The engine had been 'pirated' at some point after the Comet herself was wrecked and changes had been made. It was rusted solid and assumptions had to made about what it was like on the inside by examining the outside.

The engine proved to be the most difficult thing to reproduce. A gentleman by the name of Mr A A Mumford who was Kincaids chief draughtsman at the time even travelled to the South Kensington Science Museum on more than one occasion in order to photograph, measure ever aspect of the engine.

The Comet Replica.

It had to rate as the smallest thing built on the Clyde for many years. Of Corse I mean the Comet Replica.

Provost Lucas suggested a week long celebration to mark the 150th Anniversary of the launch of the first Comet. This was to include a procession and he thought that it would be good if a model Comet could lead the celebrations.
Discussions followed and a decision was made not to build a model but to build a full size replica, in addition they would sale her on the river and follow her original route.

This was to be no easy task! The original drawings and plans "did not add up" . For every problem faced the great skill of the men involved and the experience of their own judgment a decision was reached, a compromise agreed on. Mr James Ferrier was to be the co-ordinator for the project which truly was a community effort with each of the yards on the lower Clyde playing their part.

Mr Alfred Barber mills the crankshaft at Kincaids. The original was hammered out by a blacksmith.

Any part of the engine that could actually be seen was copied with meticulous detail. When you consider that the hexagonal nut was not invented until 1860 they then had to make square nuts and a bolt for each.

The skill shown by each and every man and boy involved is admirable!

The Replica Sets Sail

On September 1st 1962 at 12.30pm the replica started on her voyage from Port Glasgow to Helensburgh. A stop off in Helensburgh was made and Provost Lucas laid a wreath on the memorial of Henry Bell.

The return trip was somewhat wet and nearly 15,000 people turned out at Coronation Park to see her arrive back in Port Glasgow.

The Glasgow Herald reported that the passengers of the ship were very distinguished.

Mr John S MAcclay MP(a smiling Uncle Sam) General Sir Gordon MacMillan (looking gentlemanly renasounce Sir William Lithgow Bt (a real dandy grey topper)

© Carol McG 2000-2007 all rights reserved, all trademarks hereby acknowledged. The photographs in this site have not to be shared or otherwise used without permission!
Please do not submitt them to any other site for display

Lithgows had a plaque made to commemorate the launch of the replica from their East Yard, close to where the original had been built.
This plaque was on the outside of their office building but relocated moved when the building was knocked down.
It was then placed on a wall across from the replica on the A8 through Port Glasgow(1973) but this area was under redevelopment and the wall was removed as part of this when the Tesco store and further improvements were being made.(2006)

This page last modified on Friday, September 21, 2007