Key Dates

1945: Keel laid on 27th December at the A. & J. Inglis yard, Pointhouse, Glasgow.

1946: Waverley launched by Lady Matthews on 2nd October.

1947: Waverley enters service on Monday 16th June for a cruise up Loch Goil and Loch Long to Lochgoilhead and Arrochar.

1948: Waverley abandons her attractive LNER livery as she transfers to the new British Transport Commission.

1951: Waverley transferred to the Caledonian Steam Packet Company Limited.

1953: The previously lovely 'scumbled' deck houses were painted white and the ventilators silver in Caledonian style.

1957: Waverley's boiler converted from coal to oil burning.

1959: Paddle boxes were painted white.

1960: Radar fitted to Waverley.

1970: Waverley passes from railway onwership for the first time as she becomes part of the Scottish Transport Group.

1970: Waverley officially becomes the 'last sea-going paddle steamer in Europe' with the withdrawal of the Caledonia.

1972: Paddle boxes painted black.

1972: Waverley celebrates her 25th Anniversary with a special cruise and the unveiling of a commemorative plaque aboard the steamer.

1973: Caledonian MacBrayne Ltd. was formed from the Caledonian Steam Packet Company and David MacBrayne Ltd.. A new colour scheme of red funnels with black tops with yellow discs and red lions was introduced.1973: Waverley withdrawn from service and offered for Preservation.

1973: Waverley offered to the Paddle Steamer Preservation Society for £1 on 22nd November!

1974: On 8th August, Waverley was handed over by Calmac to the Waverley Steam Navigation Company.

1975: Captain David Neill appointed as master of Waverley.

1975: Waverley's first cruise on Thursday 22nd May under WSN ownership. Waverley was based for 4 days a week at Ayr and for 3 at Glasgow.

1977: Waverley sailed away from the Firth of Clyde for the first time. On 28 April Waverley sailed for Liverpool for a series of sailings to participate in the Centenary celebrations of Llandudno Pier.

1977: Waverley almost lost as she bacame impaled on the Gantock rocks off of Dunoon.

1978: Waverley visited London, the Thames and South coast for the first time for a highly successful programme of cruises in April. Waverley passes Lans End for the first time on 16th April.

1979: Waverley made new calls at Torquay and Plymouth as well as a porgramme of cruises in the Bristol Channel.

1979: During the season, 230,000 passengers sail on Waverley, nearly double the 1975 figure. Of these, 66,000 had sailed on her during her visit south.

1980: Captain John Cameron, Waverley's first Master and the commander of her illustious predecessor joined Waverley for a commemorative cruise to mark the 40th Anniversary of the Dunkirk evacuation.

1981: Waverley made history as she became the first coastal steamer to sail round Britain offering excursions at various ports on her way round.

1981: Waverley undertakes cruises from Hull, Newcastle and South Shields as well as calls at Scarborough and Middlesbrough.

1981: Waverley makes her first visit to the Western Isles.

1982: Waverley makes her first visit to the sacred island of Iona on 24th April.

1984: The first official meeting took place between Waverley and Kingswear Castle on the River Medway on Sunday 16th September.

1986: Waverley finds a consort - the Balmoral.

1985: Waverley pays her first visit to a foreign country with a visit to Eire for several days of cruising. The Irish tricolour was flown as a courtesy flag. She undertakes cruises to Dublin, Dun Loaghaire, Wicklow and Arklow.

1986: Waverley undertakes a further series of cruises in Eire to Rosslare, Waterford, Cork, Youghal and Kinsale.

1990: In May, Waverley undertakes a series of cruises towards the french coast to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the Dunkirk evacuation in 1940.

1994: Waverley participates in the Spithead Fleet Review to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the Normandy Landings. Other ships that took part include the Britannia, Queen Elizabeth 2, Canberra, USS George Washington and the US liberty ship Jeremiah O'Brien.