Paddle Steamer Resources by
Tramscape
PS
Lorna Doone
Built in 1891 by
Napier, Shanks and Bell at Yoker
Engines : Compound diagonal by D Rowan
Dimensions : 220.5 ft x 26 ft
427 Gross Registered Tonnes (later
410)
Built for Edwards
& Robertson's Bristol Channel excursion business.
Passed to John Gunn when the E & R operation was taken over after
the 1895 season
Chartered in the summer of 1896 to the Brighton, Worthing and South
Coast Steampship Co
John Gunn sold the vessel in March 1898 to the Southampton, Isle of
Wight and South of England Royal Mail Steam Packet Co.
Entered service on Easter Monday 11/4/1898 on a cruise from
Southampton to Bournemouth and Swanage via the Isle of Wight
Fitted with a new HP cylinder and reboilered after the 1898 season,
emerging with two funnels instead of her original one
The new boilers proved unsuccessful and in 1901 a locomotive-type
boiler was fitted and she reverted to having one funnel
For the 1907 season she had her main deck plated to the bow and the
promenade deck (already full width) carried forward.
Stationed at Bournemouth in 1907 and 1908 when her operators
attempted to run a service from this popular resort
Went into war service in August 1914 as a patrol vessel on the
Solent, but went to the Dover Patrol as a minesweeper (1915-1919)
Spent World War II initially as a minesweeper, then as an
anti-aircraft vessel, finally becoming an accommodation ship on the
Clyde
Released from Admiralty service in January 1947 and laid up at
Northam pending a decision on her fate
It was decided she was beyond economic repair. On October 14th 1948
she was taken to the Pollock, Brown yard at Northam for
scrapping.
Return
to:
Edwards
and Robertson
John Gunn
Brighton, Worthing &
South Coast
Southampton, Isle of Wight and South
of England
British Paddle Steamer
Index