The turbine ship queen mary.

[Fouro]

Wayback in 1933 a Clyde Turbine Steamer built by Denny's of Dumbarton was launched and named T.S. "Queen Mary". The ship built for the Williamson- Buchanan fleet was put on the run from Glasgow, down the River and Firth of Clyde to Rothesay, Millport and Arran. In 1935 the Cunard Company had a new giant liner in John Brown's Shipyard in Clydebank getting ready to be launched by the most Regal of Queens, Her Majesty Queen Mary. The giant liner at this particular time was known only by its yard hull number 534. The Cunard Company then approached the directors of Williamson-Buchanan requesting them to rename their Turbine Steamer to T.S. "Queen Mary II". After numerous talks the two companies reached agreement when the directors of Williamson-Buchanan decided to rename their ship the T.S. "Queen Mary II". The giant liner "534" in John Brown's yard was then afterwards launched and named RMS "Queen Mary" by Her Majesty Queen Mary. A grateful Cunard Company in acknowledgement of the gracious act carried out by the directors of Williamson-Buchanan presented them with an elegant plaque and portrait of Her Majesty Queen Mary. Both of these items were installed in one of the T.S. "Queen Mary II's" sitting rooms. One day during my apprenticeship my chief engineer noticed and told me that my works number "534" was the same as that of the "Queen Mary" in John Browns Shipyard in Clydebank. On 24th March (my first birthday) the new giant Cunard liner RMS "Queen Mary" left her berth at Clydebank for trials. During the late 40's and early 50's mum always took us on holiday to Rothesay and she always made sure we boarded the T.S. "Queen Mary II" for the trip to Rothesay "Doon the Watter" to the Isle of Bute. She always preferred to travel on the turbine steamer rather than travel on the paddle steamer P.S. "Waverlley" which was also on the same run. The T.S. "Queen Mary II" readopted the name T.S. "Queen Mary" on the 6th May 1976 after 41 years. As I write, this once graceful ship is now tied up and rusting away at Tilbury, London, awaiting her fate and sadly my favourite boyhood ship faces a very uncertain future. The T.S. "Queen Mary" is the last survivor of her class anywhere in the world and is an exceptionally important part of British Maritime History. She was propelled by three Parson Steam Turbines which enabled her to travel at 21 knots.
The old Clyde Steamers are now all gone except for two. The two remaining are the P.S "Waverley" which is still in service and is the only sea going passenger carrying paddle steamer in the world, the other is what remains of the once famous T.S. "Queen Mary" now docked and rusting away at Tilbury.

FOURO.

[Fouro]

Great News!!
Four days ago on 14th April 2014, it became known Robbie Coltrane is spearheading a bid, to bring back the only surviving Clyde built Turbine Steamer in the world, to Glasgow. The Harry Potter actor has become Patron of The Friends of the T.S. "Queen Mary", one of the last links to Scotland's shipbuilding past. The neglected Steamer is still tied up in that dismal dock at Tilbury after being bought at auction in 2011 by a 49 year old London-based businessman named as Ranjan Chowdhurry who appears to be a bit of a dodgy character. He is very reluctant to get rid of her. Lets hope Robbie is successful in getting a good deal out of the Bengali Crook.

FOURO.

[j.sabourn]

Re.. Turbines, my Father in Law, cut the wheels for the turbines of the Queen Elizabeth 1. This was at Parsons Marine Turbine, I rather think this was the only place on the Tyne at that time that did such work. John S