paddlesteamers.info : The Internet's leading website for
Side-Wheeled Paddle Steamers PADDLE STEAMERS IN
PASSENGER SERVICE includes motor paddlers converted steam (section 2), screw motor
vessels converted from paddle steamers (3) and paddlers built as motor ships (4) in separate sub-sections. Small paddle boats (steam or motor) and listed separately (5) Waverley, in the UK, is the world's
last sea-going paddle steamer and the only one now offering coastal
cruises. All other European paddlers now only operate on large rivers
or on lakes with the exceptions of Freya which operates in northern
Germany generally keeping to the Kiel Canal and Elbe estuaries and the
UK's Kingswear Castle, which itself keeps to the River Dart, which are the only other "salt-water"
paddlers. Some paddle steamers are retained in their original fleets,
others are now owned and operated by preservation groups. In a number
of cases, enthusiasts have restored decommissioned paddle steamers and
subcontracted operation back to their original owners. Freya is
remarkable in having been bought by a commercial operator many years
after she was restored by an enthusiast and operated as part of their
fleet. Photo above:
PS Unterwalden (1902) in Luzern in 2016. Click
on the vessel links and the operating company links and sailing area link (if available) for more
information. A link is provided, where possible, to the operator's own
commercial website
1. PADDLE STEAMERS
Sailing Area : United Kingdom : Firth of Clyde
Operator : Waverley Excursions (website) on behalf of Waverley Steam Navigation Co and the Paddle Steamer Preservation Society Supporters and owners : Paddle Steamer Preservation Society : (website) Operates
a varied range of full-day cruises from mid June until late August
including from her home base at Glasgow and Firth of Clyde piers Waverley also visits the Inner Hebrides (June), Liverpool & Llandudno (end August), Bristol Channel (September), South Coast (September) and Thames Estuary (Sept/Oct).
Operator : Schiffahrtsgesellschaft
des Vierwaldstattersees
(SGV) : (website) Supporters : Dampferfreunde Vierwaldstattersee (website) SGV
operates a wide range of year-round services. Paddle Steamers operate
Spring to Autumn with extra services in summer and some services at
Christmas/New Year
Operator : Compagnie General de Navigation sur le
Lac Leman
(CGN) : (website) Supporters : Association des Amis des Bateaux a Vapeur du Leman : (website) GGN operates a wide range of year-round services and cross-lake commuter services. Paddle Steamers operate Spring to Autumn with extra services in summer CGN also operates two paddlers converted to diesel-electric drive on year-round services (Vevey and Italie) and hold one in store for possible future restoration (Helvetie). Montreux
was converted to diesel in time for the 1961 season but was converted
back with a new-build diagonal steam engine, reappearing in 2001.
Operator : Schiffsbetrieb
BLS : (website) Supporters : Freunde der Dampfschifffahrt Thuner- und Brienzersee : (website) Paddle
steamer normally makes two daily return trips from Thun to Interlaken
West from spring to autumn and is in service over Christmas / New Year
Operator : Schiffsbetrieb
BLS : (website) Supporters : Freunde der Dampfschifffahrt Thuner- und Brienzersee : (website) Paddle Steamer usually makes one daily return trip from Interlaken-Ost to Brienz from spring to autumn
Lotschberg(1914) Switzerland : Lake Zurich (Zurichsee) Operator : Zurichsee-Schiffahrtsgesellschaft
(ZSG) : (website) Supporters : Aktion pro Raddampfer Zurich : (website) Regular
trips around Lake Zurich from Zurich to Rapperswil with frequent stops.
Paddlers in summer service as part of year-round public transport
network
Operators Navigation Lacs
de Neuchatel et Morat SA : (website) Supporters and owners : Trivapor : (website) A recent restoration and re-engineing of a ship decommissioned in 1969 ship by an enthusiast group, Neuchatel is operated by the local shipping operator as part of their published timetable
Operators : Lauenburger Elbeschiffahrtsmuseums
e.V. : (website) Owned
by a museum society, the vessels operates a range of trips on the
River Elbe, based at Lauenburg. Occasionally sails to other areas.
Kaiser
Wilhelm(1900) Germany : Kiel Canal, Schleswig-Holstein
Operators : Adler-Schiffe Gmbh &
Co, KG. : (website) Adler
owns a large fleet. Freya operates on the Kiel Canal mainly between
Kiel and Rendsburg with occasional visits to Brunsbuttel, Laboe,
Rostock and Hamburg
Operators : Traunseeschiffahrt Karlheinz Eder GmbH: (website) Owners : Friends of the City of Gmunden Operated
by the local tourist boat company on Sundays in July and August.
Available for charters and events, otherwise moored at Gmunden
Gisela(1871) Austria : River Danube (based at Linz)
Operators : Oesterreichische Gesellschaft fuer Eisenbahn
Geschichte - OGEG : (website) Owned and operated by the Austrian Railway History Society and operated entirely by unpaid volunteers Operated day trips from Linz on many weekends and also undertakes various special trips on occasion
Schonbrunn (1913)Austria : Lake Constance (Bodensee)
Operators
: Hohentwiel Schifffahrtsgesellschaft mbH, trading
as Historische Schifffahrt Bodensee : (website) Owners and Supporters : Verein Internationale Schifffahrts-Museum Bodensee eV : (website) Operates
cruises around the international Lake Constance offering cruises
with a strong emphasis on high-quality dining The company markets both Hohentwiel and the historic motor ship Osterreich which is now owned by a separate preservation society
Operators : Nederlandse Raderstoomboot
Maatschappij : (website) Owner
: Christine Key, whose father Klemens was a well known saviour of
steamships and steam engines, including this ex-Rhine steamer,
Rudesheim as was Used for dinner cruises and charter hospitality
events from her Rotterdam pier at Maasboulevard or as required
elsewhere on the river system in south Holland
De Majesteit (1926) Czech Republic : River Vltava, Prague
Operators : Prazska Paroplavebni Spolecnost as (PPS) trading as Prague Boats :(website) Operates
short cruises from central Prague and longer trips upstream to the
Slapy Dam. occasional full day trips downstream to Melnik are offered
Vysehrad
(1938) * Currently moored alongside Rasinovo nabrezi in
central Prague for static use as a restaurant and for hire for events. Operational future currently unclear Vltava(1941)
Operators : Vodni Zasilatelstvi
Kedrst (VZK) Captain Kedrst built the small Sirius in 2010 for local round trips in Prague in association his other motor vessels
Norway : Lake Mjosa Operator : A/S Oplandske
Dampskibsselskab : (website) Operates
a short summer season of cruises from Hamar, Lillehammer or Eidsvoll,
depending on the day. Cruises are often single, requiring a return by
rail
Operators : Compania de Navigatie Fluviale Romana Navrom (CNFR) Services : unknown. last reported to be used for conferences for government agencies and also available for charter
Although
many Danube paddle steamers, including Schonbrunn (see above) were
fitted with limited overnight accommodation, Russian river ships have
traditionally had considerable cabin accommodation and were originally
used for passenger and some freight transport over long distances
in remoter parts of northern Russia and Siberia. One paddle steamer is
believed to survive on these runs
Russia : River Dvina at Archangelsk
Operators : Pomor Tours : (website) Offers occasional three and seven-night tours from Archagelsk
- REPLICA PADDLE STEAMER A
number of paddlers have been built to replicate historical vessels.
Although most have been given modern diesel engines, one was fitted
with a steam engine also built to replicate the original
Sweden : Forsvik
Operators : Foreningen Forsviks varv : (website) Occasional summer trips and charters in the river and lake systems of south eastern Sweden, based at Forsvik The ship is a modern reconstruction of a traditional ship of 1836 whick sank in a storm on Lake Vattern in 1856 Note : 2022 : Ship up for sale : https://shipsforsale.com/en/ships-en/shipid/1195/passenger-ships_7_eric-nordevall-ii
Built in 2007. Based on Lake Lucerne but can be transported elsewhere and has
sailed on Italian Lakes
Netherlands
De Jonge Wachter
Based at the De Wachter Mill Museum at Zuidlaren
which has numerous steam engines in store and display, this small
paddle steamer (10 m long with single cylinder engine dating from around 1920) was built
by enthusiasts and entered service in 2003
2. MOTOR
PADDLE
VESSELS (CONVERTED FROM STEAM) Electric or hydraulic transmission
Above : Goethe on the Rhine in 2017. Goethe is one of a number
of paddlers which have been converted from steam to diesel operation,
normally as an economy measure and especially if major work was
required, such as a boiler replacement. In Goethe's case, there were
fears about a hairline crack in the engine's entablature. Few paddle
steamers have been so converted. The pioneer was Lake Geneva's Geneve in 1934.
Switzerland : Lake Geneva (Lac Leman)
Operator : Compagnie General de Navigation sur le
Lac Leman
(CGN) : (website) The CGN operates five genuine historical paddle steamers (see above) as well as numerous motor vessels Diesel-electic
paddle vessels Vevey and Italie have been renovated and re-engined
recently and due to their economy operate in year-round service
Vevey (1907, converted in 1956) Italie(1908, converted in 1958)
Helvetie(1926, converted in 1977) Helvetie
has been out of service since early 2002 but is maintained at the GCN
dockyard at Lausanne-Ouchy. It is hoped that she can be returned to
service in the future Germany : River Rhein
Goethe
was the last in a long line of paddle steamers operated by the KD
company in its earlier guises and remains on the flagship "Nostalgia
Route" from Koblenz to Rudesheim She sails for spring until Autumn
Operator : Chiemsee Schiffahrt Ludwig
Fessler : (website) Serves
as part of a small fleet on the Chiemsee in south-east Bavaria which
features the magnificent palace of Herrenchiemsee on an island in the
lake
G Zanardelli(1903, converted in 1983) Italia(1909, converted in 1980)Netherlands : Amsterdam
Operators : (website) Available
for charter for corporate or social events and can be chartered as
floating accommodation anywhere accessible in the Netherlands water
system
Kapitein
Anna (1911, converted in 1977) Bulgaria : River Danube at Kozloduy
Operators : Kozloduy Museum (website) Maintained
in operational condition for occasional educational trips but
otherwise serves as a museum celebrating the life of independence
fighter Hristo Botev
Converted
from a Soviet 732 Series tug and rebuilt in 1966 to approximate
the appearance of Austrian passenger ship Radetsky of 1861 and used by
Botev in 1866 in his insurrection against Ottoman Turkish rule Ukraine : River Dnepr at Kiev
Operators : SAILING STATUS UNCERTAIN Based
in Kiev with 31 hotel rooms available. Could be hired for corporate and
private events and can sail on charter in the summer months Bogdan Khmelnitskiy (1954, converted in 2004)
One
of the numerous Soviet Project 737 river paddlers, but built at Budapest, Hungary. sailed in the Soviet Ukraine on
the Dneipr until 1976. Rebuilt with new motor engines after extensive
fire damage Bangladesh
Milano (1904, converted 1926) Canada : Lake Muskoga, Ontario
Segwun (1887, converted 1924) India : River Hooghly, Kolkata
The Bengal Paddle (ex-Bhopal) Note : Parts of the steam engine are retained for display. The paddles turn but are not method of propulsion 4. PADDLE SHIPS BUILT AS MOTOR VESSELS (Continuity vessels for fleets) Once diesel power became widely available for excusion
ships in the late 1920s, new ships around most of Europe were
screw-driven. Only on the Clyde in the UK did the London & North
Eastern Railway experiment with diesel electric drive for their
paddler Talisman of 1935, one year after Lake Geneva had so
converted their paddle steamer Geneve. The experiment was not repeated
although a number of screw-ships in Scottish waters received
diesel-electric drives in the 1930s, with MV Lochfyne being a pioneer
in 193.1
The
Austrian DDSG's Stadt Wien and Stadt Passau (now Grof Szechenyi) of
1939 and 1940, with geared diesel drives, were unusual and unique.
There were no further new-builds until the modern era when "paddle
steamers" had become popular from a heritage aspect and replica or
heritage-styled vessels came in demand, but the costs associated with
obsolete steam power were deemed unacceptable. Elias Lonnrot
(1986) which replicated an older steamer was an early example of a
side-wheeler, whilst "Mississippi-style" sternwheelers became popular
as novelty vessels. Diesels were chosen for the brand
new Herrsching (2002, see photo taken in 2003, above) on Germany's
Ammersee.
MPV Stadt Wien and Grof Szechenyi have cabins for overnight
accommodation but these ships are no longer used on their original long-distance services on the Danube and these are
not used in service. Stadt Wien was open for overnight accommodation at Tulln,
Austria. Austria : River Danube
Operated by : Website: https://msstadtwien.at/en/ Operated
as a restaurant at Hotel at Tulln, Austria. Occasional public services
on summer weekends through the scenic Wachau Valley on the Danube Stadt Wien (1939 : Electric transmission)
Hungary : River Danube
Operated by : Greenhill Rendezvenyiroda Zrl Based at Budapest and available for charter sailings for corporate and private events.No public sailings Grof Szechenyi (1940 : Electric transmission)
Diessen (2006 : Hydraulic transmission) River
cruising using luxury boats with passenger accommodation for on-board
holidays, often up to two weeks in length, has become increasingly
popular in Europe. Whilst Danube paddlers such as Stadt Passau and
Stadt Wien were built primarily as transport ships, these are purely
leisure holiday cruise boats and are familiar sights on the Rhine,
Moselle and Danube in particular. A modern phenomenon, they have been
built with the most modern propulsion systems and employed diesel
engines.
One
ship is remarkable in that side paddle-wheel propulsion was chosen for
this otherwise state-of the art vessel (her owners also
commissioned a similar vessel with stern-wheel propulsion for the upper River Elbe to commence operation in the 2016 season) :
France : River Loire (at Nantes)
Loire Princesse
A new
ship was put into service in 2015 with sections being built by Mecasoud
at St Nazaire
(France) for use on the River Loire in France. The 90-metre long ship
with a mass of 700 tonnes,
designed by Stirling Design International (SDI) and assembled at the
STX dry dock provides luxury twin
berths for 96 passengers and very much follows the lines of modern
European river boats - long and low, to pass under the large number of
low bridges on European rivers. Remarkably, however, this ship, named
Loire Princesse,
has two side paddle wheels and all documentation and advertising for
the vessel indicates that these will be the primary means of
propulsion, powered by 2 x 500 HP diesel engines with direct drive to
the wheels. The wheels are 4.5 metres in diameter. The designer's
information regarding the choice of paddle wheels for the vessel was
that they were the most suitable as the River Loire is very shallow in
places - and this technology gives the first opportunity to use a
boat of this size on the river. The draught is reported to be only 70
cm (approx 3 feet). Manoevrability will be aided by waterjet thrusters
fore and aft. The paddle floats are not feathering (ie no eccentic
wheel) which is unusual in that they are less efficient at paddling
through water and became obsolete in the early days of paddle ship
technology. However the extra weight of the equipment and the
associated extra maintenance costs of the more complicated wheel were
calculated to cost the company more than the extra fuel that this
arrangement would require.
The
diesel fuel consumption has been reported as 70 litres per hour at
standard 10 km/hour speed and 140 litres at 15 km/h. The
original enclosed paddle boxes have been removed to allow water to
escape better and much reduce the vibration which it was causing Loire Princesse is operated by the CroisiEurope company
and sails as far upstream as Angers
5. REPLICA VESSELS BUILT AS MOTOR VESSELS France : River Loire at Orleans
Operated by : Mairie d'Orleans (Orleans City Hall) Built
in 2007 (by Delavergne shipyard at Avrille in the Vendee region) for
the city of Orleans this vessel is a reasonable visual
replica of the original vessel of this
name built in 1837. It is unclear how often the ship sails, but
it is a major attraction when it is in operation during the biennial
Festial of the Loire at Orleans when many river boats take part in
public celebrations. Otherwise she is open as a bar and restaurant in
central Orleans
Website A
recent reconstruction of a historical paddler of the same name from
Lake Balaton which sailed from 1849, the new build closely resembles it
predecessor although
has an enclosed saloon aft. The paddles are powered individually by
electric motor and there is a Deutz diesel-powered auxiliary screw aft.
On June 22nd, the vessel left Lake Balaton and sailed to the Danube where she took up short river cruises at Budapest.
Operated by : Keurusselan Laivamatkat
KY : Summer weekday services from Keuruu to Keurusselka Hotel and to the town of Mantta on Sundays : (information)
Inspired
by the vessels of the River Elbe at Dresden which the Supreme leader of
the DPRK saw during a visit to East Germany and of which a replica was
demanded, albeit with motor rather than steam propulsion
France : Disneyland Paris
Operated by Disney Very short trips of around 20 minutes through an artificial lagoon
with riverbank attractions in the Disney fun park.
Runs on a guided rail. She
is diesel-electric powered but has a replica traditional steam beam
engine aboard which, although not providing the motive power itself,
moves with electrical power to simulate a real steamship
Length
: 14.4 m, Breadth : 5.7 m. Diesel-hydraulic independently powered
paddle wheels.This 100-passenger capacity motor paddler is owned by the
Reederei Albrecht and runs on the river Harle between Carolinensiel and
Harlesiel, close to the German North Sea coast in Friesland. Maximum speed is 15 km/h at 60 revolutions
Built
and owned by Zbigniew Selerowicz. . Length 14.6 m, Breadth 3.2 /
5.0 m. Engine - 136 HP (by Mercedes). Hydraulic drive. Launched 6/6/15. Made her
inaugural trip from Plock to Warsaw in August 2015
Small Motor Paddlers
The attraction of "paddles" for tourist boats is
recognised although this has primarily been for stern-wheels
(Mississippi-style". However, some small excursion boats have
been built with side wheels, whether as the main source of propulsion
or ancilliary to a screw. These small vessels provide a useful service
for tourists wishing short trips, for example on a river in a city
centre and are out of scope of this database, but vessels for which
there are photos in the webmaster's collection are included
Built
in 1994 as a paddle steamer. Latterly offered short
commercial trips on the River Frome at Wareham in Dorset (UK). In
December 2021 it was reported that the vessel had been
sold for use possibly in Ireland. Following boiler issues she was
reported as to be converted to electric operation and was taken
out of the water at Ridge, Dorset in the summer of 2022. The Irish
project fell through and the ship remains up for sale (early 2023)
Modern side-wheel car ferry crossing the Wisla (Vistula) at Nieszawa, crossing to Stare Rybitwy
Gozdowice, Poland
Bez Granik
Modern side wheel car ferry crossing the river Oder between Gozdowice (PL) and Gustebieser Loose (DE)
- Very small motor paddlers primarily for private use
Yaroslavl, Russia
Aksenovy
Built
by private businessman Yuri Litnitsky. Powered by a tractor motor
engine. Capacity - 12
Marburg, Germany
Landgrafin Amalie
Built privately by Ralf Schneider, completed in 2015
Blois, France
L'Arroux
Based
at Blois on the Loire this 8 m long wooden paddler with wooden
side wheels was built in 2008 by the Marine de Loire historical
group, loosely based on the design of the (larger) Inexplosible No 21
which operated on the Loire from the late 1830s. Her wheels are turned
by an oil-hydraulic mechanism powered by an old Citroen 2cv motor.
Kassel, Germany
Kaiser Wilhelm
Small paddler built by Dieter Drubel loosely replicating in miniature form the Elbe steamer Kaiser Wilhelm Completed
in 2015, it is 6.3 m long by 1.8 m in breadth with a draught of 0.85 m.
A 8 horse power diesel motor can driv her at up to 10 km/h
. MOCK SIDEWHEELERS There are numerous vessels built to look like sidewheelers but the propulsion is provided entirely by screws Japan : Huis Ten Bosch Park, Sasebo
Kanko Maru The
first steam powered vessel in the Japanese navy was a gift from the
King of the Netherlands in 1855. Originally the Dutch ship Soembing
(1852), she survived until 1876. A replica was built in 1987 in the
Netherlands to feature at a Dutch-inspired theme park at Sasebo and
offer short coastal cruises for up to three hundred passengers.
Although authentic in appearance, with paddles, she is powered by
diesel and propelled by screws. BIBLIOGRAPHY & REFERENCESThe
essential reference book for Paddle Steamer enthusiasts is:
Paddle Steamers in the 1990s By Russell Plummer
Published 1994 by GMS Enterprises, 67 Pyhill, Bretton, Peterborough,
England Tel (0)1733-265123
IBSN 1 870384 27 X
This book gives extensive details of all known paddlers remaining in
Europe, including motor powered paddlers - at the time of publishing (1994)
Also the following which also includes screw steamers and diesel conversions,
including those in static roles (valid in 1988)
Steam Ships of Europe by Alistair
Deayton Published in 1988 by Conway Maritime press Ltd, 24 Bride Lane, Fleet
Street, London EC4Y 8DR ISBN 0 81577 478 4
