The picture is of the Tay Queen arriving at the Old Pilot Pier in Broughty Ferry on 13th August 1982.
This pleasure boat, which had a fully licensed saloon bar, used to do return trips from the Ferry to Invergowrie Bay.
In addition, there were cruises to Perth on certain days of the month.
The timetable leaflets, from 1983, give you the lowdown on where to book and so on. You could even have your own private function on it, which sounds like fun!
However, the fun didn't last too long as somewhere between 83 & 85, the Tay Queen stopped it's cruises, and was replaced for a short while in 1985 by the Coral Star, details of which can be found in my March 2009 archive.
Click images to enlarge.
Big thanks to Neale Elder
We went on our school trip in primary 7 on the Tay Queen. Would have been about 1981 or so. One way sailing from Perth to Broughty Ferry. Spent the afternoon at BF castle and beach then coach back to Perth. Fond memories of the trip. Whatever happened to the boat?
ReplyDeleteWhy ain't there any cruises on the Tay these days? Dundee in many ways has lost its way. Hope it returns one day to the glories your pages remind us of.
ReplyDeleteHope some of my items Retro Dundee has been kind enough to feature have been throught-provoking.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous, you're right to ask why the splendour of the Tay doesn't support the likes of the 'Tay Queen' now. If this magnificent estuary was in Devon or Wales, imagine what it would be like. But part of the trouble is that the Ferry didn't then (and doesn't now) promote itself effectively.
In 1983 (three years before the 'Discovery' came back to Dundee) there was an initiative called (I think) 'The Ferry Challenge', which suggested ways of improving the Broughty waterfront. Central to this was a proposal to relocate the Frigate 'Unicorn' to Broughty Ferry Harbour, which is not as daft as it sounds. 'The Ferry Challenge' came to nothing.
Perhaps there weren't that many 'glories' in 1980s Dundee! The city was on its knees. It has now started to get its act together. But after all this time, why does Broughty Ferry still sell itself short? Answers on a postcard (if you can find one!).
Don't they have tourist boats that go out alongside the Tay dolphins now?
ReplyDeleteI remember the Tay Queen, I am sure it used to be anchored out near the lifeboat. Apparently there are still cruises on the Tay but you have to look hard to find them, www.tayrivertrips.org
ReplyDeleteI went on the Tay Queen in 1980 just before setting sail on Schools Ship "Uganda" on a trip to Norway. The Queen took us up to look at the remains of the Tay Bridge & back and I had a feeling that I'd been on her before.
ReplyDeleteNow step back to the mid 50's and 60's. I holidayed with my parents in Bridlington and always enjoyed a trip or two out on one or other of the pleasure steamers there - Boys Own, Yorkshire Belle and Bridlington Queen.
Finding the makers plate with "Bridlington Queen" on it confirmed the the Tay Queen was in fact Bridlington Queen.
I was saddened to learn that she later sailed down to Newark on the R Trent, and then more recently back to the Goole area for scrapping.
Look at http://www.freewebs.com/graham7760/thebridlingtonqueen.htm for more information on a lovely old lady!!
The above web address appears not to work now - try http://www.bridlington.net/boats-of-bridlington/bridlington-queen/
ReplyDelete