WAVERLEY - A REPORT ON THE 1997 SEASON
Courage, skill and perseverance - qualities
displayed by people in our organisation to transcend exceptional
difficulties during our 1997 season which was brought to a
triumphant close by Balmoral as she escorted the
Royal Yacht Britannia on October 26. Waverley's
season ended the previous Sunday, as, slightly battered, but
running beautifully, she blew the traditional three blasts of
farewell at Penarth and steamed 'home' as the proud winner of the
1997 Scottish Tourism Supreme Award for the 'Best
Waterfront Attraction' a fitting end to her Golden Jubilee Year.
Our award-winning paddle steamer arrived at Greenock for her
annual dry-docking on October 23.
As I write this on October 27, total passenger
journeys are 233,289 and it appears that final financial results
will show a fall in turnover of some 10% compared to the record
result of 1996. There will also certainly be a substantial
increase in the costs of manning the bridges with suitable
skilled and qualified masters and much increased pilotage costs.
This result will not surprise those who have paid close study to
the difficulties of 1997. Two factors, above all others have
affected this year's results. The effect on the human spirit -
which usually plays the major part in the success of any
organisation - and the enormous re-building projects at the key
piers of Penarth and Clevedon caused long delays to the final
completion of the timetable. The Bristol Channel timetable had to
be planned at a time when we did not know who would be in command
of the ship and other areas for Balmoral had to
allow for the master and pilotage certificates that would be available. This
timetable could not possibly earn the same revenue as 1996.
May produced mixed results, but Balmoral
made a great start to her season with very successful cruises
from Whitehaven (sold out), Garlieston and Liverpool. June was
also a month of contrasts - the joy and celebrations of Waverley's
Golden Jubilee Cruises tinged with sadness caused by the absence
of Captain David Neill. Meanwhile, Balmoral was
operating a slightly longer Thames programme than would have been
planned commercially during the wettest June weather recorded for
some 300 years.
The Bristol Channel usually provides our
highest 'area income' - just ahead of Scotland. This was
certainly not the case in 1997 with a restricted timetable and a
significant number of potential passengers believing the piers at
Penarth or Clevedon were closed owing to the appearance they
presented of construction sites - which they were. The Bristol
Channel also suffered from a much poorer weather pattern than the
Clyde, both during Waverley's spring visit and the
main summer season. No less than 5 days were completely cancelled
from Balmoral's peak-earning August timetable and a
number of calls at Clevedon had to be abandoned owing to the wind
direction and the condition of the pier while under
re-construction. So much depends on which days are cancelled as
to the effect it has on revenue; if you lose a Tuesday in late
September it may not cost very much, lose a peak earning day in
August and it can wipe some £10,000, or more, off the total
revenue. The triumph in the Bristol Channel, in 1997, is that,
apart from cancellations caused by weather, all timetabled
sailings have been successfully operated. Every timetabled pier
call has been made despite the delays and constant planning and
monitoring caused by the re-building of the two main piers. The
timetable was right - it has to be so!
A snapshot view of the 'July' and 'August'
Clyde summer season shows that, despite media coverage that would
certainly not encourage passengers aboard, record revenue was
achieved. Although the weather was a little less good than 1996,
only 1 day was cancelled. It should be noted that this was the
first season for many years that the advertising and marketing
was wholly created and directly controlled by ourselves; the
services of an advertising agent were dispensed with.
The September and October results for Waverley
achieved the highest ever revenue in the Solent, this despite the
sad death of the Princess of Wales which caused the loss of
substantial revenue at the start of the programme. On the Thames,
virtually capacity passenger loadings on three days and a good
result despite high winds causing some cancellations. A splendid
Autumn Holiday weekend on the Clyde for Balmoral
and Waverley's last weekend in the Bristol Channel
attracted large crowds with the last trip of the season to
Ilfracombe on the Saturday being enjoyed in weather that would
have done credit to July. Balmoral, brought out of
hibernation to escort the Royal Yacht Britannia on
her farewell sailing from Cardiff, was sold out in advance. A
tremendous contribution from the unpaid volunteers who supported
the small number of paid staff provided for her passengers a day
described by one of our customers as 'an unforgettable day'.
In the Board Room, the year saw the departure
of Douglas McGowan after some two years as Chairman of Waverley
Excursions Limited. We are grateful to Alan McDonald for being
willing to fill the role temporarily, to allow us to concentrate
on running the 1997 season. However, this means that three
different people have served as Chairman of the operating company
in just 3 years and this is not a way to ensure continuity of
policy and confidence. We urgently need someone who can put Waverley
as their first business priority, be visible, and continually
active in understanding, and communicating with the many people
and organisations that we have to work with.
The 1997 season is a triumph of human endeavour
over difficulties. A triumph for all the younger men who have
taken responsibility on the bridges and in the engine rooms. A
triumph for the experienced people who have led or supported
them, our staff ashore and afloat, our volunteers, our hard
working fund-raisers. Only those who do not understand what has
been achieved will criticise. So many of you can be very proud of
the part you have played and those from younger generations can
look forward with confidence to the ever greater role that you
can fulfil in the future.
Terry Sylvester
Chairman, Waverley Steam Navigation Co. Ltd.
27 October 1997