FIRST Minister Nicola Sturgeon took a private tour of the historic Queen Mary steamship yesterday as efforts to revitalise the vessel continue.
Built in 1933, the ship took generations of pleasure trippers “doon the watter” from Glasgow to Dunoon, Rothesay, Millport and Arran before being retired in the late 1970s and turned into a floating restaurant on the River Thames.
The last remaining vessel of its kind, it was saved from scrap by charity Friends of TS Queen Mary last year and is now berthed at Glasgow Science Centre in Sturgeon’s city constituency.
The MSP spoke to Merchant Navy cadets at the ship yesterday as restoration work continues ahead of a planned reopening to the public next year.
She said: “I was delighted to visit TS Queen Mary and see first-hand the work being done to restore this vital part of our heritage. This is a fantastic project and provides a great opportunity for young people to get involved in the restoration.”
Iain Sim, trustee of the Friends of TS Queen Mary, which has so far raised £800,000 for the project, said: “I am delighted to welcome the First Minister to look around TS Queen Mary and learn more about our project. This historic ship has an important place in Scotland’s heritage, as the last surviving turbine steamship. However, she also plays an important part in our future too. Once restored, we hope she will help inspire the next generation of Scottish engineering talent.”
Colin McMurray of Clyde Marine Training, which is training the cadets, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for our cadets and a great project to work on. Partnering with Friends of TS Queen Mary during the restoration project will help to give these young people the skills they need for a future in the maritime industry.”
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