A £5.5 million project to renovate the 1950s Loch Lomond paddle steamer the Maid of the Loch has been awarded £950,000 of funding from the Scottish government’s Regeneration Capital Grant Fund.
The Maid has not sailed since 1981 and has been moored at Balloch Pier for more than two decades. It is hoped that, once renovated, the ship can be used for cruises and functions.
The 63m-long ship was built in Glasgow (in sections) by A&J Inglis and transported by rail to the slipway at Balloch to be assembled. It entered service in 1953 and worked for a number of operators, until passenger numbers dwindled; it was mothballed in 1981.
The steamer remained watertight while moored at Balloch, but much of the interior disappeared, including copper piping and various artefacts.
The Loch Lomond Steamship Co (
www.maidoftheloch.org) took over in 1996 and set about renovating it.
After 22 years of constant fund-raising and repairs, the company is now close to making the steamer fit to grace Loch Lomond once again.