The Age of Steam
| Scotland was a leading player in the Industrial Revolution,having both the necessary raw materials and the men of genius and foresight to seize the opportunities. Steam power was dominant on the railways of Scotland until the 1960s and there are still some lines remaining to remind us of the time when expresses were pulled by the most powerful locomotives ever built. Some engines have been preserved, including the 'Jones Goods', 'Gordon Highlander', Glen Douglas' and the Caledonian No. 123 which is now in the Glasgow Transport Museum. It was built in 1886 by Neilson & Co. for the Caledonian Railway |
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| The pioneering steamship "Comet", one of the earliest, and only 40 ft. by 10 ft., - was the first steamboat to travel by sea. The hull was built at Port Glasgow, the engine by John Robertson of Glasgow. The Clyde Trustees had enough faith in Henry Bell to support and encourage his development of steam navigation. One of the earliest steamboats ever was the "Charlotte Dundas" built by Wm. Symington. It sailed the Forth & Clyde canal at 6 miles an hour in 1789. |
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| Paddle steamers took many holidaymakers"doon the watter." The 'Waverley' runs the last seagoing paddle steamer cruises; and 'Sir Walter Scott' 101 year old steamer sails on Loch Katrine. 'Clydebuilt' is the Scottish Maritime Museum - the story of Glasgow and the River from tobacco to shipbuilding. HM Frigate -'Unicorn' is the oldest British built warship afloat Scotland's oldest historic ship, Victoria dock Dundee |
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| The Queen Elizabeth - 83,673 tons - was launched in 1940. At one point Clyde shipbuilding yards produced one fifth of the world's ships. John Brown's of Clydebank is famous for building the giant ocean liners including "The Queen Mary", "Queen Elizabeth" and "Queen Elizabeth II" |  |
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