Falkirk Branch 1982
Elinor Milne writes:
In 1981 after the successful launching of Seagull Trust Branches at Ratho and Kirkintilloch the spotlight was next turned on Falkirk. My husband David and I were members of our local Canal Society, as was Jamie Sime (who in due course became the second Chairman of the Seagull Trust following John Hume). Jamie was very friendly with John Hume who came up with the idea of a Seagull Trust Branch in Falkirk.
An advert was put in our local paper about a meeting of interested people to be held on 8th June 1982 in the Cladhan Hotel. As our Canal Society was too small a group to achieve much, l decided to go to the meeting and there were about 12 of us. Several of those attending formed the initial committee of the Falkirk Branch of the Seagull Trust. With the exception of two members the committee remained the same for many years. I eventually became Chairman of the Falkirk Branch and also a Trustee. I did enjoy both.
My husband, David, was an excellent photographer and took lots of slides of the canal restoration and the activities of the Trust. We gave lots of talks and slide shows about both which was good publicity for us and also gave us donations.
Our main aims were to make people aware of the canals and to have a boat on the Union Canal as soon as possible .The first boat was built by apprentices at Govan Shipyard, hence the name "Govan Seagull". We only had to pay for materials used and the cost to the Trust was £7,000 though she was valued at £50,000.
In January 1982 Forth Valley Junior Chamber of Commerce donated £1,000 towards the cost of the boat followed by £200 in June 1982 and another £250 in July 1983. The Central Region fete handed over £2.500 in November 1981, Bantaskine Guides gave £100 in November 1982, Falkirk Ladies Circle gave £680 in February 1983, Jamie Sime, Ann and Robert Hunter raised £200 by running in Falkirk’s first half marathon and the Trefoil Guild gave £10. This was marvellous and we were well on the way to paying for the Govan Seagull. The interest shown in and to the Falkirk Branch since its inception by everyone in the local area has been very supportive and encouraging.
Some of the committee visited the Yarrow Seagull being completed in Yarrow’s Shipyard in May 1983. Work on the Falkirk boat was started then and her progress was monitored by the Committee and many others with excitement and enthusiasm. When she was nearing completion we went on a visit to Govan Shipyard to see her, a truly memorable evening.
Donations came in thick and fast in the early years. This was marvellous and we were well on the way to paying for Govan Seagull. The interest shown in and to the Falkirk Branch since its inception by everyone in the Falkirk area has been very supportive and encouraging. Finally put into the water on 16th April 1985,The Govan Seagull is 45 feet long with a 10 foot beam. She can carry 12 passengers including wheelchairs and cruise at 4 mph. Progress was made on the Union Canal and we could cruise from Greenbank through the Falkirk Tunnel to a choice of 1, 2 or 3 hour cruises.
The main problem then was vandalism, we tried to keep devising ways of mooring the boat and coping with window shutters trying to prevent this. Eventually we were able to build a boathouse and reception centre at Walker's Bridge, South Bantaskine which was completed in 1992. This made a tremendous difference to the safety of the "Govan Seagull".
Every year before the cruising season starts we hold our AGM and Social evening. The latter being the committee's way of saying thank you to all volunteers and friends for their help throughout the year. We have continued to give talks and raise funds over the years and are grateful to so many groups and individuals. British Waterways have provided immense help and support right from the beginning. Their prompt attention to any problem-that arose, kept the running of our cruising seasons going relatively smoothly. At the start of the Falkirk Branch they were providing slipways and access for passengers, dredging and repairing the Union Canal, annual maintenance of the Falkirk Tunnel which had an official re-opening in 1988, allowing the building of our boathouse/reception centre.
The Falkirk Branch was 21 years old in 2003 giving cause for much celebration. If our passengers get as much pleasure out of cruising as our volunteer crews, then we can go forward into the future with renewed optimism and enthusiasm.
Govan in early livery.
On 1st December 1984 she was brought through to Grangemouth Docks on a low loader, as there wasn’t enough water in the Union Canal, and for safety from vandalism over the winter. An official Open Day, to name the Govan Seagull, was held on 15th December 1984 at the Docks. In the late spring of 1985 she was taken to Lock 16, Camelon, on the Forth & Clyde Canal and on 15th April she was put into the water. On May 11th and 12th a National Canal Rally was held with a flotilla of boats including “Govan Seagull” sailing from Bonnybridge to Lock 16.
The “Govan Seagull” is 45 feet long with a 10-ft beam. She can carry 12 passengers including wheelchairs, and cruises at a maximum of 4 mph. She is powered by a diesel engine and is fully equipped with a powered lift, easily adjustable or removable tables and chairs. There is a disabled toilet and a galley. We have a mobile phone and a portable gangway in case of emergency while cruising. The boat is manned by 3 or 4 volunteer crew including a skipper, 1st mate and cabin crew who provide tea, coffee and biscuits on route!”
For 2 years while dredging and tidying up took place on the Union Canal we cruised from Lock 16 to Bonnybridge and back. Already we were beginning to build up a good number of willing volunteer crew members including skippers, and becoming better known throughout the community so the number of cruises was increasing.
As we cruised on the Forth & Clyde Canal for the next 2 years we attended Charity Fetes in Falkirk, Stirling, Grangemouth, Bo’ness and Muiravonside Country Park, gave talks to various groups to publicise ourselves and what we could offer to disabled people as well as raising money for our funds. Each winter the Govan Seagull was craned out of the canal and taken to Grangemouth Docks for safe keeping and maintenance work before returning to the Forth & Clyde Canal and then the Union Canal at Greenbank. This continued annually until our boathouse was built at South Bantaskine.
Progress was made on the Union Canal and we cruised from Greenbank through the Falkirk Tunnel to beyond Hallglen. We could offer our passengers a choice of1, 2 or 3 hour cruises.
The number of cruises and crew members were increasing all the time. We typically carry over 2750 passengers on 265 cruises. Our volunteer crew members and all those who take an active interest in the work of the Falkirk Branch give so much pleasure to our passengers. Our crews give so willingly of their time and derive as much from cruising as our passengers.
British Waterways have provided immense help and support right from the beginning. Their prompt attention to any problem which may arise keeps the running of our cruising season going relatively smoothly. At the start of the Falkirk Branch it was providing slipways and access for our passengers, dredging and repairing the Union Canal, annual maintenance of the Falkirk Tunnel which had an official reopening in 1988, allowing the building of our boathouse/reception centre which was officially opened in September 1992.”