Paddle Steamer Resources by Tramscape
The Internet's largest database of
mainly European Paddle Steamers past and present
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MV Waldstatter (ex -
PS Rhein, ex - Ben Johnson)
MV
Waldstatter laid up at Luzern in 1996 in her first year after
withdrawal from service
Built in 1905
by J I Thorneycroft at Southampton, England
Engines : Compound Diagonal : replaced in 1948 by Sulzer diesels
Length : 51.5 metres
Built in the UK and served from
1905 to 1907 for the London Ccounty Council's Hammersmith-Greenwich
service as PS Ben Johnson
Sold cheaply after the demise of the service and left London on
September 27th 1909
Towed to Duisburg in Germany, then sailed up the Rhine to Basel under
her own power
Dismantled and taken overland to Luzern - extensively rebuilt for
passenger service on Lake Luzern with small fore and aft deck
saloons
Renamed PS Rhein
Not particularly successful in service, she was withdrawn in 1939
The boiler was sold in 1942 and the engine scrapped in 1944, and the
ship stripped to the hull in 1946
Reentered service on February 2nd, 1949 as MV Waldstatter, with a new
diesel power plant, screws instead of paddles and new
superstructure.
Remained in service until 12th December 1995, after which she lay at
the SGV dock until being turned over for use as an accommodation
ship.
Scrapped at Beckenried in 2001.
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Lake
Luzern Historical
London County Council
British Paddle Steamer
Index