A HERITAGE steamship is set to arrive in Poole Quay ahead of open days and special Bournemouth Air Festival sailings.

SS Shieldhall is spending this week in Poole once it completes the trip to the quay from Southampton on Monday, August 29.

The boat is a regular summer sight on Southampton Water and the Solent, with her distinctive steam whistle and siren heard across Southampton, the Waterside and the Isle of Wight.

In addition to local waters, Shieldhall has travelled to Glasgow to mark the 50th year of her construction in 2005 and to the Festival of the Sea in Bristol Dordt in Stoom in Dordrecht in 2006.

She has starred in a number of TV documentaries including Robbie Coltranes ‘Coltranes, Planes and Automobiles’, Timeshift’s ‘The People’s Liners: Britain’s Lost Pleasure Fleet’ and numerous Titanic based programmes, as Shieldhall has many nautical connections – albeit on a smaller scale – with the White Star Liner.

Shieldhall has also starred on the Big Screen, most notably in ‘Angela’s Ashes’ and more recently the Sacha Baron Cohen movie ‘Grimsby.’

The steamship has twice been regional flagship for the National Historic Fleet, proudly flying a flag signifying this status at her stern. Managed and run by a team of volunteers, the annual trip to Poole is one of the highlights of the crew’s season.

While in Poole, guests will be able to visit Shieldhall between 10am on Tuesday, Augsust 30, Wednesday, August 31 and Thursday, September 1, for a donation of £4 for an adult and £1 for a child aged 3-15.

Bournemouth Echo:

The open days allow visitors the opportunity to tour the ship from bridge to boiler room, to meet Shieldhall’s volunteer crew and learn about life aboard a heritage steamship.

On Shieldhall, there is an added option to access all areas and take up the Steam Taseter Experience. Tickets can be booked online or at Shieldhall in person while she is in Poole at a cost of £25 for 10 minute slots between 1.30pm – 3.30pm, and include the entrance donation.

Shieldhall will be sailing out to visit the Bournemouth Air Festival on Friday, September 2, Saturday, September 3, and Sunday, September 4, with tickets having sold out for all dates.

On Monday, September 5, Shieldhall will be making the return trip to Southampton, leaving Poole at 10am and arriving at berth 110 in the Western Docks at 4pm.

Shieldhall concludes her 2022 sailing season with trips to mark Heritage Open Day on Saturday, September 18, and the Southampton Boat Show on Sunday, September 18.

Tickets for the Steam Taster Experience can be purchased at ss-shieldhall.co.uk.