Waverley, the world’s last seagoing paddle steamer has now left Dartmouth for the last time this season.

She is now operating along the south coast and the Isle of Wight.

Waverley is named after Sir Walter Scott’s Waverley novels.

She was built to replace the 1899 Waverley which was sunk by enemy action on May 29, 1940 at Dunkirk.

Waverley’s keel was laid on December 27, 1945 but due to material shortages after the war, she was not ready for launch until October 2, 1946.

Her maiden voyage was on June 16, 1947.

Waverley was built for the route up Loch Goil and Loch Long from Craigendoran & Arrochar in West Scotland. She now visits several areas of the UK offering regular trips on the Clyde, The Western Isles, the Thames, South Coast of England and the Bristol Channel with calls at Liverpool & Llandudno.

In 1974, at the end of her working life, she was famously gifted for £1 to the Paddle Steamer Preservation Society. Waverley Steam Navigation Co. Ltd., a charity registered in Scotland, was set up to own and operate the ship.

2003 saw the completion of a £7m Heritage Rebuild which returned Waverley to the original 1940s style in which she was built.

This was made possible with major grants from the Heritage Lottery Fund and the Paddle Steamer Preservation Society (PSPS).

Contributions also came from Glasgow City Council, Scottish Enterprise Glasgow, the European Regional Development Fund and local authorities.

In May 2019 Waverley was withdrawn from service and a capital appeal was launched to raise £2.3 million to allow her boilers to be replaced and re-commission Waverley for further service.

Despite delays to the boiler refit due to the COVID-19 pandemic Waverley returned to service in August 2020 and operated a short season on the Firth of Clyde.

2026 marks 80 years since Waverley was launched on October 2, 1946.