TS Queen Mary is expected to set sail on the Clyde River again, as the ship will be rebuilt for 3.8 million pounds

A steamer that once carried King George V queen mother will set sail on the Clyde River again, as the ship, built in 1933, will undergo a £ 3.8 million refurbishment.

The royal princess announced today during a visit to TS Queen Mary, which is being restored in Glasgow.

Initially, it was planned that the ship would be permanently anchored on Pacific Quay next to the Glasgow Science Center, where the focus would be on heritage and maritime training.

However, it has now been decided that the vessel will hopefully sail the Clyde again by summer 2024 to support the recovery from the pandemic and help promote tourism.

Friends of the charity TS Queen Mary, which is involved in the renovation, said it was “taken over by the generosity of corporate donors and individuals.”

Iain Sim, president of Friends of Queen Mary, said: “It is only appropriate that this notice be issued by HRH Crown Princess given the strong family connection TS TS Mary has, not just with her great-grandmother Queen Mary, after whom the ship is is named but to the wider royal family.

“When Her Royal Highness became the patron saint of the ship three years ago, on the day she re-established this important royal connection.

‘TS Queen Mary also has a special place in the hearts and minds of those in Britain and beyond who remember this icon of the ship and its incomparable place in the life of the River Clyde.

“Thanks to the support of our wonderful supporters, both individuals and businesses, and those whose hard work defines this restoration, TS Queen Mary will set sail again.

“Although the amazing history of TS Queen Mary can only be understood if we look back, her legacy must be lived by looking ahead.”

Initially, it was planned that the ship (pictured) would be permanently anchored on Pacific Quay next to the Glasgow Science Center, where the focus would be on heritage and maritime training.

But now it has been decided that the vessel (pictured) will hopefully sail the Clyde again by summer 2024 to support the recovery from the pandemic and help boost tourism.

Friends of TS Queen Mary raised and invested £ 3.8 million in cash and in-kind support for the project.

A lot of work is needed on the ship, including new engines.

The ship, built in Dumbarton in 1933, carried 13,000 passengers each week during its heyday and was known as “Britain’s best pleasure steamer.”

Among the famous travelers were the then princesses Elizabeth and Margaret.

Other important passengers on the ship included then-First Lady of the United States Eleanor Roosevelt, Viscount Montgomery of Alamein and legend of the Sir Harry Lauder Music Hall.

Robbie Coltrane, who remains a sponsor of the charity, said: “I always dared to say that we could put engines back in it and sail it around Clyde, as it did in 1933.

I believed it was possible, and I believed it had to be done.

‘TS Queen Mary is as important in the 21st century as it was almost 90 years ago.

‘She is now returning to regain her throne.’

Friends of TS Queen Mary raised and invested £ 3.8 million in cash and in-kind support for the project. A lot of work is needed on the ship, including new engines. Pictured: Patron of the charity Robbie Coltrane

TS Queen Mary

TS Queen Mary was built in 1933 by the world-famous William Denny and Brothers shipyard for Williamson Buchanan Steamers. The 252 ft ‘pocket liner’ is the original ‘Queen Mary’, which relinquished its name in 1934 in honor of Cunard’s new lining (which became the TS Queen Mary II) before taking over in 1976.

The vessel is the largest and most luxurious steamboat ever built to serve Glasgow and the west of Scotland, and in that role, TS Queen Mary carried 13,000 passengers each week. During World War II, the vessel maintained rescue services on the Clyde.

TS Queen Mary wore Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth (Queen Mother), Her Majesty the Queen (then Princess Elizabeth), Princess Margaret and Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt.

After retiring the ship was moved to London and served the community there from 1987 to 2009. TS Queen Mary is now the last of its kind in the world and is listed in the Core 40 fleet of the UK’s National Register of Historic Ships as a ship of national eminence.

source: TS Queen Mary

TS Queen Mary (pictured) was built in 1933 by world-renowned William Denny and Brothers shipyard for Williamson Buchanan Steamers