THE restoration of the Maid of the Loch paddle steamer has taken a major step forward after government funding was secured to pave the way for essential repairs.
A grant of £94,108 from Historic Environment Scotland will be used to repair the Balloch Steam Slipway – and also the carriage on which the historic vessel will sit when it’s winched out of Loch Lomond.
In January 2019 the restoration of the ship suffered an unfortunate and high-profile setback when, with the public and the media watching on from Balloch Pier, the carriage on which the ship sat as she was winched out of the loch for refurbishment failed, sending the Maid sliding back into the water.
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The slipway and carriage will be repaired using parts salvaged from the original carriage, alongside large horizontal spars, forming part of the new structure.
Anne Urquhart, volunteer director at Loch Lomond Steamship Company, said: “Two years on from the unfortunate incident with the Maid of the Loch’s old slipway carriage, Loch Lomond Steamship Company is close to completing a much stronger replacement.
“To know that Historic Environment Scotland has the confidence in us to complete such a complicated task is both humbling and very reassuring.”
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