Top Tweets for #steamPower

GOOD NEWS STORY A Clyde Puffer, one of the last steamboats, is about to sail again after securing a grant. The Clyde Puffer SL VIC 32 was first built in 1943. It operated as a tourist vessel around the west coast of Scotland since 1979. However the boat has struggled to afford much needed repairs in recent years, following a dip in tourism from the Covid-19 pandemic. The owners secured a National Lottery Heritage Fund grant of £245,537, ensuring the works - including repairs, renovations and a new steam turbine powered by a biofueled boiler - can go ahead. Phil Robinson, trustee of the Puffer Preservation Trust charity responsible for the boat, said the group was extremely grateful to secure funding. "The Clyde Puffer is a Scottish seagoing icon, and this award will enable VIC 32 to operate into the foreseeable future." The boats were known for being manned by few in crew number. The boats were a familiar sight throughout Scotland, taking supplies, coal, grain, stone and whisky to small communities. The money will go towards completing repairs, including a replica wheelhouse and completion of replacement steel hull plating throughout the hold area. Funding is also earmarked for a volunteer programme to provide workshops on the maintenance of heritage vessels and the history of the Clyde Puffer in Scotland. Lastly, it allows investment for the steam turbine, helping to reduce the ship's carbon footprint. Photo: Samuel Callen