Remembering Clyde Ferries: New Glasgow Bridge Celebrated
The Clyde Ferries, which once connected the city’s riverbanks, are a nostalgic memory for many Glaswegians. At their peak, there were around 10 ferry services running in the city, including routes between Yorkhill Quay and Princes Dock and Meadowside Street in Partick and Holm Street in Govan. According to a report by the Glasgow Times, the river was full of traffic, from paddle steamers like Waverley, to the cluthas, harbour passenger steamers used by almost 2.8m people in 1897, operated by the Clyde Navigation Trust.
The ferries, which have largely been replaced by bridges such as the Govan-Partick crossing and the new Yoker-Renfrew bridge, officially opening on Thursday, May 8, brought back fond memories for many. Ian Hutcheson’s grandmother used to take him on the Govan ferry, which he recalls as a "fantastic thing to do." "An everyday experience for adults can seem like an adventure to a child," he said. "Taking a trip on one of the Clyde ferries was a fantastic thing to do. To get across the river you could take the big ferry or the wee one. The big one did not really look like a ferry, or indeed any kind of boat, but more like a giant floating tea trolley, as it proceeded in slow and stately fashion over to Govan."
The Glasgow Times report highlights the distinctive features of each ferry. The Renfrew ferry, later a floating pub and music venue, operated on a chain link system. "Two parallel chains stretched across the river from Yoker to Renfrew and, passing through the sides of the hull of the vessel, enabled it to haul itself from bank to bank by winding the chains in, or as I imagined, by eating them up," says Ian. The Erskine ferry linked Old Kilpatrick with a road on the Renfrewshire side near Erskine hospital, providing a connecting service between Loch Lomond, the Trossachs, Helensburgh, and Renfrewshire and Ayrshire.
The decline of the Clyde Ferries began with the construction of the Kingston Bridge and the Clyde Tunnel, which made some of the ferry services redundant. The Finnieston ferry, which carried passengers 24 hours a day from Plantation Quay across the Clyde, was axed by the then Strathclyde Regional Council’s highways and transportation committee in 1977. The following year, the Kelvinhaugh ferry was also withdrawn, leaving just the Renfrew ferry crossing the river.
The Glasgow Times report also notes that some ferries have been revived. The Govan Ferry was revived in 2011 to run between Govan and the Kelvin Harbour, close to the newly-opened Riverside transport museum. This was the first time a regular passenger service had operated on that part of the river since the 1960s.
As the city celebrates the opening of the new Yoker-Renfrew bridge, many are reminiscing about the Clyde Ferries that once connected the city’s riverbanks. The Glasgow Times invites readers to share their memories and photos of the Clyde Ferries by getting in touch with Ann Fotheringham at [email protected] or writing to Ann Fotheringham, Glasgow Times, 125 Fullarton Drive, Glasgow G32 8FG.
The history of the Clyde Ferries serves as a reminder of the city’s rich industrial heritage and the importance of the River Clyde in shaping Glasgow’s development. As the city continues to evolve, it is essential to remember and celebrate its history, as reported by the Glasgow Times.
