By Monday 22nd February 1965 Caledonia was on the slipway at Lamont’s Shipyard at Port Glasgow for her annual Board of Trade survey and refit.
1964 was the last season that she was based at Ayr in the peak summer weeks. A decline in the excursion business generally on the Clyde had forced management to re-think their strategy for 1965. Ayr was no longer to have its own excursion steamer. Jeanie Deans and Duchess of Montrose were to be sold off. Caledonia would take the place of Jeanie Deans partnering Waverley on the peak weeks roster in which one ship would run the long round Bute afternoon cruise every day during the week and the other would take the excursions up river to Glasgow or to Loch Long or on out beyond the Partially Smooth Water limits past the Cumbraes to Brodick. On Saturdays they both piled in on the main Clyde ferry services.
After leaving Ayr at the end of the 1964 season Caledonia continued to fill in as required on other Clyde services. From October to December she was rostered as spare vessel based at Gourock during which time she undertook several trips on the Holy Loch run as well as tendering various liners anchored at the Tail of the Bank.
In mid December Talisman replaced her as stand by vessel and she laid up in the Albert Harbour at Greenock. In mid February she moved to Lamont’s yard which is where we find her on 22nd February 1965.
Kingswear Castle returned to service in 2023 after the first part of a major rebuild which is designed to set her up for the next 25 years running on the River Dart. The Paddle Steamer Kingswear Castle Trust is now fund raising for the second phase of the rebuild. You can read more about the rebuilds and how you can help if you can here.
John Megoran
This article was first published on 22nd February 2021.
