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Side-Wheeled Paddle Steamers
New Zealand : North Island
British-built Paddle Steamers
Auckland
Auckland & Thames Steam Packet Company
Golden
Crown
Built in 1870 by Duthie & Ross,
Auckland, New Zealand originally to be with parts shipped from the United Kingdom,
but with the transporting ship wrecked during the passage, the ship was actually
built of wood. The 200ft long ship originally sailed in New Zealand on the Thames
River before being sold for use in Australia in 1874 by the Sorrento & Queenscliff Steam Navigation Co where she sailed from Melbourne
to Mornington, Dromana, Sorrento and Queenscliff until withdrawn in 1888 and broken
up in 1892.
Length : 210 ft. Engine : Oscillating, 2 x 45.5 in by J&G Thomson of Govan
Northern Steamship Company
The
Northern Steamship Company was established in 1881 following the
financial demise of the Auckland Steam Packet Company which served
remote communities on the coast around Auckland. The new company took
over a number of the old company's vessels which were screw steamers.
The expansion of road and rail opportunities led to a swift contraction
of the company's passenger services, completed in the 1930s. Cargo
services also faced decline although a number of new large vessels were
purchased in the 1950s to carry out trade between the North and
South islands but success was limited and the company eventually closed
in 1974
Above
: Wakatere was built new for the Northern Steamship Company and was
their largest vessel to date and, unusually, a paddle steamer. The
company had acquired two very small paddlers from the second hand
market but Wakatere was a different proposition
Photo in public domain and held in Auckland Library
Wakatere (1897-1926)
Built by Napier, Shanks & Bell at Yoker
210.3 ft : 441 GRT
Engines : Compound Diagonal 31 and 57 in x 60 in
Sailed between Auckland and Thames
Scrapped 1930-1933 at Auckland
Terranora (1898-1906)
Built in 1878 by D&W Henderson at Glasgow
141.5 ft : 349 GRT
Engines : Twin diagonal 30 and 30 in x 54 in
Built for the Colonial Sugar Refining Co of New South Wales, Australia for coastal service
Sold to Auckland owners in 1890
Several changes of ownership before being bought by the Northern Steamship Co in 1898
Hulked in 1906
Auckland & North Shore Ferry Co
Eagle (1886)
Built by J McArthur & Co at Paisley : Assembled in Auckland by HG Fox
135.7 ft : 219 GRT
Osprey (1886)
Built by J McArthur & Co at Paisley : Assembled in Auckland by W Webster
135.7 ft : 219 GRT
Devonport Steam Ferry Co
Eagle (1890-1924) ex- Auckland & North Shore Ferry Co
Osprey (1888-90 and 1896-1926) ex- Auckland & North Shore Ferry Co
Awarua (1901-1907)
Built in 1884 by R & H Green at Blackwall, London
109.8 ft : 159 GRT
Engine 2 x 28 x 48 in
Towage tug - built for Bluff Harbour Board
Wrecked in 1907 near Bream Head
Condor (1903-1936)
Built by Bow, McLachlan & Co at Paisley : Assembled in Auckland by GW Niccol
116.1 ft : 263 GRT
Lytteton (1907- )
Ex- Lyttleton harbour tug
Whanganui River
Alexander Hattrick & Co
Wairere (1891-1948)
Built by Yarrow & Co at Poplar, London : Assembled locally
95 ft : 65 GRT
Passenger deck shelters removed in the early 1900s as she was used primarily for transporting cargo
Aotea (1899-1949) later Waimarie
Built by Yarrow & Co at Poplar, London : Assembled locally
100.2 ft : 246 GRT
Still in service
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