Greenock Esplanade

Offering unhindered views of the River Clyde and beyond, Greenock's Esplanade is an ideal location to view the comings and goings on the river.

At this time of year Greenock welcomes thousands of visitors on board the many cruise ships that berth at Greenock Ocean Terminal. Today was the first time I had seen MSC Splendida in Greenock.

Dredger Deo Gloria has been busy clearing the river bed around BAE shipyard in Govan and bringing the waste downriver to dump it in deeper open water.

Among the most frequent visitors to Greenock are the many container ships which have been loading and unloading at the Ocean Terminal for many decades.

As the evenings grow longer approaching the summer months others enjoy such activities as swimming and wind surfing.

Queen Mary 2

Cunard ships have a special status on the Clyde: some of the greatest ever liners were born on this river.

When Queen Mary 2 came for a visit, thousands came to see her off.

We were treated to a fireworks display as she slipped from the quay with a couple of loud blasts of her foghorn.

While in theory this sounded spectacular, it proved to be a nightmare for taking photographs with the ship being blurred in the long exposures I used to capture the fireworks.

The results are not my best photographs, but here are sharpest ones taken from the shoreline at the Esplanade.

Queen Mary 2 berthed at Greenock

Fireworks display

Fireworks display

Steam loco 62005

The Jacobite steam tour season has started between Fort William and Mallaig.

Last weekend two Black 5's went up and this weekend K1 class loco 62005 came up from Yorkshire to join them.

She traveled to Dumbarton on Saturday and continued to Fort William on Sunday morning.

I watched as the loco operated by the North Eastern Loco Preservation Group came into Dumbarton Central station and backed slowly in to a siding to lie overnight.

On the Sunday morning we headed to Garelochhead to catch her on the West Highland Line, free of overhead power lines and pylons.

Yuan Hui Hai

Chinese registered bulk carrier Yuan Hui Hai sailed up to Glasgow under cover of dark last week, but she came back down empty and sitting high in the water at a better time of day.

The 225 metre ship passed me at Port Glasgow on her way to Falmouth.

The Royal Scotsman

Luxury train travel has arrived in Gourock, but not for commuters.

Costing over £3000 for a four day journey around Scotland, The Royal Scotsman provides the highest levels of comfort available.

Her locomotives for this journey were a pair of class 66 GB Railfreight diesel engines, which I had not seen before on this train.

The Royal Scotsman hauled by GBRf loco 66735 through Greenock Central Station

66735 sitting at Gourock Station

Observation car's veranda provides a unique way to enjoy the journey

The Royal Scotsman's Observation carriage

66732 arrived in the afternoon to haul the train on the next part of her journey

GB Railfreight loco 66732

66732, named after GBRf's first managing director

Luxury

66735 preparing for departure

Passing through Fort Matilda station

The Royal Scotsman heading for her next destination