PS Maid of the Loch's Engine "In Steam" 1st November 2019

At the end of August 1981, the Paddle Steamer Maid of the Loch’s engines and paddle wheels fell silent. Few would have thought that steam would ever flow through the Maid again.
After being laid up by her then owners, Caledonian MacBrayne, the Maid fell into such disrepair and neglect that she was in serious jeopardy of sinking at her berth at Balloch Pier.
Fast forward 38 years, and the current owners of the Maid of the Loch the Loch Lomond Steamship Company have just completed a £1.1 Million pound refit of the ship to budget and on time funded by the Scottish Government and other funders including the Paddle Steamer Preservation Society who donated £50,000 to the project.
This refit has seen the return to steam of the Maids engine, which involved replacing all the copper and brass fittings which were plundered from the ship after she had been laid up, also restored was the refurbishment of the Queens Lounge, the full restoration of the aft deck shelter and the rebuilding of her Port paddle box fascia which can be viewed from the pier and the installation of a lift from the promenade deck to the main deck.
The Maid of the Loch has now been provided with a quayside boiler, attached to the ship using flexi hoses from shore side to ship. A containerised Byworth MX1500 boiler, sited close to the ship now provides the Maid of the Loch's engine with enough steam to allow the engine and paddle wheels to be turned slowly.
In order to protect the vital steam connection and other service supply pipes and cable the Maids engine is run astern. This combined with the reduced thrust from her paddle wheels going astern leads to the Maid remaining static at her berth, will giving a good pull on her mooring lines while preserving the vital connections to the shore.
In this video footage, taken on the 1st of November 2019 the Maid of the Loch’s engines are started by John Beveridge who is the current Chairman and one of the founder members of the Loch Lomond Steamship Company which is the charity that owns the Maid and has the ultimate aim of restoring her to full operational condition in the near future. John has worked tirelessly on the Maids restoration from 1993, when the Scottish Branch of the PSPS began working parties on the ship to save her from further neglect and the beginning of her restoration.
It is hoped that the ongoing restoration of the Maid of the Loch can continue to gather momentum and one day we can all look forward to sailing on this unique Loch Lomond Paddle Steamer.
Why not join the Paddle Steamer Preservation Society -new members are always welcome.
For full details visit www.paddlesteamers.org/join/
For Maid of the Loch info visit: www.maidoftheloch.org/

[@RWBHere]

That remaining rust makes me want to weep, but it will likely have been removed by now (end of 2023). It must have been in a dreadful state when restoration was started. Congratulations to all who share in the labour of love that this engine represents. 🙂👍

[@robsin2810]

As a young boy, I would stand on the hump where the shaft went out to drive the paddle. 1952- 1959. My mother worked on her.👍🇦🇺🙏

[@alistairshaw3206]

Great to see her mighty engine running again. Next step to raise the money for her own boiler won't be easy.

[@ubergeekian]

Fantastic news.

[@campbellcowan5002]

Great to see the engines turning again, I just wish they would get rid of the Waverley lookalike paint scheme. The Maid sailed in white with the BR logo on the bow and a pastel green antifouling. That is the history and should be respected, wooden decks also please, otherwise it will sound like an echo chamber when running.

[@professorchris8331]

And with a buff funnel.

[@ubergeekian]

I'm pretty sure she has been in black, white and red for longer than she was in white and buff ...

[@YARROWS9]

FFS Big/yin. Will it not be good to just to see it sail. Whatever colour scheme she has.

[@russellward8694]

Pitty all those jokers are talking when there is an orchestra paying. Very disrespectful!