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Side-Wheeled Paddle Steamers
Weymouth - Channel Islands
Weymouth and Channel Islands Steam Packet Company
Great Western Railway
Weymouth
became the railhead for services to the Channel Islands once the
railway reached the town in 1857. Initially, both the Great Western
Railway and the London & South Western Railway vied for business
before the latter transferred its operations to Southampton in 1860.
The
Weymouth & Channel Islands Steam Packet Company was given the task
of operating the service on behalf of the Great Western. They aquired
two resundant paddle steamers which had been sold off from the failed
North of Europe Steam Navigation Company (1852-58). The service
proved to require heavy subsidy and the railway company ran ships
directly on their own account from 1878 to 1885. This proved
financially disastrous, but with the independent company still unable
to provide an adequate service, the railway company returned, with two
new screw steamers, Roebuck and Reindeer, in 1897. This made the
Weymouth company's two old steamers Aquila and Cygnus completely
outclassed.
Weymouth and Channel Islands Steam Packet Company
Aquila (1858-1899)
Built in 1854 by J Henderson & Son at Renfrew
180.4 ft : 264 GRT
Engine : Oscillating by MacNab & Clark of Greenock
Built for the North of Europe Steam Navigation Co for North Sea service (Harwich-Antwerp)
For the 1858 season she was at Weymouth for the Weymouth & Channel Islands Steam Packet Company
From 1889 she sailed out of Plymouth to Brittany and the Channel Islands
Renamed Alexandra
in 1895 when bought for service between Swansea and Ilfracombe by James
Jones - the Swansea & Ilfracombe Steamship (Alexandra) Ltd
In 1896, as Ruby, she briefly offered cruises from Hastings to Boulogne for the Hastings, St Leonards on Sea and Eastbourne Steamboat Co
Scrapped in Calais in 1899
Cygnus (1858-1899)
Built in 1854 by J Henderson & Son at Renfrew
182 ft : 264 GRT
Engine : Oscillating
Built for the North of Europe Steam Navigation Co for North Sea service
In 1854 she was used by the Danish king as a royal yacht on the opening of the country's first train ferry passenger service.
Laid up in 1856
For the 1858 season she was at Weymouth for the Weymouth & Channel Islands Steam Packet Company
In
1889 she was sold for service on the Thames for Alfred Tolhurst
but was immediately resold to sail out of Liverpool for Thomas Holden
1890-1891 on a Liverpool to Douglas service
Sold to David MacBrayne Ltd in 1891 and rebuilt with one funnel
Renamed Brigadier, she was initially on the Glasgow to Loch Fyne run, she later moved to MacBrayne's main operating area in the Western Isles
Wrecked in the Outer Hebrides in 1896
Return to
Historical Database