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Side-Wheeled Paddle Steamers
Bristol Channel, United
Kingdom
P & A Campbell
The Bristol
Channel was to develop into one of the major areas for Paddle Steamer
operation in the UK after the decision of Peter and Alec Campbell,
sons of the well-known Firth of Clyde steamboat owner Captain Bob
Campbell, to sell their business to the newly-formed Caledonian Steam
Packet Company and, from 1889, base their operations at Bristol. The
inevitable domination of the Clyde services by three competing
railway companies and the under-development of steamer operations on
the Bristol Channel made the move a sensible decision. In 1887,
Campbell's paddler Waverley had been chartered for use on the channel
and in the following year, Captain Alec brought the vessel south once
again on his own account. Captain Bob died in April 1888 and the
scene was set for P & A Campbell's "White Funnel" fleet to
dominate coastal cruising and ferry operations for the next 80
years.
Above
: Ravenswood
(left) in her original two-funneled guise in a photo from the mid-1890s
believed to be taken by Alexander Hutson and kindly supplied by Jeremy
Hutson. Ravenswood was the first new steamer ordered by P&A
Campbell sfter moving their business from the Clyde to the Bristol
Channel. Alongside and heading towards the vacated berth at Ilfracombe
pier is PS Lorna Doone, which for a short time was one of a number of
paddlers which provided competition to the Campbells on
the Bristol Channel. She was seen off and sold for further service on
the south coast
in 1898
Ravenswood was built new for the 1891 and the Campbells went back
regularly for new tonneage from yards in their native Scotland.
The fleet also expanded through the taking over of the best vessels
from competing fleets owned by companies which failed to establish
themselves in the competition for the excursion trade. The most
threatening of the competitors was the Barry Railway Company which
operated out of the South Wales port from 1905 to 1910, against which
the Campbell's had to resort to legal arguments to restrict their
operations, very much as the private owners had attempted to restrict
direct railway ownership of steamers on the Clyde.
In common with other operators, the 1950s saw a significant decline
in the excursion trade which, allied to increasing operation costs,
led to the remaining fleet members being gradually disposed of, and
many vessels were laid up during the decade in the hope of improved
economic conditions. A receiver was eventually appointed in 1959, and
on December 31st of that year, the Campbell business passed to George
Nott Industries, part of the Townsend Ferries group that was to
become a significant force in the cross-channel car-ferry trade.
The Campbell operation entered the 1960 season with two operational
paddlers and one laid up. The business would never return to being a
going concern. it has been suggested that the Townsend company bought
the Campbell business in order to offset tax losses against its
thriving English Channel business. Whatever the reason, it did allow
the continuation of Paddle Steamers on the Bristol Channel.
The paddle steamer era appeared to have ended when the last two
members of Campbell's fleet, Cardiff Queen and Bristol Queen were
withdrawn in 1966 and 1967 respectively and Campbells continued a
service with a variety of second-hand motor vessels until early 1981
when it was announced that operations would finally cease.
Campbell also had a substantial presence on the South Coast of
England, including the excursion trade to northern French ports, and
in the 1960s, ran the motor vessel St Trillo on the North Wales
coast.
Click here for more
details of Campbell's Sussex and South Coast
Operations
P & A Campbell
- Paddle Steamers on the Bristol Channel (and South
Coast)
|
Vessel Name
|
Builders
|
Date
|
Length
|
Breadth
|
GRT
|
Disposed
|
Notes
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Waverley
|
H McIntyre
|
1885
|
205
|
21.2
|
258
|
1921
|
|
|
Ravenswood
|
S McKnight
|
1891
|
215
|
24.1
|
391
|
1955
|
|
|
Westward Ho
|
S McKnight
|
1894
|
225
|
26.1
|
438
|
1946
|
|
|
Cambria
|
H McIntyre
|
1895
|
225
|
26.1
|
420
|
1946
|
|
|
Britannia
|
S McKnight
|
1896
|
230
|
26.6
|
459
|
1956
|
|
|
Lady Margaret
|
A McMillan
|
1895
|
210
|
25
|
369
|
1905
|
From Edwards, Robertson in 1895
|
|
Glen Rosa
|
Caird & Co
|
1877
|
206.1
|
20
|
223
|
1921
|
Purchased 1897
|
|
Albion
|
J & G Thomson
|
1893
|
200
|
25
|
363
|
1921
|
Purchased 1899
|
|
Bonnie Doon
|
T B Seath
|
1876
|
218
|
20
|
272
|
1913
|
Purchased 1899
|
|
Scotia
|
H McIntyre
|
1880
|
211.2
|
21.8
|
260
|
1903
|
Purchased 1899
|
|
Princess May
|
Barclay, Curle
|
1893
|
160
|
21.6
|
260
|
1902
|
ex Brighton, Worthing & South Coast SB Co. Purchased in 1901
|
|
Brighton Queen
|
J & G Thomson
|
1897
|
240.5
|
28.1
|
603
|
1915
|
ex Brighton, Worthing & South Coast SB Co. Purchased in 1901
|
|
Lady Ismay
|
Ailsa
|
1911
|
220
|
26.1
|
495
|
1915
|
|
|
Barry/Waverley
|
J Brown
|
1907
|
225.6
|
26.6
|
471
|
1941
|
ex Barry Rly Co. purchased in 1911
|
|
Devonia
|
J Brown
|
1905
|
245
|
29
|
641
|
1940
|
ex Barry Rly Co. purchased in 1911
|
|
Tintern
|
J Scott
|
1899
|
210.1
|
25.1
|
393
|
1913
|
ex Barry Rly Co. purchased in 1911
|
|
Glen Avon
|
Ailsa
|
1912
|
220
|
27.1
|
509
|
1944
|
|
|
Glen Usk
|
Ailsa
|
1914
|
224.3
|
28.1
|
524
|
1963
|
|
|
Glen Gower
|
Ailsa
|
1922
|
235.1
|
28.5
|
553
|
1960
|
|
|
Lady
Moyra *
|
J Brown
|
1905
|
245
|
29
|
519
|
1940
|
ex Tucker purchased in 1922. Renamed Brighton Queen in 1933
|
|
Brighton
Belle *
|
J Scott
|
1900
|
200
|
24.1
|
320
|
1940
|
ex Tucker purchased in 1922
|
|
Bristol Queen
|
C Hill
|
1946
|
244.7
|
31.2
|
961
|
1968
|
withdrawn 1967 |
|
Cardiff Queen
|
Fairfield
|
1947
|
240
|
30.1
|
765
|
1968
|
withdrawn 1966 |
* Lady Moyra was renamed Brighton Queen when
she was sent to the South Coast in 1933.
* Brighton Belle was bought as Lady Evelyn, but given her new name
shortly afterwards as she was allocated to the Campbell's South Coast
service.
Other
Paddlers
Duchess of Devonshire (1892) served
on the south Devon Coast was operated on Campbell's Cardiff-Weston
ferry during World War I whilst Campbell's ships were on Admiralty
service
Duke
of Devonshire (1896) was purchased from competitors
based at Torquay in 1933, but never used. Campbell disposed of the
vessel the following year as plans to operate a service on the South
Devon coast were abandoned.
Sea Breeze (ex-Adela of 1877) was chartered
for the 1893 season to inaugurate the Cardiff-Weston
ferry
Turbine
Steamer
Empress
Queen
Motor
Vessels
After many years
of operating paddlers, the Campbell company resorted to the purchase
of second-hand motor vessels to maintain services. Two were purchased
from the "Red Funnel" fleet, operators of the Southampton - Isle of
Wight service which escaped the breaker's torch when sold out of the
fleet.
MV Vecta (1939) - in the fleet as MV
Westward Ho from 1965-1972
MV Balmoral (1949) - in the fleet from
1969 to 1980
Other motor vessels purchased were : Crested Eagle of
1938 (1957), St Trillo of 1936 (1963-1975), Queen of the Isles of
1964 (1968-1970) and Devonia of 1955
(1977-80)
Above
: The final new paddle steamer for P & A Campbell and the Bristol
Channel was Cardiff Queen which arrived from the Clydeside yard of
Fairfield Shipbuilding & Engineering in 1947. Campbell's ships
had traditionally come from their native Clyde but it had been 25 years
since their last purchase. Never had they a steamer supplied by this
yard, but Fairfield had built a number of paddlers for Clyde use in the
1930s and Cardiff Queen bore some similarities to their Jupiter and
Juno. Fitted with deckhouses for and aft, she had superior deck
accommodation compared with Glen Gower of 1922. She is seen above in
1961 in a photo by Gillon Ferguson lying off Lundy Island where
visitors had to be landed by tender as no landing stage was available.
The waters are calm in the photo but the exposed location of Lundy and
the outer reaches of the Bristol Channel did on occasion cause a
problem for Cardiff Queen.
Bibliography
Paddle
Steamers of the Bristol Channel - A Pictorial Record
By Nigel Coombes
Published : 1990
Publisher: Twelveheads Press, Chy Mengleth, Twelveheads, Truro,
Cornwall, TR4 8SN
ISBN : 0 906294 23 1
Numerous Black and White illustrations accompany authoritative and
detailed text
White Funnel Magic
By Nigel Coombes
Published : 1995
Publisher: Twelveheads Press, Chy Mengleth, Twelveheads, Truro,
Cornwall, TR4 8SN
ISBN : 0 906294 34 7
Builds on the author's 1990 book (see above) to provide more photos
and insigts into the history and operation of the
steamers
White Funnels
- The Story of Campbell's Steamers 1946-68
By Chris Collard
Published : 1996
Publisher: Baron Birch, for Quotes Ltd
ISBN : 0 86023 570 X
Copiously illustrated but detailed review of Campbell's operations,
season by season after the Second World
War
Special Excursions - White Funnels
Volume 2 - The Story of Campbell's Steamers 1919-1939
By Chris Collard
Published : 1999
Publisher : Wheelhouse Books, 4 Ty Mawr Close, Rumney, Cardiff CF8
8BU
ISBN : 0 953 4275 0 1
Follow up of the author's work on the post war period studies the
Campbell steamers in the inter-war
years
The Campbells of Kilmun
By Iain Hope
Published: 1981
Published by: Aggregate Publications, Johnstone, Renfrewshire
The key facts in the fascinating story of the Campbell operations on
the Clyde and, from 1889 on the Bristol Channel and South
Coast.
White Funnel Memories
By George Gunn
Published
in 1997 by Gomer Press, Lllanysul, Ceredigion, Wales
ISBN 1-85902-487-4
Authoritative
Campbell's story centring on the personalities involved - by the late George
Gunn, one of the Campbell fleet's finest captains
Balmoral and the story of the Bristol Channel Steamers
Complied
By Jon Holyoak
Published in 1988 by Waverley Excursions Ltd
The story
of the Campbell's Bristol Channel operations - and the story extended with Balmoral
now the "Bristol Channel Steamer" sailing for the Waverley organisation
Return
to:
Bristol
Channel
P & A Campbell - Sussex
Operations
P & A Campbell - Southampton
Operations
Clyde
Turbine Steamers