paddlesteamers.info : Clyde Turbine Steamers
Turbine
Steamers : King George V, Duchess of Montrose and Duchess of
Hamilton
When introduced by Turbine Steamers
Ltd in 1926, King George V was a truly remarkable vessel. Quite apart
from her high pressure boilers and turbines, the passenger
accomodation showed a marked improvement in terms of the amount of
covered accommodation in comparison to earlier Clyde steamers. The
success of the vessel lead to the Caledonian Steam Packet Company
ordering two very similar vessels in 1930 and 1932, although the
boilers specified reverted to more traditional pressure ratings in
view of fatalities resulting from problems with King George V.
The photos below (all taken from Commercial Post cards published by
Valentine and Sons) show the three vessels as they appeared from the
1950s, with wooden wheelhouses the main post-war improvement made to
the ships.
The most noticeable differences between the "King" and the "Duchess"
were the presence of a quarter deck aft on the newer vessel, on which
the glazed-in portion of the promenade deck shelter ended a few yards
before the end of the covered area itself.
The two "Caledonian" ships could be distinguised by two main features
: the arrangement of windows and ports on the main deck (which
differed again from that found on the King), and the presence of a
crosstrees on the "Hamilton"'s main mast (the Hamilton having a bow
rudder).
Above : King George V (1926)
Above : Duchess of
Montrose (1930)
Above : Duchess of
Hamilton (1932)
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