CLYDE Coast views down the years are captured vividly in a fascinating new book by an Inverclyde photographer.

Bill Clark, pictured, a member of Inverclyde Camera Club, has produced ‘Gourock to Largs Coast Through Time’.

It was inspired by the BBC ‘Coast’ TV series, and features ‘then and now’ pictures taken in Gourock, Inverkip, Wemyss Bay, Skelmorlie and Largs, some of them dating back to the 1800s.

Bill, 66, who lives in Inverkip, described it as ‘a labour of love’.

He sourced the old pictures, many of them postcards or from the McLean Museum archive, and then spent several months taking up-to-date versions as close as possible to the spot where the originals were photographed.

He said: “I wanted to do something that reflected changes over the years. It wasn’t always easy to get exactly in the same place because lampposts and trees are in a different position, or there are many more cars around now so I couldn’t stand in the middle of a road. But I’ve tried to create scenes as accurately as possible.” Bill produced the book as a follow-up to a previous pictorial publication, ‘Greenock & Gourock Through Time’, which he compiled with fellow Inverclyde Camera Club member Gaie Brown.

That one was done after an approach by publishers, Amberley, to the McLean Museum to ask if they knew of anyone who could help them with a local book for their ‘through time’ series.

Bill explained: “Val Boa of the museum contacted the camera club, and Gaie and I did the book.

“That one was successful, so I thought it would be good to do a ‘Gourock to Largs’ follow-up for Amberley. Gaie didn’t have the time to be involved on this occasion, so I did this one myself.” Bill is originally from Fraserburgh and graduated from Aberdeen University with a science degree. He moved to Inverclyde in 1970 to work in computer software for IBM, and retired 12 years ago.

His wife Anne is a former national netball coach and still coaches in schools.

Today we publish a selection of Bill’s favourites from the book.

He said: “I really enjoyed researching the old pictures and taking the new ones. I hope people enjoy looking at them and reading the information I’ve complied on them.” Gourock to Largs Coast Through Time is published by Amberley Publishing, priced £14.99, and is available at local bookshops and online from Amazon. Online orders via www.amberley-books.com will get a 10 per cent discount off the cover price, and free postage and packaging within the UK.