HollowHorn wrote:We got the day off school to watch it. I remember standing at the top of Kilbowie Rd. & Seeing her sink from view (no pun intended) Saw the Queen pass by in her big car, it struck me how bright it was inside, must have had extra lighting fitted.
This was the scene outside the main gate at John Browns.
I didn't get the day off school officially, so I bunked off and went there anyway. I was near the main gate with my wee camera and a policeman saw me and took pity and moved me right to the front. I had hoped to get photos of the ship, but, of course I could see nothing from there, because of the high wall, so I took pictures of the Queen instead, despite my disinterest in the Royals.
I was going to go to Gratispool, across from Glasgow Green, to get them developed, but a girlfriend of my cousin was working at a photo lab at the time and promised to get them printed cheaply for me.
She lost the spool and I never did get my pictures, but I remember how proud I was that day when I heard the cheering as the ship slid into the Clyde. I was disappointed at the name, although I guess it was always on the cards.
We were talking about this some time ago and my brother-in-law had been across the other side, filming the launch. When the ship slid into the Clyde, they all had to run like the clappers or risk getting drowned because of the huge wave she caused at the displacement of the water.