False Website

[paddlesteamerman1]

This website (mostly a tourist website) about Echuca, says that the Alexander Arbuthnot was built in 1916, the Pevensey in 1909.. surely just a silly mistake.. I hope

www.ozphotos.com

[derekwarner_decoy]

Hi PD's & James.... I could only remind you of the respected text by Parsons...... which states

PS Pevensey = & Built = 1911
PS Alexander Arbuthnot =    & Built = 1923............ - Derek

[steamboatmodel]

This website (mostly a tourist website) about Echuca, says that the Alexander Arbuthnot was built in 1916, the Pevensey in 1909.. surely just a silly mistake.. I hope

www.ozphotos.com

Contact them about there error.
A Lie repeated often becomes accepted as the truth.
Regards,
Gerald

[paddlesteamerman1]

Thanks Derek (the Parsons book is my paddler bible too!!)

I have looked for a contact us page on the website.. but have been unlucky to date..
I will keep trying though!!
Thanks Gerald

[ljhall]

Hi James,

Actually those build dates are correct if you consider that both vessels were built as barges then converted into Paddlesteamers later.

The Pevensey was originally built as the Barge 'Mascotte' in late 1909, and converted into a Steamer in early 1910. Apparently the machinery didn't arrive in time, and back then shipments from the UK were slow to say the least, so for the first few months of her life, the Pev was just a barge, this is probably where the errors were made.

The Alexander Arbuthnot was also built initially as a Barge in 1916, only she remained this way for 7 years, finally being converted in 1923.
I guess when you talk about the age of a vessel you have to take it from when the hull was constructed, so in both instances the info. is correct.

Basically all the boats are made up of bits and pieces from all different ages.
The 'Pev' is a fairly original boat really, her hull is very much original except for the planks - remembering that she has iron top-sides.
The original super-structure was burnt in 1932, and re-built from 1932-35, with her cabins coming from the original PS Decoy.
Her 20 h.p. Marshall Steam Engine and even her Boiler are all original as are the paddlewheels and shafting etc.

The AA on the other hand is a real mixture !
Her hull was built in 1916, whilst the machinery is much older - the small under-type Steam Engine was built in 1888, and the paddlewheels built around 1883 or 1886 - both components were salvaged from the burnt out PS Glimpse which came to grief near Koondrook.
The boiler in the AA is not the original, it was built sometime in the early 1900's and was previously used in a Eucalyptus Distilling Plant.
The original one was under water for too long and later scrapped.

The super-structure was completely re-built in the mid/late 1970's, and touched up again where neccessary in the early 1990's after arriving at Echuca and yet again in June 1996 when a fire broke out in one of the cabins.

The above info. came from 'Ships of the Inland Rivers', 2nd & 3rd Editions and 'Murray Darling Paddleboats', 2005.