PS Violet (1880)
THE LILY AND THE VIOLET.[1]
In 1880, the Company inaugurated a night express service in addition to the usual day service and, in the previous year, placed an order with Laird Brothers for two fast paddle steamers with which to work it.
Named the LILY and the VIOLET, they were 300 feet in length, 33.1 feet beam and 14.4 feet deep, the tonnage being 1,035 gross and 230 net. Their speed on trials was 17.75 knots, thus exceeding by 2.75 knots all the other vessels owned by the Company excepting only the ROSE and the SHAMROCK.
The LILY and the VIOLET, when constructed, had simple oscillating cylinders 78 inches in diameter and a piston stroke of 84 inches. Steam was supplied by four boilers working at a pressure of 30 lb,, the i.h.p. being 3,200. After running a few years, the Company decided to increase the speed of these two vessels and, consequently, in 1891, they were re-engined and re-boilered. As it was not considered desirable that the cargo space or passenger accommodation should be reduced and the power of the engines v/as to be increased 30 per cent., it was a matter of impossibility to adopt either horizontal or diagonal engines. The makers, Messrs. Laird Bros., therefore introduced an innovation in paddle engine design, although, actually, the adaptation of an old principle was involved. The new engines were of a triple expansion steeple design, the valves being operated by Joy’s valve gear. The cylinders were respectively 44, 70 and 108 inches diameter, all having a piston stroke of 78 inches. Steam was supplied by six loco-marine type boilers working at a pressure of 150 lb., having forced draught, and a heating surface of 10,022 square feet. By using this class of boiler, a considerable saving in weight was effected. These new engines gave an indicated h.p. of 4,087 and on the official trials from the Mersey to Holyhead a speed of 19.5 knots was attained with 35 revolutions. With the engines making 32.5 revolutions and developing 3,000 i.h.p., a speed of 18.7 knots was attained.
It was on the LILY that the then Prince of Wales opened the new harbour at Holyhead in June, 1880. In April, 1900, the LILY was withdrawn from the service and the VIOLET was withdrawn in April, 1902, both boats being purchased by the Liverpool and Douglas Steamers, Limited. In 1904, the former was purchased by Messrs. T. W. Ward of Sheffield for breaking up.
See Also
Sources of Information
- ↑ ‘Cross-Channel and Coastal Paddle Steamers’ by George Frank Burtt