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Paddle Steamers past and present
NEW PADDLE STEAMERS PROPOSED or UNDER CONSTRUCTIONProposals
for new paddle steamers appear from time to time, generally as the
brainchild of enthusiasts hoping to exploit a perceived gap in the
market for a "heritage" vessel. Under Construction
This
is a replica of the 1924-built Medway and Thames paddle steamer whose
construction started in 2009. Her hull was built at Bristol and fitting
out continues at Gillingham, Kent. The original vessel's engine is in
situ
Australian Star : Murray River (Echuca, Australia)
In
2022 it was announced that a new paddle steamer would be built at
Mildura for cruises of three and four days and, in combination, up to a
week long in five-star luxury. It will be owned by Murray River Paddle
Steamers, the owners of paddlers Emmylou and Canberra. The paddler was reported to be
costing $ 6.75 (Australian). 20 cabins will accommodate 40 passengers.
Propulsion will be hybrid but include a refurbished steam engine dating
for 1907 originally from a traction engine, to be fired with wood. Around half
of the construction costs will be supplied by the Government of the
state of Victoria through its Regional Tourism Investment Fund. The vessel is due to enter service in mid-2025
Szoke Tisza : Danube, Hungary
In January 2024 a contract was awarded to the SAM shipyard at
Komarom to build a replica vessel incorporating certain parts of
the original ship. The replica is planned to be a static floating museum and attraction in central Budapest
Enthusiasts
have long proposed a new paddle steamer for the commercial fleet
operating on the Rhine and the Untersee in north-eastern Switzerland.
The last paddle steamer in operation there was SCHAFFHAUSEN
(1913-1967). One of the major elements of the proposal has been to
design a vessel with very low carbon emissions but still be a genuine
steamship. The proposal has gained a lot of support and is subject to
consideration by the local Thurgau canton administration because public
funds will be required over and above the general spending of the local
vessel operator.