Western Daily Press (Saturday)
Waverley on way to being ship-shape again
PLANS to restore the world’s last seagoing paddle steamer have taken a major step forward after the order of two new boilers thanks to a fundraising effort.
The purchase of the steam boilers for the paddle steamer Waverley comes just two months after the iconic vessel was withdrawn from service.
It is now hoped that the steamer, the last sea-going vessel of its kind in the world, will be fit for sailing for the 2020 season.
She has been a regular visitor to the Bristol Channel for decades.
A whopping £2.3 million was raised by the public for the new boilers after a crowdfunding effort was launched after the news that the ship wouldn’t be sailing for the 2019 season.
The new boilers will be built by Cochran Ltd at its Newbie Works in Annan, Dumfries and Galloway, and delivered early next year.
Other areas of the boiler room that will have work done include the replacement of electrical generators to ensure safe sailing for years to come.
Waverley Excursions general manager Paul Semple thanked all those who donated for their attempts to get the steamer up and running again.
He said: “Thanks to the initial donations received towards our Boiler Refit Appeal we have placed an order and paid the deposit for two new boilers to be built for Waverley.
“This is just the first vital step in returning Waverley to steam and I am extremely grateful to everyone who has donated to the appeal so far as they have allowed us to progress plans quickly
“We will only be able to install the new boilers if we continue to receive further donations and support from a variety of sources.”