DVD Clyde Steamer Memories 1950 1968 Part 3 Film Trailer v1 1
DVD Paddle Steamers -
Clyde Steamer Memories Part 3
Its
1953 Glasgow Fair fortnight and a bright summers morning as we cast off and pull away from
Glasgow’s
Bridge Wharf aboard the graceful steamer
T.S. Duchess of Hamilton with her decks packed with excited fellow passengers and holidaymakers.
Slowly we pull away carving an arc of white foam as we gradually make our way out into the main river and a shrill blast of her horn. I can feel the steady familiar powerful reverberations of her powerful engines from the deck beneath as we pick up speed. Heading downriver we pass the
Yoker Ferry and the numerous bustling great shipyards of the Clyde, their massive cranes and giant steel hull structures slowly emerging from each dock. Passing the
Erskine Ferry the
River Clyde now broadening and the familiar sight of
Dumbarton Castle comes into view. With the wind in my face and a familiar taste and smell a mixture of salt and soot we gradually enter open water heading for our first stop
Gourock. The pier is crowded with passengers, luggage porters and freight eagerly awaiting our arrival. With our compliment of fresh faces, luggage and cargo aboard we pull away from the pier and out into the bay our next destination
Dunoon.
Once more in open water we are at soon at speed with an escort of screaming gulls overhead. Passing the familiar landmarks of
Toward point and lighthouse we approach Dunoon, it’s picturesque
Victorian pier and red roofed buildings coming into view with
Burn’s
Highland Mary keeping an ever watchful lookout over the scene below. Exchanging passengers, luggage and freight casting off we are soon once more churning water as we steam out of Dunoon heading for
Rothesay my most cherished holiday destination for the next two weeks. Passing Craigmore we soon steam gracefully into “
Sweet Rothesay Bay” passing several steamers on our approach to the pier. As we stream ashore we are welcomed to
Bute as we pass beneath Rothesay’s “Floral
Arch” as we head for our
B&B;. The next morning we are once more at the pier queuing to board that old favourite the
TS Duchess of Montrose for a memorable day cruise to
Inverary. As we gracefully sweep out of Rothesay Bay we are soon cruising amidst some of the most breath-taking scenery anywhere as we sail up through The
Kyles of Bute accompanied by sound of the band on board. After a brief stop at Tighnabruich we are soon passing Kames and rounding Ardlamont
Point and enter the beautiful scenery of
Loch Fyne and our final destination of Inverary the seat of
Clan Campbell,
Duke of of
Argyll.
Having taken in the sights, shops and lunch all too soon it’s time to leave and return to the steamer. As we sweep back into Rothesay Bay at the end of a wonderful cruise and memorable day it’s a busy scene as we berth beside a familiar steamer the PS
Jupiter with her large contingent of passengers disembarking. As we clamber ashore the truly elegant
TS Queen Mary II sweeps into the bay on her final call of the day with yet more passengers eagerly awaiting the start of their holiday. Not to be outdone we are treated to the majestic and popular appearance of
David MacBrayne’s magnificent TS
Columba cruising slowly into Rothesay Bay as we make our way along the esplanade at the end of another memorable day. This is but one of many nostalgic cruises, steamers and destinations preserved on this unique archive.
Cruise and recall many of the other beautiful steamers and trips including those aboard the
PS Jeanie Deans,
The Talisman,
PS Caledonia, TS Queen Mary, The
Gay Queen, The
Keppel,
M.V. Glen Sannox as we call at
Arran, Dunoon, Kirn, Sandbank,
Fairlie, Craigendorran to name but a few.
Whether you are passionate about these beautiful clyde steamers or want to rekindle and rediscover the golden memories of places and trips of days gone by you will be utterly captivated by the nostalgic scenes and memories in this unique production. Narrated by
Iain Anderson BBC Scotland Running time 60 mins
Price: £13.99 from www.videohistoryscotland.com