Paddleducks
Paddler Information => Preserved Paddle Ships => Topic started by: Roderick Smith on September 11, 2006, 06:11:29 PM
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The best reference to the major Swiss fleets is
http://swissitalianpaddlesteamers.com
I was in Switzerland for two major parades during May:
On Vierwaldstättersee (Lake Luzern) for the centenary of PS Schiller (five PS and two MV in the parade).
On Lac Léman (Lake Genève) for the return to service of PS Savoie (five PS and one PV).
Here is the report which I posted at the time to one of the yahoo ferries groups (northern or southern Europe).
On Sat.6.7, the operator of five paddlesteamers on Vierwaldstättersee marked the centenary of PS Schiller by running an all-day cruise with all five paddlesteamers in the fleet, with much formation cruising for 3 hours.
PS Schiller, PS Stadt Luzern and PS Gallia ran from Luzern.
PS Unterwalden ran from Stansstad (it is the only steamer in the fleet which can get under a restrictive bridge there, but didn't have to go under it for this cruise).
PS Uri (105 years old) ran from Flüelen, at 9.55. It had started from Luzern around 8.00, with passengers travelling at a slight extra fare.
The three Luzern starters were booked out days in advance.
Accompanying the five were MV Weggis and MV Mythen (celebrating its own 75th anniversary this year). At one point, three small private steamers stood alongside.
There was much cheering, waving and general merriment all day. At two of the southern towns, the fleet of five was welcomed by music: cowbells at one wharf, a brass band at another.
All sorts of formations were tried during the time (described in the English version of the website as a ballet). At one point we cruised five abreast, with photographers in Weggis getting the coverage.
Uri was restored over 1991-94. It has an oil-fired boiler, and a two-cylinder compound engine, kept in better than showroom cleanliness.
See www.dampfschiff.ch (a hobby site)
and SGV (the operator): www.lakelucerne.ch
Added here now: the two private steam launches and the private small paddlesteamer (which has its own website, mentioned in another thread in Paddleducks).
Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor
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There are a number of posts, some with photos, of the various Swiss paddlers Roderick - However, the "Search" feature on the forum leaves a lot to be desired and often misses things! :(
A new version of the forum software is due out in a few months, so I hope this will be one of the many areas that are improved!
In the meantime, please feel free to post any details you have - We're always after information, and those Swiss paddlers are just gorgeous!
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Here is one of my scans of the special five-vessel cruise to mark PS Schiller's centenary (taken from PS Uri, the oldest in the fleet). Sat.13.5.06.
Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor
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Roderick I know what vessel your avatar is from, it's the Mary Anne replica isn't it! I'm sure it is! Just proves once again I know my stuff, I've passed another of those little tests! Mine's slightly obvious that it is the Pevensey though!
Sorry for the random post...please continue!
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Another from that magic day. PS Uri (the oldest in the fleet on that lake) approaching Fluelen to pick me up (and heaps of others).
Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor
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This former member of the Wierwäldstattersee fleet is now a floating restaurant (static) at Luzern.
Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor
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I was at Interlaken about a week too early for the start of the cruise season of this classic Swiss PS (or DS, dampfschiff).
The original was in colour, but I haven't the time to rescan.
Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor
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For members of the PSPS, there's an article on the swiss steamers events (with pictures :) ) in 'paddle wheels'
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PS Stadt Luzern, photographed from PS Uri, as part of the parade and ballet of five PS for PS Schiller's centenary.
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Another from Sat.13.5.6, showing various boats together.
This one shows PS Gallia, then PS Unterwalden, PS Schiller and the bow of PS Stadt Luzern, taken from PS Uri.
The remaining vessel in the fleet was MV Weggis, carrying company photographers to capture the ballet of five paddlesteamers. MV Mythen was present for much of the time.
Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor
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More of the five PS parade on Sat.13.5.06.
Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor
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Three shots aboard PS Uri:
* On the foredeck.
* The interior of the first-class saloon.
* The interior of the second-class saloon.
Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor
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Hi PD's
last wednesday i went to Lucerne to sail with some of the steamers there but unfortunately there was only the "Unterwalden" in service it was a lovely day.
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It looks gorgeous Hans!
You have to admire the Swiss, lovely scenery and paddlers everywhere you turn, what more could you ask for?
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Sorry i forgot to tell you the names of the steamers, on the last photo you can see from left to right the PS Stadt Luzern then only the funnel of PS Gallia and on the right site the PS Schiller, PS Uri is now at the shipyard and the PS Unterwalden is under my feet.
Kind regards Hans
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I have concluded my selection of the Wierwaldstattersee fleet: at the time claiming to be the largest PS fleet in Switzerland (but apparently not in Europe: Alistair mentions nine rather than five at Dresden, Germany).
A week later, I was on Lac Léman (Lake Genève) for a fleet event marking the return to service of PS Savoie after a major overhaul. This fleet now had five PS and one PV operational (plus PV Helvétie & PV Italie
laid up). The event on Sun.21.5.06 had five PS and one PV:
PS Montreux
PS La Suisse
PS Savoie
PS Simplon
PS Rhône
PV Vevey
I enclose a photo of PS Simplon docking at Lausanne. This was the vessel on which I spent the day, and was a particularly happy coincidence for me. On the preceding day I had been at Brig and Domodossola for the centenary celebrations of Simplon Tunnel, through which a railway passes from Switzerland to Italy. This had been the route of Simplon Orient Express, the one which features in books and popular memory.
Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor
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Adding to my earlier post.
PS Savoie was welcomed back into service on Sat.20.5.06 with a small-scale event, but I was elsewhere that day.
On Sun.21.5, three boats started from Lausanne, and three from Genève. Most boats collected more passengers at towns along the way. The six came together off Rolle, and commenced various formations. One was a star of five around PS Savoie. Another was a double sailpast Rolle foreshore (packed with onlookers) in line astern. A local band was playing on a sailing ship with a pirate flag on its mast.
Today: a photo of five of the six boats during the star.
PV Vevey is at left; I am aboard PS Simplon; that must be PS Savoie on the right, and the sixth boat is to the right of the camera frame.
Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor
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At last, a colour photo: the beautiful first-class saloon of PS Simplon (and even a glimpse of your contributor).
Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor
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Roderick, beautiful is all it can be described as. No, not you, the interior woodwork :D Thanks for taking the time to submit this colour photo and remember if you hadn't mentioned the mirror I doubt if anyone would have mentioned your image :lol:
cheers
Jim
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Today: the engine room of PS Simplon, which has two oil-fired boilers.
Swiss paddlesteamers are being fitted with modern oil-fired boilers, controlled from the bridge. I suspect that this is one of those, and that the engineer is there to keep an eye on the machinery and the lubrication.
All of the boats which I rode had spotlessly-clean and shine equipment in the engine rooms.
Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor
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Two more photos of the parade at Rolle, on Sat.21.5.06. I have one scan of this day left yet to post.
Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor
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I have just edited the opening post of this thread to include more information and two great links. Here is the last of my existing scans. On the second pass of Rolle, massed balloons were released from each vessel (a different colour for each). These had been inflated by the company, and had been stored in the second-class saloon until this stage.
Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor
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You have to hand it to the Swiss, they definatley know how to make stylish paddlers!
Many thanks for all the photos and details Roderick - greatly appreciated!
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It always pays to keep up with this excellent site:
www.swissitalianpaddlesteamers.com
It has news of the fleets on all Swiss lakes, plus German ones on Lake Konstanz (Bodensee), and Italian ones on Lake Como, Lake Garda and Lake Maggiore.
It offers timetables, news of special events, and news on the status of each vessel: withdrawal, major overhaul.
The 2010 season has ended, but there are lots of interesting photos to view.
Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor
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I have browsed the site mentioned in my previous post.
Some boats are long term laid up; some have finished the 2010 season, and will emerge again in spring 2011.
PS Uri (the oldest operating paddlesteamer in Switzerland, built in 1901) is maintaining a program until 2.1.11 before resting. Many of these will be private charters: still good for photographers, and many charters will top up numbers with general public.
Saturday 4th December
Sunday 5th December
Saturday 11th December
Sunday 12th December
Saturday 18th December
Sunday 19th December
Saturday 25th December (Christmas Day)
Sunday 26th December (Boxing Day)
Monday 27th December
Tuesday 28th December
Wednesday 29th December
Thursday 30th December
Friday 31st December
Friday 1st January
Sunday 2nd January
Within www.swissitalianpaddlesteamers.com, searching on the lake brings up only a couple of the dates; searching on PS(DS) Uri brings up the list which I quoted. Imagine Christmas Dinner on a paddlsteamer.
I did once spend Christmas Day on two steam-worked public railways in former East Germany; dinner was in a grand dining room in Zittau station.
Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor
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I have just had 6 weeks in Europe, and built rides on various rivers and lakes into the program. This one came as a surprise. I had arrived in Luzern from Italy, caught a ferry to Vitznau to ride the rack railway to Rigi, and the ferry was PS Stadt Luzern. It is the flagship of the fleet: the newest, and the largest.
The German DS is dampfschiff (steam ship; propulsion doesn't matter); there is a term raddampfer (paddlesteamer). Pressure is quoted in atmospheres: 1 atm = 15 psi = 100 kPa.
150922Tu Vitznau (Lake Luzern): PS Stadt Luzern. (Roderick Smith)
Note: The filename is wrong.
150922Tu: PS Stadt Luzern engine.
Most surviving paddlesteamers have oil-fired boilers, controlled from the wheelhouse. Machinery is spotless, and usually visible from the passenger deck. Most are two cylinder compounds, and many have cylinders which pivot.
150922Tu PS Stadt Luzern arriving at Vitznau. R Smith.
Roderick
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A nice boat indeed Roderick
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Hi Roderick,
if you are in Luzern, don`t forget to visit the Verkehrshaus der Schweiz (Swiss transport museum ).
You`ll find a wide range of steam- and electric locomotives, ship- and railway models and last not least the original restauratet paddlesteamer "Rigi" in the condition of 1870/1880.
Thomas
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Thanks, I did visit, perhaps 25 years ago. Meanwhile, I have added more Stadt Luzern photos to the earlier post.
Roderick
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150922Tu Luzern (Switzerland): Withdrawn PS Wilhelm Tell, now a static floating bar/restaurant. R Smith.
Periodically it is towed to the shipyard for hull maintenance.
An earlier photo is at reply 5 in this thread. All of the photos in the earlier posts do exist, despite black crosses instead of thumbnails. Just judge by the descriptions, and click with confidence.
19.11.15 edit: I have added one from 1984. Either a poor film, or an early scan, or perhaps a photo taken of a postcard. Checking is needed.
Roderick
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On a visit to the Verkershaus at the end of August, work was being done on Rigi and she was only partislly visibly. Also at the museum are the engines from Pilatus
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Just one here to finish that day.
150922Tu Luzern: PS Schiller and two more. R Smith.
Probably out of traffic for winter, with the summer season just ended.
I have also edited the Stadt Luzern post with an extra photo.
Roderick
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150922Tu Zürich: PS Stadt Zürich and PS Stadt Rapperswil. (Roderick Smith)
Roderick
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150923W Thunersee (Canton Bern, Switzerland): Thun to Interlaken aboard PS Blümlisalp. (Roderick Smith)
Roderick
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150923W Thunersee PS Blümlisalp (Roderick Smith)
* bar, looking past the engine opening.
* the driveshaft.
* bar, looking forwards.
* main deck front saloon.
Roderick
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Hi Roderick,
"Blümlisalp" is a good example for practical alterings which not disturbe the the historic impression and the character of the boat.
While restauration in 1990 - 1992 the boat was lengthened for 3 meters to get more place for modern equipment. This was made so skilful, that no one perceive
the alteration.
Thomas
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I was one of the many people who didn't notice. Yes, done with care and sympathy, while being practical. Many of our Australian Murray River paddlesteamers were lengthened during their life, including the famous Gem. There is a good youtube time lapse of a modern cruise ship being lengthened.
More 150923W Thunersee PS Blümlisalp (Roderick Smith)
- The tabletop greeting in my BLS train connecting to Thun, and back from Interlaken. Bern Lötschberg Simplon is a large transport conglomerate, running the vital north-south mainline linking Bern (and hence Germany) and Brig, and hence Italy via the famous and long Simpon Tunnel. Traffic is so heavy that a Lötschberg base tunnel has been bored in recent years. BLS also runs suburban and commuter-zone trains, and several lake ferries. See http://www.bls.ch/e/bahn/bahn.php. The test of skill with my photo is to recognise how many languages, and what they are, and provide a suitable translation into English. They aren't numbered, so identifying which is the one to which you are replying may be tricky.
- the main dining saloon, aft.
- the sponson auxiliary/private dining space.
- the lower-deck children's playroom in the bow, a useful feature.
Roderick
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Thunersee, Thun - Interlaken, PS Blümlisalp. Wed.23.9.15. (Roderick Smith). Final five.
Wheelhouse.
Main foredeck.
Hünibach.
Canal into Interlaken.
Interlaken.
Roderick
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In 2015, I was a week too late to cruise on this one.
150923W Brienzersee, in the canal linking to Thunersee though Interlaken (Canton Bern, Switzerland): PS Lötschberg. (Roderick Smith)
In 2006, I was a week to early.
060526F Interlaken: PS Lötschberg moored in the canal, outside Hotel du Lac. (Roderick Smith)
Roderick
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PS Neuchâtel (Lac Neuchâtel, Canton Neuchâtel, Switzerland). Thurs.24.9.15. (Roderick Smith)
- MV Ville de Morat; PS Neuchâtel.
- PS Neuchâtel.
- deckplans.
- Canton/city emblems on the wheelhouse.
- builders plate.
- in harbour, with lots of other boats.
- going aboard.
Roderick
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PS Neuchâtel (Lac Neuchâtel, Canton Neuchâtel, Switzerland). Thurs.24.9.15. (Roderick Smith)
* oiling.
* the engine.
* the boiler/engine builder's plate.
* the bell.
* the salon/restaurant.
* serving lunch, with food prepared in a sponson galley.
Roderick
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150924Th Aboard PS Neuchâtel from Neuchâtel (Canton Neuchâtel, Switzerland) across Lac Neuchâtel and via the canal linking to Lac de Morat / Murtensee (Canton Fribourg). (Roderick Smith).
- backing out.
- entering the canal.
- in the canal.
- under the bridge at Sugiez.
- docking at Sugiez.
Roderick
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150924Th Aboard PS Neuchâtel from Neuchâtel (Canton Neuchâtel, Switzerland) across Lac Neuchâtel and via the canal linking to Lac de Morat / Murtensee (Canton Fribourg). (Roderick Smith).
- out of the canal, and into Murtensee.
- docking at Murten/Morat.
- three at Murten/Morat. I had lunch at Schiff Hotel, then boarded a different vessel.
Roderick
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150924Th Aboard PS Neuchâtel from Neuchâtel (Canton Neuchâtel, Switzerland) across Lac Neuchâtel and via the canal linking to Lac de Morat / Murtensee (Canton Fribourg). (Roderick Smith).
- Murten/Morat: Schiff Hotel, with a view over the lake and the ferries.
- Murten/Morat: PS Neuchâtel leaving, continuing to the south end of the lake; MV Peterinsel as the next departure to Neuchâtel.
- Murten/Morat: PS Neuchâtel heading across and south.
- Sept. 09 'Dampfer Zeitung' cover, announcing the 150th anniversary of Bodensee ferries, but which paddlesteamer is featured?
Roderick