Balloch’s historic steam slipway will soon be back in working order thanks to a grant from Historic Environment Scotland.
The slipway and carriage, beside the Maid of the Loch, is the last functioning example of its kind in Europe - with the Loch Lomond Steamship Company awarded more than £94,000 in funding to invest in restoring it to its former glory, after it was damaged trying to pull the Maid from the water in 2019.
Volunteers are aiming to retain as much of the historic fabric as possible.
Bogies have been salvaged from the original carriage along with large horizontal spars and all will form part of the new carriage.
Four more larger sections remain to be assembled by volunteers, with the repairs to the slipway and carriage facilitating the slipping of the Maid of the Loch Paddle Steamer which will allow essential repairs and restoration work to be carried out on the vessel.
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 new much stronger replacement.
“That is thanks to this generous grant from Historic Environment Scotland.
“The Winch House and Slipway is a Category A listed structure and is the only slipway still in steam in Europe so it is truly unique and its preservation is essential.
“Our Heritage Engineer, Jim Mitchell, has been our champion in leading the project and we’re extremely grateful for all his efforts.
“To know that Historic Environment Scotland has the confidence in us as a volunteer-led charity to complete such a complicated task is both humbling and very reassuring.”
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