The Harwich Steamers
The Great Eastern Railway ran a small fleet of paddle steamers from Ipswich, which regularly called at Harwich. Other Steamers plied for trade as far away as London and Yarmouth
The Great Eastern Railway ran a small fleet of paddle steamers from Ipswich, which regularly called at Harwich. Other Steamers plied for trade as far away as London and Yarmouth
P.S. Essex
Launched : 1896
Tonnage (GRT) : 297
Launched : 1896
Tonnage (GRT) : 297
- Built by Earle's Shipbuilding of Hull and employed on local services and coastal excursions from Harwich. Sold in 1913 and became a River Thames excursion vessel. Excursions ran from Ipswich on the River Orwell alongside the sister ships of "Suffolk" in 1895 and "Norfolk" in 1900. These steamers were all double-ended to assist manoeuvring at Ipswich.
P.S London Belle
Launched : 1893
Tonnage (GRT) : 738
Launched : 1893
Tonnage (GRT) : 738
- Built for the London, Woolwich and Clacton-on-Sea Steamboat Co entering service from London to Clacton / Harwich in May 1893.
- In 1901 a passenger was killed after falling overboard near Tilbury - the only "Belle Steamers" fatality
- As the Belle Steamer with the largest draught, she was prone to running aground near the shallow Clacton pier
- Requisitioned by the Admiralty for mine-sweeping duties in May 1916, initially at Harwich, then going to Liverpool.
- Returned to the Thames in April 1919, but then taken as a hospital carrier to the White Sea, northern Russia.
- Finally released for civilian service in the summer of 1920 and chartered to Mr Kingsman, running to Walton-on-the Naze.
- Purchased by Mr Kingsman in 1921, selling on to the PSM Syndicate in 1922.
- Scrapped at Grays in 1929
P.S. Norfolk
Launched : 1900
Tonnage (GRT) : 295
Built by Gourlay Brothers, of Dundee. Used on local services and coastal excursions. Passed to LNER in 1923 and withdrawn in 1931. Scrapped in 1935.
Launched : 1900
Tonnage (GRT) : 295
Built by Gourlay Brothers, of Dundee. Used on local services and coastal excursions. Passed to LNER in 1923 and withdrawn in 1931. Scrapped in 1935.
P.S. Suffolk
Launched : 1895
Tonnage (GRT) : 245
Launched : 1895
Tonnage (GRT) : 245
- Built by Earle's Shipbuilding of Hull and employed on local services and coastal excursions from Harwich. Used as a picket ship at Harwich from 1914 to 1918. re-opened her pre-war services in 1919. Withdrawn in 1931.