Waverley and Balmoral

A rare meeting in the Bristol Channel today.

Balmoral now off to the Irish Sea for a few days before returning to her real home waters of the Solent on 26-29 June. Rumour has it she will be sporting a red funnel! =P~

 

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And here's how the Bal should be ! \/ \/

 

Its a VERY strong rumour too . . . fingers crossed weather permits the painting!

 

Is this in connection with the Red Funnel sponsored Diamond Jubilee sailings on 27 June?

http://www.redfunnel.co.uk/buy-online/b ... nd-jubilee

 

Is this in connection with the Red Funnel sponsored Diamond Jubilee sailings?[/quote:3hu4exz7]

I understand that is the case. A request from a PSPS Branch (Wessex?) was that she was in full red funnel colours for her 60th but no joy . . ](*,)

The red funnel colours do a lot for her lines and funnel . . . . and that coming from a Bristol Channel punter!

 

As you say, let's hope the weather allows them to do the job. I'm booking tickets anyway!

 

Enjoy - I'm going to be ashore chasing her most the Saturday (Southampton and Cowes AM & PM!) and then at Portsmouth on Sunday. Hoping to join her for the cruise from Worthing on the Sunday.

Chris - Channel Images

 

Looks like ticket sales are holding up well

The Bal is a sell out on Sunday from Whitehaven.

 

A final set of pictures from Waverley's brief visit to the Bristol Channel. Taken this evening arriving and departing from Penarth Pier.

 

Balmoral had to cancel on Friday, but took just over five hundred out of Garlieston today.

Tomorrow is a sell out from Whitehaven - shame the weather isn't summer at the moment

The biggest cloud on the horizon is that Largs pier is not going to come on stream for at least a month. The navy pier at Fairlie is being pressed into use.

 

Yes I heard there was a cloud hanging over Largs, a real shame. Should be back for the last few weeks of the Clyde season though shouldn't it?

I did wonder how the Bal would fair with the weather, hopefully she makes the remainder of her trips in the area before heading south - not much flex in her timetable for the run down if weather doesn't play ball.

 

582 ex Whitehaven this morning

 

A comfortable number for her. I expect Waverley has a similar loading for her Milford Haven Wildlife cruise.

 

I would just like to say that I hope you all enjoyed being at work today





The sunburn is getting itchy now

 

Alright for some hey! Great backdrop, sadly my cruising of that area is limited to passing a few miles off with a tow behind me. Oneday . . . Hope she had a good day for numbers. Waverley had 720 on for her evening Cruise on Tuesday! =D>

Bal's just approaching Lands End bound for home waters. Hopefully her funnel is starting to blush!

She is due to sail from Town Quay at Southampton on Saturday and will use Trinity Landing at the entrance to Cowes on Saturday.

 

Bal deep in home waters passing her home berth a few minutes ago.



Here's hoping she looks something like this tomorrow!!!

 

Some lovely local interest pictures for me there! And... in the background/hinterland of the first one, there's a former mixed-gauge terminus, a railway museum hidden by trees, a new railway preservation venture hidden in the distance near a (visible) former major narrow gauge quarry... and the second picture's not too far from a former 3' gauge industrial system (Dinmor).

 

We had a truly great day out with the Balmoral today. 60 years to the day since she was launched at John I. Thornycroft in Woolston, it was particularly touching that every Red Funnel vessel we passed gave a salute to the ship, which, for one day, was working her old route whilst proudly flying the Red Funnel house flag once again. Brilliant![attachment=2:2sze7yke]Bal 1.jpg[/attachment:2sze7yke][attachment=1:2sze7yke]Bal 3.jpg[/attachment:2sze7yke][attachment=0:2sze7yke]Bal 5.jpg[/attachment:2sze7yke]