SS Shieldhall
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The SS Shieldhall is now advertised as "SS Shieldhall, Steam powered General Cargo-Passenger Steamer available for Trips in the Solent", but spent her working days as one of the familiar "Clyde sludge boats" making regular trips from Shieldhall in Glasgow, Scotland, down the River Clyde and Firth of Clyde past the Isle of Arran, in order to dump treated sewage sludge at sea. These steamboats had a tradition, dating back to World War I, of taking organised parties of passengers on their trips during the summer, and the accommodation is again being put to good use for cruises.
The 1972-ton Shieldhall was laid down in October 1954, built by Lobnitz & Co. of Renfrew who also constructed the two triple expansion steam engines which are set vertically in a similar way to the much larger engines on the RMS Titanic. She was built on classic lines with a traditional wheelhouse of riveted and welded construction, a straight stem and a cruiser stern. Her length is 268 feet (82 m) and breadth 44 feet 7 inches (13.6 m). Passenger accommodation was provided for 80 passengers. She entered service in October 1955 and was operated by Glasgow Corporation to transport treated sewage sludge down the Clyde to be dumped at sea.
In 1976 after 21 years of service on the Clyde Shieldhall was laid up, and in the following year was purchased by the Southern Water Authority to carry sludge from Southampton, England, to an area south of the Isle of Wight. Due to rising fuel prices she was withdrawn from service in 1985, then was taken over by a preservation society, The Solent Steam Packet Limited which operates as a charity. All work associated with the Society and Shieldhall is carried out by unpaid volunteers. The remaining Glasgow sludge boats kept going into the 1990s, when changing environmental standards led to new ways of treating the sludge.
With a great deal of work by these volunteers she has been restored to sea-going condition, and the "Shieldhall" is now a frequent sight around the Solent running excursions, crewed by volunteers. She has been to the Netherlands for the Dordrecht Steam Festival and has been at International Festivals of the Sea at Bristol and Portsmouth. Passengers are encouraged to visit the Bridge and see the engine room, getting an understanding of the days of steam.
In July 2005 the Shieldhall made a return visit to the Clyde, taking part in the River Festival in Glasgow, and berthing at Custom House Quay, Greenock. She made a number of excursions, taking passengers on cruises from Greenock on her old route down the Clyde to Arran.
