Waverley: Paddler for a Pound (Paperback)

Douglas McGowan's book 'Waverely - Paddler for a Pound' is therefore a best seller before you even look inside! The book itself has an attractive front cover showing her in her post-rebuild livery. Once inside, this truly excellent book reveals a delicious feast of over 200 photographs charting the ships many 'ups and downs' since her initial withdrawal in the early 1970s. For those who have no knowledge of the ship, her withdrawal at this time, as the very last Clyde paddle steamer, was a sad time and the attempts to promote her special characteristics are illustrated through many super photographs showing people such as Captain McEachran and Jean McGowan marking Waverley's 25th Anniverasay cruises in 1972. To cut a long story short, she was saved and the photographs showing the handover of the famous £1 note (by the author himself) are just great.

This is primarily a book that creates the ambience of those far off days in the 1970s when the foundations were being laid for Waverley's second career in preservation. This is the area that makes this book so special. Douglas McGowan was perhaps the most prominent figure in the rescue and preservation of Waverley and because of this, he was at the very centre of every moment of Waverley's early years (with his camera!). Perhaps this book more than anything else, tells you the story of the people and many 'characters' involved. Waverley survived at this time because of these many individuals and the 101 stories of the good and bad times are relayed in Douglas's own unique style in a sensible amount of well written text. The photographs that accompany the stories are of the type that are rarely seen as they show the people that were involved in the story. Particular favourites of mine show crew in the 1970s as well as those early forays into new waters such as at Fleetwood and Liverpool. In addition to the black and white photographs, there is a spectacular series of colour photographs at the centre of the book.

This is not just a book for enthusiasts. It is a book that could be appreciated by anybody who has had a cruise on the ship. Douglas has written this book with great enthusiasm and it makes a fitting tribute to a unique (and eventful) period in the great paddlers life that has never been covered in such detail before. As such it is highly recommended!