Waverley paddle steamer marks 80th anniversary since launch

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The paddle steamer Waverley sailing along the River Thames towards Tower Bridge in London, with passengers on deck and the city skyline under a blue sky in the background.
The world’s last sea-going paddle steamer has marked 80 years since it was first launched on Glasgow’s River Kelvin.

The Waverley passed through London’s Tower Bridge earlier, as part of an anniversary voyage on the Thames.

Now based on the River Clyde, the ship has been restored to its original 1940s style. It makes nostalgic trips around UK ports and is one of the most recognisable historic vessels in the world.

More than 150,000 passengers have travelled on the steamer every summer for the past three years.

The oil-fired steamship replaced an earlier PS Waverley that was lost during the evacuation of Dunkirk in 1940.

It was intended for cruises up Loch Long and Loch Goil and became a familiar sight for generations of Glaswegians going “doon the watter” for their holidays.

Entering service with the London and North Eastern Railway (LNER) Clyde paddle steamer fleet on 16 June 1947, it eventually ended up being owned by Caledonian MacBrayne.

In 1974, after being withdrawn from active service, it was gifted it to the Paddle Steamer Preservation Society for £1.

Since then it has operated on a not-for-profit basis and has carried six million passengers on routes around the UK.

Historic black-and-white photograph of the paddle steamer Waverley at its launch on 2 October 1946, with people standing on the deck as the newly built vessel enters the water beside a shipyard.The world’s last sea-going paddle steamer was launched in Glasgow on 2 October 1946.
An old black and white image of the Waverley paddle steamer on her maiden voyage in 1947, with flags displayed and lots of people on the outside decks.The Waverley made its maiden voyage on 16 June 1947

Waverley was launched at the Pointhouse Yard of A&J Inglis in Glasgow on 2 October 1946 by Lady Matthews, the wife of the LNER chairman.

It was the last steamer built for the company, which also operated the Flying Scotsman steam locomotive.

She noted the “splendour of the Clyde coast scenery should be viewed from steamers like this”.

Passengers on the anniversary voyage down the Thames included David Horne, LNER managing director, who was there to honour the railway’s role in the vessel’s history.

Waverley master Bruce Clark, LNER managing director David Horne, chief officer Gary Stevenson and general manager Paul Semple standing on the deck of the paddle steamer Waverley, with two in maritime uniforms. The River Thames waterfront is visible in the background.Waverley master Bruce Clark, LNER managing director David Horne, chief officer Gary Stevenson and general manager Paul Semple were on board
Aerial view of the historic paddle steamer Waverley cruising through dark water, with passengers on deck and a white wake trailing behind the vessel.The Waverley has been restored in the original LNER 1947 livery of red, white and black funnels.

Paul Semple, general manager of Waverley Excursions, said it was a “remarkable achievement” for the paddle steamer to have reached 80.

“She was built to serve the Clyde coast and, 80 years later, she continues to give tens of thousands of people the opportunity to experience the joy of travelling by steam,” he said.

“From her early beginnings with LNER to her survival as a working paddle steamer after being gifted for £1 to the Paddle Steamer Preservation Society, Waverley has become much more than a ship.

“She is a living piece of maritime history and a much-loved part of our national heritage.”

The Waverley, the world's last seagoing paddle steamer, passes Dumbarton Rock as it makes its way along the River Clyde in May 2026.The paddle steamer will return to the Clyde to end the 2026 season later in October.

The Waverley will continue sailing on the River Thames until 11 October, before returning to Scotland for the final weekend of her 2026 anniversary season.

It will return to Glasgow and the Clyde coast for two final sailings on 17 and 18 October, bringing her 80th anniversary season to a close on home waters.

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