paddlesteamers.info : The Internet's leading website for
Side-Wheeled Paddle Steamers
Lake
Thun,
Switzerland
Services along
Lake Thun from Thun to Interlaken-West have been operated since 1913 by BLS, the
Bern-Lotschberg-Simplon Railway, which operates local
and regional railway services. The lake's paddle steamer, Blumlisalp dates from
1906. After withdrawal in 1971 it seemed that the era of the
paddler had come to an end on Lake Thun. An unprecedented
preservation and, ultimately, restoration project by enthusiasts with
significant public support, saw Blumlisalp reenter service in
1992. She was owned by preservationists but operated by her original
owners until being
vested in the BLS once more in advance of the 2013 season. Unusually,
in comparison with Lake Geneva for example, the 2005/6 renovation
was paid for by the preservationist group with finanial support from
the BLS.
Blumlisalp (1906)
Above : Blumlisalp at Interlaken West in 2016.
Built by
Escher-Wyss at Zurich and assembled locally at Thun
Entered service in 1906
Length : 62.7 metres - breadth 6.8 / 13.1 m
Engines
: Compound Diagonal : 67 and 115 cm x 115 cm (approx 26.4 and 45.3 in x 45.3 in ) 600 HP
Originally - two boilers, coal fired. Reboilered in 1988/92 restoration and now oil fired
Maiden voyage on 1st August 1906 curtailed within minutes due to a steering issue
Took up service on 16th August 1906
Laid
up in 1915 and 1917-1922 due to poor passenger numbers (and relatively
high fuel consumption compared to smaller units in the fleet)
From 1923 onwards, Blumlisalp was used sparingly, generally only on summer Sundays, for the same reason
A
major renovation including reboilering became essential by the later
1960s, but the cost was judged prohibitive and only a partial
renovation took place in 1966
In
expectation of her impending withdrawal, the "Pro Dampf" group was formed to campaign for her retention
In service on 4th June 1971 when she met her replacement, MV Blumlisalp which was making her maiden voyage, but then laid up
After one more charter excursion, PS Blumlisalp made her final outing on 1st August, Swiss National Day
Towed to a lay-up at Baggerloch in the Kander Delta near Gwatt on 15th May, 1975
Ownership
transferred to the newly-established "Vaporama" Swiss Steam Engine
Museum Society on the basis that she would form the centrepiece of
a museum
Restoration started after the vessel was taken out of the water in
late 1988 following the construction of a cofferdam
Reappeared in 1992 after substantial rebuilding including lengthening
by about 8 feet and operated by the BLS on behalf of the Vaporama society
Although
integrated into the regular timetable, a modest "steamer supplement"
was initially added to the price of tickets when sailing on Blumlisalp
Underwent her first renovation in the winter of 2005/06
funded by the Vaporama Society with a contribution from the BLS.
In December 2012 the ownership of the vessel was transferred back to the BLS by the Vaporama organisation
2005/06 Renovation :
Improvement catering facilities
-
increased capacity at entrance to main deck restaurant (removing a well-known
eyesore greeting passengers on embarcation)
- cafe/ bar facilities
on the main deck forward to improve 2nd class facilities
- improved
serving area on upper deck with additional seating space
- new furniture
in the lounges in the original style
- replaced and extended glazing
on the upper deck to give appearance of original open upper deck
-
complete replacement of deck planking
- new wheelhouse in the ship's original
style
- new light fittings in "period" style
-
miscellaneous technical improvements perticularly with respect to new safety
legislation and to restoring previously-lost historical detail
PS Blumlisalp pulls into
Oberhofen pier in 2001
FROM THE paddlesteamers.info PHOTOGRAPH ARCHIVE
Gordon Stewart has made many photos of, on board and from paddle steamer Blumlisalp
Crowds line up to return to Thun from
Spiez in 2001
|
View towards Spiez, and the Niesen
mountain, from the Upper Deck
|
The enclosed cafe on the upper deck also
affords good visibility
|
|
|
|
Click here to go to the Photograph
Archive
1996
2001
2016
2022
Click here for representative views on Lake Thun between Thun and Interlaken
.
Above : Blumlisalp at Faulensee by kind courtesy of Olivier Bachmann
Blumlisalp at Interlaken-West. Photo by kind courtesy of Phil Barnes. For more of Phil's photos, click here
Go to :
Lake Thun - Paddle Steamers of the past
.'
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Die
Geschichte der Schiffahrt auf dem Thuner- und
Brienzersee
By Erich Liechti, Jurg Meister and Josef Gwerder
Published in 1986 by Ott Verlag, Thun
ISBN 3-7225-6334-8
Ship-by-ship chronologies, copiously illustrated and including line
diagrams of vessel layouts.
Das
Salondampfschiff Blumlisalp....eine
Legende
By Erich Liechti
Published in 1993 by Ott Verlag, Thun
ISBN 3-7225-6887-0
The amazing story of Lake Thun's only large paddler, her demise,
eventual renewal and return to
service
Blumlisalp - Die Rettung des
letzten Thunersee-Raddampfers
By Peter Creola, of the Vaporama Society
Published in 1992 by Fischer Druck AG, 3110 Munsingen-Bern
ISBN 3-85681-280-6
Detailed story of the campaign to save the Blumlisalp, the
restoration itself and her return to steam in
1992.
Brief details of
the vessels can be found in the following more general Swiss steamer
guides:
Dampfschiffe
Schweiz
Anton Raber and Peter Horlacher
1982
Verlag Dampferzeitung, Luzern, Switzerland
Brief detals in four languages including
English
Paddle Steamers of the
Alps
Leslie Brown and Joe McKendrick
Ferry Publications
ISBN 1-871947-19-7
Illustrated profiles of the steamers and operating
areas
Schiffahrt auf den Schweizer
Seen
Anton Raber
1972
Orell Fussli Verlag, Zurich
ISBN 3-280-00285-0
Illustrated round up of Swiss lake vessels, with fleet lists and
sections on vessel design and engineering.
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