MANY people from outwith Inverclyde come here to see some of the world’s finest cruise ships at Greenock Ocean Terminal.

Going back to Saturday, 11 December, 1965, large crowds gathered to watch the Cunard liner Queen Elizabeth enter Inchgreen dry dock to be refitted.

The docking of what was then the world’s largest passenger liner was delayed for three days because a boulder was found in the channel and had to be blasted away.

The liner was assisted by the Clyde Shipping Company tugs Flying Demon, Flying Mist, Flying Foam, Flying Spray, Flying Dolphin, Flying Dipper and Flying Wizard.

On Monday, 13 September, the Telegraph reported that following the Queen Elizabeth’s entry to what was then called the Firth of Clyde dry dock, Clyde pilot, Captain George Howison, brushed aside any suggestion that he should receive a large share of the credit for getting the 1,031ft long liner safely in.

He said: “I would like to tell you this is not a pilot’s operation.

“This is a combined operation of everybody concerned — the captain, ship’s officers, the tugs, the harbour authorities, the dockmaster and others.” When asked what was the depth of water beneath her keel when the liner passed over the dock sill, Captain Howison replied calmly: “I understand it was in excess of a foot.” The Telegraph also reported that on the Monday morning hundreds of men had arrived by train and bus to begin the work of refitting the Cunarder. It was anticipated there would eventually be a workforce of around 2,000, Most would be employees of John Brown and Co, from whose Clydebank yard the Queen Elizabeth was launched in 1938, while 500 would be on the dry dock’s payroll. Jobs were also being offered to other local men.

Today’s main picture shows the liner in the dock with the housing area known as the Garden City in the foreground.

The other picture was supplied by Greenock reader David Took, 72, who worked on the refit. It shows him beside the magnificent vessel.

David told me: “She was a beautiful ship and it was a privilege to be involved with her refit.” By coincidence, at that time David and his family lived in Chalmers Street, which was part of the Garden City.

He was employed in the dry dock for around 15 years. David also worked on Clyde steamers, tugs, weather ships and sailed deep sea with the Merchant Navy.

On Wednesday, 9 March, 1966, the Queen Elizabeth left the dry dock and anchored at the Tail of the Bank before sailing for Southampton on the Saturday.

After she left the Cunard fleet, subsequent owners had grand plans for the Queen Elizabeth that never worked out. She met her end in 1972 after catching fire in Hong Kong harbour and keeling over.