The wonderful photo above was taken and owned by Sea Pigeon .
Welcome to Bairdstravel`s pictorial guide to QE2 day Clydebank .
I have travelled a bit but I find nothing more enjoyable than hearing about my hometown`s famous history . When you think of Clydebank you always think of the many famous Liners built at the John Browns yard. I decided to
join one of Clyde walks. Later on we headed up tothe nearby Collage to hear Rob Lightbudy`s talk on the Queen Elizabeth 2 . A really enjoyable day
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Please take the time to visit Robs website all about the liner.
The Team for the day
Iain McGuinness directed documentaries including Post-Blitz Clydebank and Clydebank Through A Lens and founder of Clydewalks.
Rob Lightbody was our QE2 expert. Very knowledgeable guy.
Mozzie Carlin Tour guide Clydewalking Company.
We were also joined by our local MP Gemma Doyle
The Queen Elizabeth 2 was built by the Upper Clyde Shipbuilders in the John Brown Shipyard in Clydebank, Scotland. Her keel was laid down on 5 July 1965, as hull number 736 in the same plot that had been used to build iconic liners such as Lusitania, Aquitania, Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth. She was launched and named on 20 September 1967 by Queen Elizabeth II, using the same pair of gold scissors her mother and grandmother used to launch the Queen Elizabeth and Queen Mary, respectively. On 19 November 1968 she left John Brown's fitting out berth, and travelled down the River Clyde to the Firth of Clyde Dry Dock at Inchgreen, Greenock, for final trials and commissioning. After sea trials in the Irish Sea a "Shakedown cruise" to Las Palmas de Gran Canaria set out on 22 April 1969
Ian giving you an idea of the size of the QE2. The photo show`s world famous
landmarks to compare the size of the ship.
Let the tour begin
Map above of the Queens Dock and you can see the new Clydebank Collage.
Here`s my page on the Queen Mary another liner built at this site
Clydewalking tours
Rob, Gemma and Stephen
Kromer Hat This sculpture by Sue Taylor 1994 a tribute to the craftsmen who made the bestships in the world. The man is wearing the Kromer hat, originally the brainchild of an American railroad engineer called George Kromer but now adopted by welders every-where. The first group of Baptists began worshipping
Clydebank Town Hall
Designed by James Miller, best known as the architect of numerous railway stations including Glasgow Central. The foundation stone was laid
on 23 June 1900 and it opened on 4 April 1902.The clock was added in 1931. The statue of Mercury, the winged messenger that nowstands in the entrance, was on the domed roof of the clock tower until it was blown down in
the January gale of 1968. The Town Hall housed the Burgh Council and then ClydebankDistrict Council until the new council officeswere opened in 1980. The Town Hall now houses Clydebank Museum.
The Clydebank Blitz happened over the two nights 13th and 14th March 1941 when German bombers destroyed much of Clydebank. Nearly 1,000 people died and fewer than 10 houses were undamaged. The two main targets, John Brown’s and the Singers were largely undamaged. On the 13th a Polish warship[ the ORP Piorun] which was in Browns for repairs, turned
its guns on the enemy planes and so forged a lasting friendship between the town of Clyde-bank and the Polish people. Solidarity Plaza is dedicated to that bond.
Please let Bairdstravel know if need info on Clydebank or Clydewalking tours
Singer Corporation was also a major industry in Clydebank, giving thousands of jobs to the townsfolk but has since closed, with Clydebank Business Park where its famous building used to stand (next to where Singer railway station is now).
River Clyde now a very quiet place compared to the days when thousands of
workers earn their living producing some of the greatist ships ever built.
At night Bairdstravel really enjoyed the QE2 night . It was a pleasure to see Robs slides and movies about the world famous liner . My wife and mother in
law really enjoyed the night which brought back memories of when they were at the launch of the Queen Elizabeth 2.
Everyone hoped that the Queen Elizabeth 2 would have been brought back to the Clyde but 18 June 2007 the Cunard Line announced that the ship would be sold to Dubai as a floating hotel.
I took my son Andy to see QE2 on a visit to Greenock on the River Clyde .
Sorry Andrew for showing your rugrat photo.
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In May 1982 the ship took part in the Falklands War, carrying 3,000 troops and 650 volunteer crew to the south Atlantic. She was refitted in Southampton in preparation for war service, including the installation of three helicopter pads, the transformation of public lounges into dormitories, the installation of fuel pipes that ran through the ship down to the engine room to allow for refuelling at sea, and the covering of carpets with 2,000 sheets of hardboard. Over 650 Cunard crewmembers volunteered for the voyage to look after the 3,000 members of the Fifth Infantry Brigade, which the ship transported to South Georgia. During the voyage the ship was blacked out and the radar switched off in order to avoid detection, steaming on without modern aids.
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thanks Ian,Rob and Mozzie