Thames LCC steamers...

[mjt60a]

I've been thinking about one of these as a 'future project' Here's part of an old postcard showing one of the steamers;

...in other pictures they're sometimes shown with only square windows (no portholes) and I believe I've seen one or two pics of them in use elsewhere in europe under different names - and with the 'arched' windows as this one appears to have (there's also a model in the docklands museum - but they wouldn't let me photograph it!)
Anyway, what I'm wondering is - are the portholes in the sponsons fake? they only look about 4 ft deep so couldn't have useable space inside unless only for baggage or fuel, could they?
*edit - see some more here - http://www.simplonpc.co.uk/ThamesBoats-London.html - scroll down the page about half-way

[AlistairD]

Here's a photo of the remains of the last of these  LCC steamers, the former Gresham. She was sold to Cologne, then quickly to Memel  in East Prussia where she became BEETHOVEN, then went to Prague in 1926 where  she was used as a tug and named HLUBOKA. She was seized by the Wehrmacht during  the war because her owner was Jewish, and moved to the Vistula where she became  SMIALY. She served there as a river inspection steamer until retired in 1968 and  sold to Mielno, near Koszalin on the Baltic Coast, where she became a yacht  club. You can see the raised part (bitts???) for the hawsers at the bow, which  can also be seen in photos of some of the LCC steamers, although the one  pictured here seems not to have had it
 Â 
 Alistair
 

  ----- Original Message -----
   From:    mjt60a (research@paddleducks.co.uk)
   To: research@paddleducks.co.uk (research@paddleducks.co.uk)
   Sent: Sunday, December 25, 2005 9:26    PM
   Subject: Thames LCC steamers...
   

   
I've been thinking about one of these as a 'future    project' Here's part of an old postcard showing one of the steamers;

...in other pictures they're sometimes shown with only square    windows (no portholes) and I believe I've seen one or two pics of them in use    elsewhere in europe under different names - and with the 'arched' windows as    this one appears to have (there's also a model in the docklands museum - but    they wouldn't let me photograph it!)
Anyway, what I'm wondering is - are    the portholes in the sponsons fake? they only look about 4 ft deep so couldn't    have useable space inside unless only for baggage or fuel, could    they?


     
Posted by Mick.
(.....gonna need a bigger boat.....)


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[ancoaster78]

Hi,

I also have been giving these steamers a little bit of thought, I havent started any serious research yet but there is a basic general arrangement on the Kingswear Castle website http://www.pskc.freeserve.co.uk/war.htm which seems to show that no official use was given to the space in the sponsons, maybe it was just storage accessed from the engine room? or maybe the portholes were just vents?

If anyone does find anymore information on this, or can point me in the direction of more info, i'd be most grateful!

Cheers

[PJ]

From any photos I have of KC, it looks like the  sponson decks were entirely open with no structure built on  them.
 

  ----- Original Message -----
   From:    Ancoaster 78 (research@paddleducks.co.uk)
   To: research@paddleducks.co.uk (research@paddleducks.co.uk)
   Sent: Thursday, January 19, 2006 11:55    PM
   Subject: RE: Thames LCC steamers...
   

   
Hi,

I also have been giving these steamers a    little bit of thought, I havent started any serious research yet but there is    a basic general arrangement on the Kingswear Castle website http://www.pskc.freeserve.co.uk/war.htm which seems to show    that no official use was given to the space in the sponsons, maybe it was just    storage accessed from the engine room? or maybe the portholes were just    vents?

If anyone does find anymore information on this, or can point me    in the direction of more info, i'd be most    grateful!

Cheers



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[AlistairD]

There seems  nothing and no sponson houses, although there were steps aft of the paddles  going up to a landing platform on top of them, from the plan that was with  the London Penny Steamers article, and can also be sen on http://www.megoran.fsworld.co.uk/Refit05.htm,  althiugh I have seen some photos of the steamers with a small structure to the  aft of the sponson with three portholes
 I have a plan of Rhein, as rebuilt in  Switzerland, and on the port side there was a post office forwards of the  paddle, and a kitchen aft with a narrow storeroom between it and the paddle,  
 while on the starboard side, there were 2  gents WC's forward, side by side, and an office aft with a narrow storeroom  between that and the paddle
 Â 
 Have you seen the photos on  
 http://www.simplonpc.co.uk/ThamesBoats-London.html 
 well down the page
 Â 
 Alistair
 
I also have been giving these  steamers a little bit of thought, I havent started any serious research yet but  there is a basic general arrangement on the Kingswear Castle website http://www.pskc.freeserve.co.uk/war.htm which seems to show  that no official use was given to the space in the sponsons, maybe it was just  storage accessed from the engine room? or maybe the portholes were just  vents?

If anyone does find anymore information on this, or can point me  in the direction of more info, i'd be most  grateful!

Cheers



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