A 'NEVER seen' image of QE2 at Inchgreen dry dock discovered on eBay is to be unveiled at a special 50th anniversary event this weekend.

It's half a century since the legendary liner entered into service and prior to that her first port of call after leaving Clydebank in November 1968 was of course Greenock, where she would spend just over a month being fitted out.

The milestone of her entry into service in 1969 is now being marked by a special event which will be held at Fairfield Heritage Centre in Govan on Saturday.

It has been organised by the QE2 Story Forum, an online group dedicated to keeping the story of the most famous Clyebuilt ship alive.

Organisers say a highlight of the day will be 'the showing of never seen images of QE2, taken between 1967 and 1969' which were recently discovered up for auction online.

One of the images, pictured, shows her dominating Inchgreen dry dock in December 1968.

Rob Lightbody, from the QE2 Story Forum, says he immediately realised the historical importance of the collection and purchased the slides.

He told the Tele: “QE2 is probably the most photographed ship of all time, so to unearth new images over 10 years after her retirement is amazing.

"And to find new images from her build years is even more extraordinary.

“This is a true historical record in every sense and it has been a privilege to not only have been the first person to inspect these in decades but to get them into a position to enable them to be displayed at the event, which is something I am looking forward to doing."

Organisers say Saturday's ticket-only event will also include a tour of the Waverley at her berth, if circumstances allow.

There will also be a presentation on shipping on the Clyde from the 1940s-1970s and a special screening of ‘Magic Ride’, a film about QE2 at the time of her maiden voyage.

Special guests include maritime historian Ian Johnston and Professor of architecture and design Dr Bruce Peter.

Few could forget the poignant farewell which Inverclyde paid to QE2 when she made her final River Clyde call in Greenock in 2008, when tens of thousands of people lined the waterfront.

For most of her almost 40 years in service she was the most famous ship in the world.

She became a symbol of the enduring excellence of Scottish engineering and sailed over five million nautical miles, more than any other ship ever.

The iconic vessel completed 25 full world cruises and crossed the Atlantic over 800 times yet her hull was as sound in 2008 as the day she first slipped into the waters of the Clyde four decades earlier.

After many years of uncertainty and controversy over her future following her sale by Cunard, she is is now operating as a 'floating hotel' in Dubai.

For more information on Saturday's event see https://www.theqe2story.com/events/2019/