Builders: William Denny & Brothers Ltd Dumbarton 1933
Propulsion type: Triple screw turbines
Owners: Williamson-Buchanan, LMS Railway, Caledonian MacBrayne
Service dates: 1933 - 1977
Tonnage: Net 336 Gross 871 (later 1014)
Comments:
This picture shows Queen Mary II at Tighnabruaich on 26 June 1966. It shows her with livery of "monastral" blue hull and her single funnel has the red lion rampant. The image comes from a slide taken by Cyril Perrier, with whose kind permission it is reproduced here.
Queen Mary II was introduced in 1933 to replace Isle of Arran, who had been sold for operation on the Thames by the General Steam Navigation Co Ltd. When launched she was named Queen Mary, but after two seasons Cunard wished to use the name for the famous giant steamer built by John Brown, as the Queen (Mary) was to perform the launching of the Cunarder. Williamson-Buchanan agreed and added the suffix II. She was a well constructed ship and was well fitted out. Queen Mary II boasted a service speed of 20 knots and advertised her passenger accommodation at 2086. She operated daily excursions from the Glasgow Bridge Wharf sailing to the Clyde Coast Towns at 10.00 am, except for Saturdays when she sailed at 1.45 pm and Sundays at 10.30 am. She saw War service as a troop carrier in the upper Firth. Returning to service in 1946, she had a mainmast added in 1953 and was re boilered in 1957, when she was changed to oil burning. At this time she received a single funnel, which I am not convinced improved her appearance.She survived in service until 1977 (reverting to her original name for her final two seasons after the Cunarder's withdrawal) and eventually went to the Thames Embankment, as a pub/restaurant, replacing the Old Caledonia where she remains, having reverted to twin funnels. For a picture of her on the Thames click this link.