Caledonian MacBrayne - Queen Mary - Queen Mary II - Turbine Steamers

This page is devoted to postcards and photographs of the 1933 excursion steamer Queen Mary.

The Queen Mary was built at the William Denny yard at Dumbarton for Williamson-Buchanan (W-B), and was the culmination of Clyde turbine steamer design. She was powered by three direct drive steam turbines, and at 871 gross tons and carrying 2086 passengers, she was the largest excursion turbine on the Clyde (though not the longest). She operated on the traditional Williamson-Buchanan route from Glasgow Bridge Wharf down the Clyde to Dunoon, Rothesay, Largs and Millport, followed by a cruise to a different location each day. Her departure time from Glasgow was 10am, and she did not get back until 8:30 in the evening. This schedule was run Monday-Saturday, with a later 10:30 departure on Sundays. One of the other turbines in the fleet would generally cover on Fridays and Saturdays.

In 1935, the fleet of Williamson-Buchanan, including the Queen Mary, passed to the London Midland & Scottish Railway (LMS). The two turbines of associated Turbine Steamers Ltd (Queen Alexandra (2) and King George V) both passed to David MacBraynes, itself part owned by the LMS. Queen Mary's registered owners became Williamson-Buchanan (1936) Ltd, and she retained her white funnels and W-B house flag until the war. Other members of the fleet received yellow LMs funnel colours and became integrated into the LMS operations. Also in 1935, Queen Mary became the Queen Mary II, at the request of Cunard White Star Line, releasing her name for the new liner Queen Mary building on the Clyde.

Queen Mary returned to service after the war in full LMS livery and with cross-trees on her foremast, returning to her usual services. In 1948 she passed to British Railways ownership, becoming part of their Caledonian Steam Packet Co (CSP) fleet. She received an enclosed wheelhouse in the same year. In 1950 Queen Mary became a one-class ship, along with the rest of the Clyde fleet. In 1954 she received a mainmast, and a cafeteria was installed on the main deck. A radical change of appearance occurred over the winter of 1956-1957, when a new boiler installation resulted in the replacement of her two funnels with a single much larger funnel. The changes raised her tonnage to 1014, but the car ferry Glen Sannox soon replaced her as the largest ship in the Clyde fleet. In 1965 Queen Mary received the new corporate British Rail blue hull, and had a red lion attached to her funnel. The lions were the same size throughout the fleet, and it looked a little ridiculous on Queen Mary's impressive new funnel. In 1969 her masts were reduced in height to pass under the new Kingston Bridge, although she never required this with the cessation of Bridge Wharf sailings that year.

In 1970, ownership passed to the Scottish Transport Group, and Queen Mary's hull returned to black. Caledonian MacBrayne was formed in 1973, and she received their colours with red MacBrayne funnel and CSP lion on a yellow disc. The paddle steamer Waverley was withdrawn in 1974, and Queen Mary became the last excursion steamer on the Clyde. She was withdrawn in 1977, and has since been a moored restaurant ship on the Thames.

On 9th November 2009, Queen Mary was towed from her moorings on the first section of a lengthy journey to La Rochelle on the French Atlantic coast. Images of this departure.


Sections on this Page:-
Queen Mary - Williamson-Buchanan: 1933-1935
Queen Mary II - Williamson-Buchanan (1936): 1936-1939
Queen Mary II - LMS: 1945-1948
Queen Mary II - Caledonian Steam Packet: 1948-1972
Queen Mary II - Caledonian MacBrayne: 1973-1976
Queen Mary - Caledonian MacBrayne: 1976-1977
Queen Mary - River Thames: 1977-2009
Queen Mary - River Thames departure: 9th November-2009

Caledonian MacBrayne Pages:-
Caledonian MacBrayne - Header Page
David MacBrayne - Page 3 - 1915-1939
David MacBrayne - Page 4 - 1940-1972

Associated Pages:-
UK Excursion Ships
Ferry Postcards
Cruise Ship Postcards
Ocean Liner Postcards
Simplon Postcards - Recent Updates
Simplon Postcards - Home Page

References:-


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Queen Mary (Williamson-Buchanan: 1933-1935)
Queen Mary II (Williamson-Buchanan (1936): 1936-1939)










Queen Mary II (LMS: 1945-1948)
Queen Mary II (Caledonian Steam Packet: 1948-1972)




















Queen Mary II (CalMac: 1973-1976)
Queen Mary (CalMac: 1976-1977)








Queen Mary
(River Thames: 1977- )

Queen Mary on the River Thames, 26th May 2003, in an approximation of early CSP condition.
Photo: © Ian Boyle
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Photo: © Ian Boyle, 26th May 2003.



Photo: © Ian Boyle, 26th May 2003.
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Photo: © Ian Boyle, 26th May 2003.
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Queen Mary on the River Thames, 7th April 2005, in a hideous blue colour scheme.
Photo: © Ian Boyle.
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Photo: © Ian Boyle, 7th April 2005.



Photo: © Ian Boyle, 7th April 2005.



Photo: © Ian Boyle, 7th April 2005.
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Photo: © Ian Boyle, 7th April 2005.
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Queen Mary on the River Thames, 12th March 2006, being repainted in more suitable colours.
Photo: © Ian Boyle
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Photo: © Ian Boyle, 12th March 2006.
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Photo: © Ian Boyle, 12th March 2006.
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Restaurant ship Queen Mary
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 31st March 2006
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Restaurant ship Queen Mary
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 31st March 2006
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Restaurant ship Queen Mary
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 31st March 2006
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Restaurant ship Queen Mary
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 31st March 2006
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Queen Mary
Leaving the River Thames: 9th November 2009 More images of Queen Mary's departure Queen Mary waiting for low tide before leaving London Photo: � Ian Boyle, 9th November 2009 Queen Mary approaching Blackfriars Bridge whilst leaving London Photo: � Ian Boyle, 9th November 2009 Queen Mary leaving London, passing under Tower Bridge Photo: � Ian Boyle, 9th November 2009 Queen Mary leaving London, approaching Greenwich Photo: � Ian Boyle, 9th November 2009 Queen Mary leaving London, approaching the QE2 Pier (O2) Photo: � Ian Boyle, 9th November 2009 Ferry Postcards - Cruise Ship Postcards - Ocean Liner Postcards
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