paddlesteamers.info  :  The Internet's leading website for Side-Wheeled Paddle Steamers


PS Eagle III

Eagle III G Ferguson collection.jpg


Eagle III seen probably in the 1920s in a glass plate from the collection of Gillon Ferguson. The source was Andy Paton, second engineer aboard PS Waverley in the late 1950s


Launched on April 14th 1910 by Napier & Miller under contract from A & J Inglis
Engines : Simple diagonal, 52 x 72 in
Dimensions : 215 ft x 25.1 ft
432 Gross Registered Tons (later 441)

Although built in 1910, she had an "old-fashioned" haystack boiler and the last simple diagonal machine fitted to a Clyde steamer
Placed on Buchanan's service from Glasgow to Rothesay
Requisitioed for minesweeping duties at Grimsby and Harwich during World War I
Returned to her original route in 1920 and spent most of her life on the Rothesay run
Left the Clyde in early 1940 as HMS Oriole for wartime minesweeping duties at Harwich
Took part in the Dunkirk evacuations in May 1940 and was run aground twice on the French beach to assist embarcation of other ships
Although refloated without damage, she was never returned to duty, being used as an accommodation ship in the Holy Loch
Left her lay up on the Holy Loch berth in August 1946 for scrapping at Port Glasgow

Bibliography
Classic Scottish Paddle Steamers
Alan J S Paterson
Published in 1982 by David & Charles (Publishers) Ltd, Brunel House, Newton Abbot, Devon, UK
ISBN 0-7153-8335-3
Clyde story told through extended histories of twelve representative steamers

Return to
Buchanan Steamers
Williamson-Buchanan
British Paddle Steamer Index