Now back to matters more germane,
I had a meeting with the Archivist of the National Maritime Museum a
week ago, on my hunt for additional information about my double ended
paddle steamer Britannia.
Still no joy to report on the plans and drawings side of the project,
I regret to say.
Marleene suspects that the original plans were lost in a fire that
swept through Charles Bailey's shipyard late in the 19th century. As
the vessel was built for a private company, she is not featured in
the Auckland Harbour Board archives, nor are there many photographs
left of her. In fact it appears that I now have as definative a
collection of photos of Britannia as the Museum has seen.
On the positive side of things, the Museum did have one of
Britannia's nameboards in its collection, so at last I have been able
to touch something solid and tangible of this magnificent ferry.
As well as this the museum was kind enough to give me an old
pamphlet, that described the early days of ferry services on the
Auckland Harbour - From Wherry to Steam Ferry, written and printed by
by T Walsh in 1932. This provides an interesting context to the
period when Britannia was in service. If the mood takes me I may well
include a few extracts from that booklet in future postings.
I've done some preliminary work on hull shape but the shape of the
hull at each end is still vexing.
Interestingly, I have drawings for another of the very early double
ended paddleboats (PS Eagle) that suggests the hull development was
quite unusual. The lower half of the hull appears to be canoe-shaped,
with a rudder mounted at each end.
The upper half of the hull appears to overhang the rudder at each
end, a little like the way that the first ironclad was constructed -
USS Monitor's upper hull overhung the lower vee shaped hull at each
end.
So above the rudder at each end of the PS Eagle was a flat underside
that tapered fore and aft to the overhanging stem and stern pieces.
Most unusual and quite simple to construct - and potentially butt
ugly to boot! (See PS Eagle photo folder).
I wonder if the dark patch on Britannia's hull (from the photo of her
high and dry on Flat Rock) might hide a similar arrangement.
Contemporary reports of the grounding state that Britannia was
undamaged by the event - so it seems that the picture doesn't show a
ferry with her hull stove in at all - the dark section is possibly an
ugly design to accomodate a rudderpost that was four feet forward of
the sternpost.
Incidentally, I'm also labouring on another challenge with this
project. I would like the appropriate rudder and navigation lights to
operate according to direction of travel. So that if I reverse the
direction of travel there's an "all change" effect with navigation
lights and rudders as well. Easy to conceptualise, not so easy to
design. Any suggestions?
Regards
Tony
Auckland, NZ
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