A SCALE replica of the first commercial steamship in Europe was officially handed over to Waitrose this week, having been gifted to the supermarket by Helensburgh Heritage Trust.

The original steamship, the Comet, which was only three times larger than the sculpture now on display near the filling station at the Cardross Road supermarket, was commissioned by Helensburgh’ s first Provost Henry Bell in 1812.

This week, Billy Petrie, former Provost of Argyll and Bute Council and Freeman of Argyll, officially presented the sculpture.

The artwork celebrates the contribution made by the steamship pioneer to the town.

Through the Comet, Henry Bell put Helensburgh on the map as a tourist destination.

The original Comet was built at John Wood’s shipyard in Port Glasgow, was 42ft long and was introduced as a way of bringing guests from Glasgow and Greenock in comfort to the Baths Inn, an inn owned by Henry Bell and his wife – now part of the Queen’s Court flats at 114 East Clyde Street.

The Comet proved a great success and consequently Henry Bell had it lengthened by another 32ft on Helensburgh beach in 1819.

Bell then placed his ship on a service through the Crinan Canal to Fort William, calling at some of the islands on the way. It was the first steamship to provide a service on these waters.

Stewart Noble, former chairman of Helensburgh Heritage Trust, said how proud he was to finally see the sculpture unveiled.

He said: “Henry Bell was one of the great pioneers in British economic history and so deserves to be commemorated.”