Latest News about S.L. VIC 32 Restoration
Clyde Puffer “VIC 32” to undergo major restoration programme with grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
In January 2026, The Puffer Preservation Trust, the charity that has managed the restoration and cruising operations of Clyde Puffer S.L. VIC 32 since 2002, was awarded a grant by The National Lottery Heritage Fund of £245,537 to support a programme of essential restoration to enable the vessel to continue steaming across west coast waters into the future.
Whilst the money generated from carrying passengers over the past 20 years has allowed the charity to fund the necessary maintenance and restoration of the vessel, the COVID years and a following dip in tourism on the West Coast made it challenging to complete the final parts of this works programme.
This National Lottery Heritage Fund award will enable the Puffer Preservation Trust to complete many of these final parts, including a replica wheelhouse and completion of replacement steel hull plating throughout the hold area of the vessel.
The funding will also support investment in a steam turbine powered by VIC 32’s biofueled boiler to generate on board electricity. This will replace the diesel generator and further reduce the carbon footprint of the vessel which was already ahead of its time in converting to Biofuel in 2022.
The project will also expand on the opportunities for people to get involved with VIC 32. Including workshops for volunteers to take part in the project and learn some of the traditional skills associated with maintaining a heritage vessel.
In the long-term the works funded by this grant will allow the Puffer Preservation Trust to keep the boat steaming and educating future generations on the workings of steam power, as well as a continuing educational role demonstrating how these boats were entwined in the lives of Scots along the West Coast.
Phil Robinson, Trustee of Puffer Preservation Trust said: “The trustees of The Puffer Preservation Trust are extremely grateful to the NLHF for providing the financial assistance to support and sustain VIC 32’s much needed works over the coming 18 months. The Clyde Puffer is a Scottish seagoing icon, and this NLHF award will enable VIC 32 to operate into the foreseeable future.”
Caroline Clark The National Lottery Heritage Fund Director for Scotland said: “The Clyde Puffer is a hugely evocative symbol of way of life that has become a part of Scotland’s shared heritage. With our support, thanks to National Lottery players, the Puffer Preservation Trust will continue to care for and operate Vic 32 for many years to come. A living reminder of these hard-working little boats, their crews and their vital role in the communities they served.”
Latest Update – January 2026
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About the National Lottery Heritage Fund
The National Lottery Heritage Fund is the largest funder for the UK’s heritage. Using money raised by National Lottery players we support projects that connect people and communities to heritage. Our vision is for heritage to be valued, cared for and sustained for everyone, now and in the future. From historic buildings, our industrial legacy and the natural environment, to collections, traditions, stories and more.
Heritage can be anything from the past that people value and want to pass on to future generations. We believe in the power of heritage to ignite the imagination, offer joy and inspiration, and to build pride in place and connection to the past.