Paddle Steamer Resources by Tramscape
 The Internet's largest database of mainly European Paddle Steamers past and present

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PS Bristol Queen

Bristol Queen in an official photograph obtained from P & A Campbell Ltd by Nigel Lawrence who kindly allowed its use on this web page

Launched on April 4th, 1946 by Charles Hill & Co at Bristol
Engines : Triple expansion three crank diagonal by Rankin & Blackmore of Greenock
Dimensions : 244.7 ft x 31.2 ft
961 Gross Registered Tonnes

Campbell's largest paddler was ordered from the Bristol yard of Charles Hill, despite the company's inexperience with paddlers
Fitted from the outset with oil-fired boilers requiring two funnels
Large deck shelters fore and aft on the promenade deck ensured that modern comforts were incorporated into the new vessel
Undertook trials on September 7th 1946
The economics of the business led to Bristol Queen being laid up for several seasons in the 1950s
Damage to a paddle wheel on August 26th 1967 was the final death knell for Bristol Queen
Despite desperate attempts to find some static use for Bristol Queen, she was sent to the breakers in 1968.

Bristol Queen in a photograph taken at Cardiff on August 27th 1967 by Nigel Lawrence. This was effectively the end for her as she had twice in the previous month encountered paddle problems where radius rods had had to be replaced. On the 26th, the paddles themselves were damaged after hitting underwater debris off Barry. On the  29th she entered Queens Dock in Cardiff for lay-up as Campbell's considered the fate of the vessel. With large expenditure needed to sort all her paddle-wheel problems, the decision was taken not to undertake the work and to offer her for sale alongside fleetmate Cardiff Queen, which had not been reactivated for the 1967 season. Not helped by more damage incurred when a large tanker bumped into her whilst in dock, she was soon sold for scrap, although Campbell's had waited until the end of 1967 before considering bids from scrap dealers just in case the vessel could be saved. On March 21st 1968 she left Cardiff under tow, arriving at Ostend on the 25th and with breakers at Flushing on the 26th.

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