Port Phillip Bay steamers

[PJ]

Is there anyone who lives close to Museum Victoria who can take photos of the models they have there of the Port Philip paddle steamers   'Edina', 'Weeroona', 'Hygeia' and 'Ozone'.

[AlistairD]

Well, WEEROONA was certainly ocean-going, she ended  up in New Guinea or somewhere like that during the war.
 Here's a link to a photo of WEEROONA
 http://www.slv.vic.gov.au/pictures/0/0/0/doc/pi000910.shtml
 Â 
 Alistair
 

  ----- Original Message -----
   From:    PJ (research@paddleducks.co.uk)
   To: research@paddleducks.co.uk (research@paddleducks.co.uk)
   Sent: Friday, August 04, 2006 12:37    PM
   Subject: Port Phillip Bay steamers
   

   
Is there anyone who lives close to Museum Victoria who    can take photos of the models they have there of the Port Philip paddle    steamers 'Edina', 'Weeroona', 'Hygeia' and 'Ozone'.



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[thewharfonline]

Uh I could possibly try at some stage...don't know how soon though! They used to sail right near my home out on the bay...I've never had a real interest in them though, they never had the ruggedness of the Murray boats that appeals to me so much!

[Barry]

The models of the Weeroona and the Hygeia are at the Queenscliffe Maritime museum as part of a Bay Steamers display. See www.maritimequeenscliffe.org.au/Exhibits.htm for details.

[Barry]

Looked at the list of names again. The Edina wasn't a paddler.

[PJ]

Hi Barry:

Thanks a bunch for that info....pity they don't have any images of the models, but maybe there's a PD who lives in Melbourne who wouldn't mind making a trip across the bay to take some photos of the models.  I wonder if any plans exist for them.  I've searched all the Australian Maritime Museums but so far nothing.

Thanks again and best regards.

PJ

[Barry]

I'll try and get down to the museum next week and get some photos for you. You may have more luck getting plans in Scotland as they were both built in Glasgow. There are some drawings for the Hygeia on this website in the downloads section look in the Enhineering magazine unkown issue date #3.

[PJ]

Terrific..would greatly appreciate some pictures when you gat a chance...you can email direct to pauljordan@shaw.ca

I've had very little luck getting original plans out of Scotland, in fact spent two weeks combing every repository in Glasgow for lines for paddler hulls built between 1880 and 1890.  There have been a number of attempts by Brits to "reproduce" plans from photos but they just don't seem to capture the authentic hull shapes which were developed specially for high speed paddlers.   Most of the original hull plans of that period were destroyed to prevent them getting into the wrong hands.  This only left GA and outboard profile drawings which are helpful for general detailing but not accurate hull building.

Once again, thanks and best regards.  Look forward to hearing from you.

[greateastern]

Hello PJ,
There are at least 3 sets of plans -one an engine only  (how complete they are I can't say) of paddlers built by Gourlay.  If you are looking only for paddlers that ended
up in OZ, I can't speak to that issue. Try this link to look at the list.
http://www.dundeecity.gov.uk/archive/gourlaylist/

"Also, If you are interested in locating plans and photographs on a particular ship, but do not know who built it, there is a Clyde-built Ship Index in the searchroom which contains information on all ships, including who built them." from their website. You need to contact the archivist listed at bottom of their screen for this I think.

 Archive in Glasgow may have drawings of PS Buffalo, and others.
Engine plan of the PS Buffalo, Llama and Camel built by Caird and company, 1865-6 (reference code: TD232/145)

follow this link to this list
http://www.glasgow.gov.uk/en/Residents/Libraries/Collections/ArchivesandSpecialCollections/shipbuilding.htm

Our shipbuilding archives are arranged by company name.  The main collections we hold are listed below:

    * Ardrossan Dockyard Ltd
    * Barclay, Curle & Co Ltd
    * George Brown & Co (Marine) Ltd
    * Charles Connell & Co Ltd
    * Fairfield Shipbuilding & Engineering Co Ltd
    * A&J Inglis Ltd
    * John G Kincaid & Co Ltd
    * Hugh McLean & Sons Ltd
    * Milne Collection
    * Langmuir Collection, Clyde Paddlesteamers

and have  look at this list for plans at the University Archive
http://www.archives.gla.ac.uk/collects/lists/business/shipping/shiprep.html
You may have seen these before so I apologize in advance if you have,
dave

[Roderick Smith]

I have yet to start posting a small amount on these.
I don't have any photos of my own, only ones published previously.
I don't have any hull plans: and no knowledge of how to obtain them.
National Maritime Museum (Sydney based, and probably Sydney focussed too) will search its archives for a fee, but may not have the sought plans.
According to Fitchett ('Down the bay') Weeroona wasn't as fast as its predecessors.  An attempt to give more clearance in the paddleboxes didn't change this.
According to another author, the hull profile was more square, and this made it more prone to rolling [I can't find this reference fast].
The famous three, built in Glasgow and based on Clyde practice, were :
PS Ozone 1886
PS Hygiea 1890
PS Weeroona 1910

They had been preceded by smaller paddlesteamers (and screw ones), from a variety of sources.  The Glasgow ones were:
PS Williams 1854
PS Lonsdale 1882

Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

[Barry]

Model of PS Hygiea on display at the Queenscliffe maritime museum.

[Barry]

Model of PS Hygiea

[Barry]

PS Weeroona

[Barry]

PS Weeroona. Sorry about the glare but the models are in a glass case with lots of windows around.

[Barry]

PS Hygiea