Swiss paddlesteamers

[Roderick Smith]

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

[Roderick Smith]

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

[Roderick Smith]

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

[Red_Hamish]

Roderick, beautiful is all it can be described as. No, not you, the interior woodwork    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

[Roderick Smith]

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

[Roderick Smith]

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

[Roderick Smith]

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

[Eddy Matthews]

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!

[Roderick Smith]

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

[Roderick Smith]

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

[Roderick Smith]

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

[DamienG]

A nice boat indeed Roderick

[Hankwilliams]

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

[Roderick Smith]

Thanks, I did visit, perhaps 25 years ago.  Meanwhile, I have added more Stadt Luzern photos to the earlier post.
Roderick

[Roderick Smith]

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