CLYDEBANK’S iconic shipbuilders star in a new book charting the great yards and ships built along the Clyde throughout history.

Giants of the Clyde, by best-selling author Robert Jeffrey, delves into a period when the shipyards, such as John Brown’s in Clydebank, were among the most famous in the world.

The book details an often-turbulent tale of the river, the great ships that were built along it and also the people who built them.

He said: “One of the thrusts of the book is that anywhere in the world Clyde-built is known and respected as synonymous with the best in shipbuilding.

“The fact John Brown’s is synonymous with Clyde-built says a lot about the people of Clydebank and there is quite a lot in the book about the yard because it was probably the best of the yards.

“Wherever I have been and I have mentioned the Clyde almost the first thing everyone has said has been John Brown’s.

“It is absolutely the iconic yard and Brown’s reputation world wide is a tribute to the architects, but also the great craftsmen who worked there too.

“There is a great sense of history about it and there was great humour in all the yards. This book is about the people.”

Robert has written other maritime books including Scotland’s Cruel Sea and is the best-selling author of Gentle Johnny Ramensky and Glasgow’s Hard Men.

The former journalist decided to write his latest book due to his life-long interest in the Clyde and his memories of seeing ships being built in places such as Clydebank.

He added: “My interest in the Clyde began as a little boy because my father was an enthusiast. All the papers had shipping correspondents and what was being built was big news daily, so I followed that as a kid.

“From Clydebank I have memories of Hull Number 534, which would become the Queen Mary being built before work was stopped due to the Great Depression. It towered over the Clyde for many years as a symbol of what was happening.”