many happy hours cruising on the Clyde in her in the 1970s. At that time she was still sailing the longer excursions to towns such as Campbeltown and Inveraray and I planned my holidays around her summer sailings,” he says.

“My day off work was on a Thursday and I was able to travel through from Dundee to Gourock in time to catch the afternoon sailing through the Kyles of Bute, passing the beautiful Highland village of Tighnabruaich.

“The Isle of Arran (Scotland in miniature) was a spectacular, majestic sight and the rugged escarpment of The Sleeping Warrior always made me think of a set from an opera by Wagner.

“I would often treat my mother and my nephews to the excursions and we enjoyed the silver service high tea in the dining saloon, where a portrait of Queen Mary was displayed.

“It was presented by the Cunard Line to Caldonian MacBrayne in gratitude for permitting the transfer of the name ‘Queen Mary’ to the ocean liner owned by that company.

“When the ocean liner was taken out of service, the original TS Queen Mary had her name reinstated.

“When she ceased cruising on the River Clyde, she was berthed at London’s Thames Embankment and used as a floating restaurant.

“If I remember correctly, she was named Queen Mary of Glasgow during that period. I was pleased to read that she is now ‘back home’ and is being refurbished.”