Paddle Steamer Resources by Tramscape
The Internet's largest database of
mainly European Paddle Steamers past and present
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Historical
Database
Germany
Ammersee
The
paddle steamer tradition contnues on this small Bavarian lake with
Diessen, a 39.8 m long paddler built in 1908 and now running with
diesel-hydraulic propulsion
The era of regular passenger services on the lake began in 1877 with
the introduction of the second hand steamer Omnibus by the
Dampfschiffahrtsgesellschaft Ammersee. The early steamers were
short-lived but the first half of the 20th century saw solid service
from the vessels Gisela (Augsburg from 1919), Andechs, Diessen and
the 20.9 m long screw steamer Schondorf (1909-1953).
The Andechs and Diessen were introduced as part of a modernisation
programme after the goodwill and assets of the steamer service which
had since 1885 been owned by the Maffei company had been bought by
the Bavarian state in 1906. After the withdrawal of Andechs in 1955,
Diessen remained as the sole steamer on the lake, but was converted
to diesel power in 1975. In 2002 she was joined by a brand new
paddler, albeit with diesel-hydraulic drive,
Herrsching.
Paddle
Steamers
Omnibus
1877-1878
Builders: J Muller (Bamberg)
Length : 19 m
Came to the lake after long service on the River Neckar
and the Danube-Main canal.
Stability problems rendered her unsuitable, with corrective measures
detracting substantially from her
speed
Marie
1878-1908
Builders : Escher, Wyss (Zurich, Switzerland)
Length : 26.5 m
Ordered new to replace the unsuitable "Omnibus"
When dispaced from the fleet the hull was used by the Riederau Yacht
Club
The engines went to the Transport Museum and in 1995 to the Transport
and Technical Museum in Berlin
Maximilian
1886-1895
Builders : Maffei (Munich)
Length : 33.5 m
Brought second-hand from the nearby
Starnbergersee
Gisela
later
Augsburg
1893-1963
Builders : Maffei (Munich)
Length : 52.5 m
Renamed Augsburg in 1919 following the national policy
of removing names with royal connections
Scrapped in
1964
Andechs
1907-1955
Builders : Maffei (Munich)
Length : 39.8 m
After withdrawal, the hull has been used by a sailing
club at Utting albeit without engines, paddlewheels or funnel
View of Andechs, partially hidden
amongst yachts, seen from the passing MPV Herrsching in 2003
Photo by Gordon Stewart (24/8/03)
Return
to
Historical Database
Ammersee
Preserved Steamer List