PS Ruby restoration [Australia]

[Roderick Smith]

The site www.psruby.com has been updated with the June newsletter.
Hot news:
In May, the boiler was fired to 60 psi (~450kPa).
On 1.6 steam was raised again, and the paddlewheels were turned (in both directions, using the newly-added reversing links) for the first time in 70 years.
The plans for moves at Wentworth Junction Rally (7-8.7) are listed.


Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

[Roderick Smith]

My own boat was unavailable for Junction Rally, and RNV is running late.  I sacrificed attending the opening night of Sean's latest musical play 'Boy banned', and left home at 14.15 on Fri.6.7, to reach Wentworth at 22.20.
I went aboard PS Ruby and picked up all of the plans for the weekend, and lots of river gossip.
Ruby had steamed across Darling River from its restoration dock to the town wharf on Friday, in vile wind.  Even with a tinny acting as a bow thruster, the manoevre was tricky, not helped by the bridge to engine room communication system not working.
On Saturday, I helped with wooding, chatted with crew and other boat owners, and watched the boat prepare for a ceremonial 11.30 cruise to the Junction Rally site.  It is not allowed to take passengers yet.  This was the first time it had steamed down a river for 70 years.  Michael had arrived.  We were invited to inspect the beautiful interior of SWPV Risbey.  We were invited aboard the cute 13 m PV Miralie for the cruise, from which I was able to obtain good views of the Ruby move, and some good photos.  The rally moorings were quite congested; many private paddleboats had gone up river to free space for Ruby.  Soon after docking, the official opening of the rally was conducted from the foredeck, then the 100th anniversary cake was cut.  Ruby was then available for inspection, with a queue varying from long to short.  I inspected most of the rally attractions, and chatted with lots of boating friends.  I was called to the announcing booth at one stage: Ned F and his father had arrived.  There were occasional showers, and all novelty events were cancelled.  At 15.30, Ruby set forth to return to the town wharf; again I was a guest aboard Miralie (Mir as in mirror; alie to rhyme with Sally).  I finished the afternoon inspecting a friend's recently-completed Mundoo riverboat (a design evolution of my own Tennessee riverboat).  I was then invited by a friendly Ruby crew member to attend the launching of Jeanette Hope's book about Ruby, and the naming of the galley after Winnie Leach, a lady who had worked on the boat as a stewardess and cook in the 1920s.  Winnie had been a guest at Ruby ceremonies in 2000 & 2002, but died in 2006.  Her daughter was present.  Captain Leon Wagner, who has been the organiser of the restoration over the many years so far, could linger only briefly: he was skippering PV Avoca on a 19.00 wedding-reception charter at Mildura.  Dinner was with Michael and friends at a nice old pub; I then had supper aboard Ruby with crew.
Sunday was my steam-launch morning, cruising up the river for a couple of kilometres and back in a friend's boat (SL James Watt).  The tiller steering wasn't as tricky as I thought it would be.  I watched the parade of steam launches leave from beside Ruby and head to the rally site.  Ruby wasn't steaming today, but was open for public inspection.  I left at 10.45, to reach home at 19.45 after stopping to take many photographs of classic hotels along the way.

Paddleboats at the rally:
PS Ruby
PV Yarrara 1.5 decks
PV William Albert two decks
PV Kulkyne two decks
PV Miralie single deck
PV Impulse two decks
PV Mosquito single deck
SWPV Rusty launch size and trailable (and for sale)
PV Shiralee two decks
SWPV Risbey (only a few months old) single deck
SWPV Chalka single deck
PV Settler (only a few weeks old) two decks
PV Iraak (only a few weeks old) two decks
PV Matthew James single deck plus raised wheelhouse
PV Noname (only partly complete, and for sale) single deck
PV xxxx (only partly complete) single deck
PS Minimus trailable
moored up the Darling: SWPV Spirit of the Murray (private)
moored further up the Darling: an open SWPV party barge.
The program mentioned PV Matilda, but its new owners didn't have it there.
There were about 20-30 steam launches and putt putts, mainly from Sydney, Melbourne and SA, plus one from Perth.

There were a few larger cruising launches and houseboats.
The rest of the display featured portable agricultural machinery and vintage vehicles, plus a lot of food stalls.

Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

[Roderick Smith]

Here are some more photos.  I have updated the text which I posted last night.

Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

[Roderick Smith]

The Board of PS Ruby is planning to have the boat steaming for Wentworth's 150th anniversary celebrations, over Sat.20 & Sun.21.6.09.
Captain Leon Wagner, head of the restoration team says: 'All being well, PS Ruby will be offering free steaming trips to help Wentworth celebrate the 150th year since the naming of the town. We are delighted to be involved and want to give something back to the people of Wentworth who have loyally supported the project for so long'.

The good news of the early part of 2009 is that perseverence has finally beaten vacillating bureaucrats.
I don't know if the June event is under survey, or under dispensation.

Several Mildura paddleboats are voyaging to the event: staging on Friday night above Abbotsford Bridge, to come through on the Saturday morning opening.
I have Jessie II on the trailer at Colignan, and will be launching at Wentworth for the event.

As ever, any Paddleduck member there is welcome to come up, introduce yourself, and come aboard.

Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

[Roderick Smith]

The Wentworth 150th anniversary is this weekend (Sat.20 & Sun.21.6).
Ruby will be steaming each day, with parades at ~12.30 on both days.
About ten private paddle vessels will be there.
PV Florence Annie and PS James Maiden have been in the Darling for a few months.
Many are coming from Mildura on Friday (the afternoon opening of Abbotsford Bridge).
At least one is new, only just completed to operational condition.
I am launching Jessie II at Wentworth around 10.30 on Saturday.

Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

[jkemp1]

Hi Roderick,

Just seen your posts, what a great rally of fine vessels, we have had contact with Australia via ex-pats and have seen what great work you are doing for your vessels, I am in touch with the guys trying to preserve the Cerberus, and am involved with the PS Medway Queen here,

Johnk

[Roderick Smith]

The event which was being celebrated was the 150th anniversary of the town of Wentworth: established in 1859 at the confluence of Darling River and Murray River (6 years after the first commercial paddlesteamers had passed, and the two most important inland-navigation rivers in the nation).
It did grow to be the largest inland port in NSW.
At one stage, it was being promoted as a possible site for the new national capital (proximity to Adelaide, Hobart, Melbourne and Sydney, and conceivably favouring Perth and Brisbane equally).

PS Ruby has not obtained its survey yet, but it is felt now that there is light at the end of the tunnel (or a freshet at the end of the shallows).  On its four cruises, the only people allowed aboard by insurance and the marine board were crew, and those people who are members of Friends of Ruby (ie those who had done all the work).

The ever-sociable Mildura paddleboat owners were out in force.
I counted:
Two deck
PV Kulkyne (from Karadoc)
PV Evangeline (owned by a descendent of John Egge, a Wentworth pioneer)
PV Iraak
PV Impulse
PV Shiralee
PV Settler
PV William Albert (with its tinny named Billy Bert)
PV Matthew James
PV Florence Annie (now based at the owner's new property, about 30 km up the Darling)
Single deck
PV Miralie
PS Minimus
PS James Maiden (stranded during an intended voyage from Echuca to Murray Bridge)
SWPV Risbey
PV AFJ764N
PV AEV899N (displayed at 2007 Junction Rally)
(64N & 99N are similar: both are new, 1~16 m, probably a Cook hull, single deck with squat cabins, level with the paddlebox tops; one is rumoured to be named 'Maggie May' in due course; I suspect the newer).
Launches
Spitfire (genuine 1930s)
Jessie II (showing a 1930s inspiration)
a 6 m wooden hull Hartley
Wooden rowboat Little Ruby, used for a reenactment of rowing a doctor from the town bank to the hospital bank.
Surprisingly absent were PV Yarrara (normally local) and PS Tarney (moored only 20 km up the Murray).

Saturday had a street parade, including sheep being droved across the bridge.
There was a fleet parade around 12.30, then Ruby made three cruises from the town to the junction (13.00, 14.00 & 15.00).

Several of the private boats went to the Victorian bank of the Murray for the night, with a campfire and gossip session.

Sunday had the unveiling of a plaque commemorating John Egge, with a huge gathering of many descendents.
There was another fleet parade.

Most of the Mildura boats went downriver on Friday, using a 14.30 opening of Abbotsford Bridge.
For a great photo of PV Iraak passing, with minimum clearance, see www.thenakedlandscape.com/outback/?p=1086
I had meetings in Melbourne on Thursday, and RNV work.  I left at 14.30 on Friday, collected Jessie II at Colignan at 22.00, then overnighted on the trailer at Nangiloc.  I launched at Wentworth at 10.30 on Saturday, helped by Michael (who had caught up to me on the road).
The day was hectic: catching up with friends, and being in a parade.  Sunday was a bit calmer.  I set forth around 14.15 to head to Mildura, and camped out 8 km short when the sun set (17.15, the shortest day of the year.  Along the way I photographed Tarney, a few paddle houseboats, and overtook four of the Mildura boats returning home via the 14.30 bridge opening.  Two overtook me in darkness, but I resisted the temptation to follow them in.  I left at 7.30 on Monday (first light), and was ready for an 8.30 passage of lock 11.  I was held until 9.30, and went through with Kulkyne.  I cruised up past PV Avoca, and to the mooring of PV Rothbury and PV Mundoo.  There was no sign of PV Coonawarra.  Coming back down, I had an 11.00 locking shared with PS Melbourne.  I then crossed a few of the other boats heading up river.
'Murray' and Mrs 'Whaler' helped me out of the water.  I overnighted at Robinvale, then caught up with the latest progress on Michael's PV Sundowner as I left Jessie II in his shed for winter.
I hope to be out again in October.  The next Wentworth Junction Rally will be in July 10.  I didn't get the chances which I sought to lobby for a 2011 event to mark the centenaries of PS Industry and PS Pevensey.

Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

[Roderick Smith]

I have tidied the original posting lightly to include the remaining paddleboat which I had missed.  The two new ones are very similar, and I had them confused.

Here are three more photos of that wonderful weekend.

The arriving view: a line up of six paddle vessels (small Miralie is hidden), then the line was blocked by an awkwardly-moored houseboat, with a further six paddleboats (inc three steamers) moored beyond; above the bridge were another three.

In one of the parades, with the owners and friends on Matthew James in period outfits.

Large & small: PS Ruby passes PS Minimus during an afternoon cruise.

Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

[Roderick Smith]

Three more of the assembled fleet.

One of two new boats (as yet with no name) registration ___99N, beside SWPV Risbey [the file name with SMPV is an error]
Post edit:
www.paddleducks.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=2566.msg12789#msg12789
52 ft [16 m] PV constructed over 2006-07 at Nichols Point for Robert Ferguson, registration AEV899N.
This was at 2007 Junction Rally.

The other new boat (as yet with no name), AFJ764N.

PV Florence Annie (which has a ferroconcrete hull).

Some of the boats in the lineup photo have their own photo, taken at 2007 Junction Rally, but not in the thread of that event (www.paddleducks.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=2990.0).  That means that any photos posted will be in an APAM thread.

Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

[Roderick Smith]

I found my 2007 Wentworth photos,
www.paddleducks.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=2369.0
Apart from PS Ruby, they show:
PV William Albert (with a glimpse of PV Yarrara)
PV Settler (with a glimpse of PV Matthew James)
PV Evangeline, still under construction
PV Miralie, good
SWPV 'Temporary', since completed, sold and now SWPV Dromedary at a camel farm in SA
I didn't post my photo of PV Shiralee, taken when cruising alongside aboard Matthew James on the way to the rally.
Another hull under construction, but I can't tell which (possibly SWPV Waradgery, before being transferred to Colignan for further work).
A newspaper clipping on PV Iraak before it was launched.

I will keep going with the set of boats present for the Wentworth 150th.

Today:

PV Evangeline, now in the water.  It is owned by a descendent of Captain Egge, the Wentworth pioneer.

PV Settler (new for the 2007 rally) with PV William Albert.

PV Shiralee.  This has been discussed in APAM, including the relevance of the name for nomadic travel around Australia.

Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

[Roderick Smith]

As this series progresses, I am editing the earlier posts in the thread to fix mistakes, fill in gaps, and add references.
With 15 paddleboats present, and four wooden boats, I will try to complete the catalog; it is easier than hunting through other threads for other photos of the same boats.

In today's selection:

PV Iraak: I have added a url to an earlier post, and repeat it here.  The site has an excellent photo of Iraak sneaking under Abbotsford Bridge.  www.thenakedlandscape.com/outback/?p=1086

PS James Maiden: This boat had quite an adventurous voyage down from Echuca, with many delays.  It was running in tandem with PV Florence Annie, and each had to haul the other out of trouble at times.  In this photo, you can see most of PV Matthew James, which had operated as the replica PS Lady Augusta in the Randell & Cadell 150th anniversary fleet.

PV Miralie: I saw this vessel for the first time when it ventured to Swan Hill in 2003, for the Randell & Cadell150th anniversary fleet.

Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

[Roderick Smith]

This trio concludes the set taken at the rally, and includes the only photo which I got of PV Impulse there.
I will continue with shots taken on the river while cruising to & from Mildura on the Sunday and Monday in conjunction with being on the water for the rally.

The first shows part of the Saturday fleet parade.  I had my passenger steering (a Hawkesbury River yachtie) while I got the photos.  It was just a bit congested, keeping clear of boats yet not heading into the weed alongside the starboard bank.

The second shows part of the cameo from history.  The doctor cycled to the wharf, was collected by a wooden boat rowed by a hospital orderly, and was taken across the river.  Even the weekend program couldn't give a decisive reason for having the hospital on the east bank, when the town was on the west bank.  Part of the rules for opening the lifting span across Darling River: there must be an ambulance on each side for the duration.

The third shows MV Spitfire, a genuine wooden cruising launch of the 1930s.  You can see how the design of Jessie II was inspired by that past tradition.  Since it is propelled by an outboard motor in an inboard housing, a lot of people at petrol stations strike up a conversation, believing that it is 1930s.

Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

[Roderick Smith]

Sunday's weather was magic.  I took Jessie II in the parade, with the skipper of paddleboat aboard, so that he could get photos of the fleet.  I then set forth for Mildura, knowing that I wouldn't make the full distance by sunset.  I dropped Michael at the boat ramp to collect his car and head for home, and gave a local the opportunity for a short ride.
Ahead of me were four paddleboats, heading home so that the owners could be back at work on Monday.  They timed the passage to be under Abbotsford Bridge for its 14.30 opening.  I was close behind, and soon overtook them.

The unusual design of PV Matthew James stems from being built as the PS Lady Augusta lookalike for the Randell Cadell 150th anniversary.  The centre section was open, and housed a borrowed steam engine.  Now that it is running with a diesel, the centre has been enclosed to provide a sheltered lounge.  The owner had hoped to take the boat to the national machinery rally at Murray Bridge (separate PD thread), but the closure of lock 1 deterred him even from starting.  He went to the rally by car.  The high frame is for a tow rope.   These were always attached high and central so that the towing boat could maintain steerage.  The current name is in memory of the owner's son, who died young in life.

SWPV Oarsome is a modern pontoon houseboat, but with paddle propulsion.  There are lots and lots of houseboats on the Murray.  Even though only a small proportion have paddles, that is still a surprisingly large number.

PV Impulse was about the first modern vessel to be built in traditional style, and has attended many rallies.  For the Randell Cadell 150th, it was the mother ship for the crews running the replica PS Mary Ann and lookalike PS Lady Augusta, and ran for the whole voyage from Goolwa to Echuca.  At the 2004 Junction Rally, it was used to propel PS Ruby in a parade.  It has also towed various vessels under restoration from one site to another.  The family also owns PV Mosquito (wooden hull), which has been to a Goolwa Wooden Boat Festival (as mother ship for PS Mary Ann, making its final voyage in that guise, and returning to Mildura for reconstruction).  For this rally, Mosquito was on the slip for maintenance, and was unavailable.

I have already sent a copy to the family, which had housed Jessie II under shelter from my April cruise until this one.  It captures the spirit of what Murray River paddleboating is all about: a river meant for paddleboats, and paddleboats designed for the river.  For this selection, I have done no cropping.  I hope that they act as a travel advertisement to tempt fellow Paddleduckers to head this way and see for themselves.

In weather like this you can understand why I was singing as I skippered:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=CuMRMK3RvgQ (Cruising down the river, on a Sunday afternoon).


Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

[Roderick Smith]

The next two were taken as the sun sank steadily into the west.  I am not posting photos of my overtaking PV Iraak and PV Kulyne.

PS Tarney, taken about 2 h (24 km) upriver of Wentworth.

SWPV Spirit of the Murray, taken at 17.06, with the sun nearly fully set.  I was about 10 min off the spot where I would moor overnight.  About 30 min after I moored, with the sun now set, PV Impulse and PV Iraak paddled past.  It was impressive sitting in my rear lounge, sipping a wine, listening to the steady beat of the paddles and watching these two stately boats head steadily into the night and around the next bend.  I turned on my navigation lights briefly to acknowledge their presence, and got a friendly whistle in reply.

Lock 11, Mildura.  This is in a readily-accessible park in a major tourist city.  It would be the most watched, most photographed, and most traversed lock on the Murray.  It runs to a timetable (on the hour downriver; on the half hour upriver), not just on demand.  This is a 9.30 upriver locking, and Jessie II is rafted off Kulkyne.  Passing through a lock is quite daunting: tricky currents and winds, harsh concrete walls, an environment which echoes.  You may recall an amusing scene from the film of Jerome K Jerome's 'Three men in a boat'.  Since I didn't have to hold my boat off the wall, this was the easiest locking to date.  I have now been through Goolwa lock, and 1-11 on the Murray system in Jessie II (also lock 26 Torumbarry, but in PS Canberra).

Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

[Roderick Smith]

Mildura is 550 km north-west of Melbourne, and about the most remote civilisation in the state.
For decades, the railway had an overnight train, when the only other overnight trains were to interstate capitals.
When the lock-construction program was scaled back, it became the head of permanent navigation.
It is not the closes Murray port to Melbourne (Echuca wins with ease, and Swan Hill is also closer).
Mildura was developed as a major centre for irrigated crops.
Harold Clapp, the dynamic Victorian Railways chairman through the 1920s and 1930s promoted the region's products extensively: at stations one could buy freshly-squeezed orange juice, and raisin toast.
He also built up a program of river tourism.
Travel by train to  one port, voyage to another, train home.
This was the era of the four big and famous passenger boats: PS Gem, PS Ruby, PS Marion and PS Ellen.  Sectors linked with the railway at Murray Bridge, Morgan, Renmark, Mildura, Swan Hill and Echuca.
In later years, Mildura was the base for PV Wanera (now burnt) and PV Coonawarra (now sold for private use, apparently not just family cruising, but for a church group).
Mildura was one of the early adventures with family caravanning.  With my youngest brothers aboard, we did not drive very far in one day, and had two overnight stops.  Today, the fastest drivers take 6 h from Melbourne; I take about 7.5-8.5 (including the extra 40 min to come around the city to/from my eastern suburb, and a 1 h meal break).  It is still an adventure: from Melbourne climb the rising volcanic plain to the final ascent of Great Dividing range (often with short-lived thin snow in winter), descend through gravel-soil gold country, into grey soil wheat belt, into the red soil Mallee wheat belt, then a long stretch of dry red soil Mallee scrub (hitting kangaroos is a night-drive hazard), then finally the green oasis with fruit trees, extensive vineyards and now a lot of market vegetable.  Bakingly hot in summer, but a sunny paradise in winter when Melbourne is bleak.
My first sighting of a paddlesteamer would have been at Echuca, a year earlier (no paddlesteamers at Swan Hill in that year).  My first ride on one was at Mildura: PS Canberra, down through the lock, in tandem with PV Mayflower when it was commercial.

I am supplying photos of the commercial fleet.  PV Iraak and PV Impulse were back at the normal mooring, opposite Old Mildura Homestead (below lock 11); Kulkyne was continuing upriver to its Karadoc home; other private boats were still in the Wentworth area, making a slow return, or voyaging below lock 10.  I saw no sign of PV Coonawarra.

PV Avoca.  This is a floating upmarket restaurant (static and cruising).  There is a three-quarter frontal view in an APAM thread, so I have posted a stern view, as that is an unusual design.

PV Rothbury.  The fastest paddleboat on the river.

PV Mundoo.  This came from Goolwa, and had its steam equipment replaced with diesel.

PS Melbourne, on its regular morning cruise.  Mildura lock is unique.  Instead of being built on one side of the river, it is built on a canal cutting off a bend.  The cruise goes down through the lock, then up the main river to within sight of the weir, then down to Apex caravan park and back up through the lock to the town pier.  This view is in the main river, just below the weir.  The weir is also interesting.  It is a Dethridge weir: triangle-profile sections on rails, which can be pulled out to leave a narrow channel, or pulled out fully.  It was one of two on the river, but the other has been replaced.

Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor