After spending many years lying at Crinan, the steam puffer AULD REEKIE was moved to the eastern end of the Crinan Canal last summer, following her acquisition last year by Archie MacArthur who also owns the former EILEAN EASDEAL. AULD REEKIE was built in 1943 at Northwich to the standard 66 foot long Clyde puffer design used by the Admiralty for their Victualling Inshore Craft as VIC 27, but was later acquired by a former Lord Provost of Edinburgh, who renamed her AULD REEKIE, and fitted her out as a training vessel for youth clubs. She later appeared as VITAL SPARK at the 1988 Glasgow Garden Festival, and still with that name painted on her hull, she was used by the BBC in the 'Para Handy' television series. Archie hopes to move this 'VITAL SPARK' to the Inveraray Maritime Museum sometime this coming spring, and she is likely to be renamed MAGGIE, after the puffer which starred in the 1954 Ealing comedy film.Wednesday, 2 January 2008
AULD REEKIE
After spending many years lying at Crinan, the steam puffer AULD REEKIE was moved to the eastern end of the Crinan Canal last summer, following her acquisition last year by Archie MacArthur who also owns the former EILEAN EASDEAL. AULD REEKIE was built in 1943 at Northwich to the standard 66 foot long Clyde puffer design used by the Admiralty for their Victualling Inshore Craft as VIC 27, but was later acquired by a former Lord Provost of Edinburgh, who renamed her AULD REEKIE, and fitted her out as a training vessel for youth clubs. She later appeared as VITAL SPARK at the 1988 Glasgow Garden Festival, and still with that name painted on her hull, she was used by the BBC in the 'Para Handy' television series. Archie hopes to move this 'VITAL SPARK' to the Inveraray Maritime Museum sometime this coming spring, and she is likely to be renamed MAGGIE, after the puffer which starred in the 1954 Ealing comedy film.
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2 comments:
Very interesting,I just bought dan Mc donalds little book The Clyde puffer today!
Looks as though shieldhall is going to be a busy place the next few days with quite a few visitors.
Gery ward
Excellent photo, I just watched "The Maggie" last week yet again :-)
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