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Public invited aboard last seagoing Clyde puffer

The Puffer, Vic 32 makes her way through the Muirton locks in Inverness yesterday on her way to Fortwilliam before returning to Inverness for an open weekend later next week
The Puffer, Vic 32 makes her way through the Muirton locks in Inverness yesterday on her way to Fortwilliam before returning to Inverness for an open weekend later next week

The public are being invited to go back in time at Inverness later this month aboard the last seafaring Clyde puffer.

The coal fired coastal cargo carrier, Vic 32, will dock in Inverness at the Muirtown Basin over the weekend of September 12-13.

Previous open days have proved extremely popular, with hundreds of people going aboard to hear the steamship’s fascinating history.

Some residents of Inverness were able to get a preview earlier this week as the puffer set off through the canal on a holiday cruise to the west coast, where the small craft in her working days delivered coal and other goods to remote areas.

The Victualling Inshore Craft, built in 1943, is now an unusual leisure boat and serves as a reminder of the tales of Para Handy and his crew aboard the Vital Spark.

The Inverness open days will mark the 40th anniversary since the boat was taken over by current skipper Nick Walker and wife Rachael.

They also expect to welcome aboard their 5,000th visitor in that time.

Mr Walker said: “We’ll let people up onto the bridge and also down below to have a look at the engines and shovel some coal.

“It’s all for free and there’s teas and coffees, and we might now let you off again if you don’t give a donation.”

Vic 32 was built in 1943 at Thorne in Yorkshire and was set to work during the war based out of Corpach during World War II.

She also served at Scapa Flow in Orkney delivering aviation oil and ammunition to the Roayl Navfleet.

After the war she was laid up by the admiralty at Rosyth shipyard before being sold privately by Keith Schellenberg, owner of the island of Eigg, who used the boat for supply runs.

It was bought by the Walkers in 1975 and since undergone extensive restoration to turn it into a leisure craft.

She is now owned by the Puffer Preservation Trust though still operated by the Walkers.

In 2004 she was taken out of service after the original boiler failed but support from the Heritage Lottery Fund and private trusts helped pay for a replacement and the puffer returned to service in 2006.