SS Leonard
A train ferry with an interesting career...
1916 'CAR FERRY "LEONARD" : QUEBEC AND POINT LEVIS.
The Transcontinental Railway car ferry "Leonard," which was specially designed for the transferring of freight cars to and from Quebec and Point Levis pending the completion of the Quebec Bridge, and the combatting of ice conditions in the St. Lawrence, has, and is, says "The Quebec Telegraph" of 17 January, measuring up to all expectations. Since its first trip between Quebec and Levis, which was made on 12 May last, the "Leonard" has transferred as many as ninety cars in a single day. The vessel makes three or four trips daily, much depending upon the amount of freight to be handled. There are thirty-five men in the crew who thoroughly understand the work of loading and unloading, though these days the men are experiencing a little difficulty in docking the vessel after each trip, due to the amount of ice which masses in the slips. Apart from this, the crossings are made as easily as in summer-time. The "Leonard " was built by Messrs. Cammell, Laird and Co. at their Birkenhead works opposite Liverpool, and, as already stated, was made purposely to carry the National Transcontinental trains across the St. Lawrence. Before the stray ends of this ocean to ocean railway were linked up, there remained the big problem of keeping the traffic across the St. Lawrence open until the bridge was built, to replace the one which collapsed a few years ago. It was then that Major R. W. Leonard, Chairman of the National Transcontinental Commission, gave this famous English firm an idea of what he wanted, and in one year's time the ferry was launched. Its mechanical construction was favourably pronounced upon by Capt. W. J. Press, mechanical engineer of the National Transcontinental Railway Commission. The ferry was christened after Major Leonard, and resembles very much the old type of Mississippi River boat. It was constructed at a cost of $560,000, and is constructed entirely of steel. Its length over all is 326 ft.; beam, 65 ft.; and a mean draught of 15 ft. The trains are carried on a tidal or upper deck; the deck has three lengths of track, each measuring 272 ft. long, and capable of carrying three passenger coaches each. The Leonard "is propelled by three sets of triple expansion engines, two for driving the boat and one for the ice cutting propeller which is fitted at the forward end of the vessel. Every provision is made for the safety, comfort, and convenience of the passengers and crew. The vessel is fitted with electric lighting throughout, and special arrangements are made for the heating of the carriages during the cold weather transits. The hull of the ferry is of steel with bilge keels, or side fins to prevent overdue rocking and swaying, and there are five watertight bulkheads. In case of any possible accident, the ferry is equipped with four lifeboats , each 20 ft. long and 6 ft. wide, one cutter 18 ft. long, and one dinghy 16 ft. long, and her speed is about 9 knots an hour.'[1]
The vessel was named after Lt. Col. Reuben Wells Leonard (1860-1930), a Canadian soldier and Civil Engineer.
The rail jetties were at a fixed level, but the tidal range was 18 feet, so the 'tidal deck', with its three lengths of track, needed to be raised and lowered to accommodate this variation.
Two triple expansion propulsion engines were provided, having cylinders of 23, 35 and 55 inches diameter, and 33 inches stroke, developing 3200 IHP at 120 rpm. Steam was supplied from eight natural draught boilers working at 165 psi. A 420 IHP compound engine with cylinders of 15 and 32 inches bore and 21 inches stroke drove a bow propeller which broke up ice at the landing stage in winter. A large four-cylinder engine drove the deck raising screws though a system of double helical and mitre gears and shafts, the lifting screws having worm and wheelm drive. The lifting screw thrust was taken by ball bearings.[2]
1933 'THE TRAIN-FERRY LEONARD. WAR SERVICE RECALLED. [To the Editor of "The Journal for Commerce"]
Sir,— With reference to the article in your issue of August 25 concerning the train-ferry Leonard, your readers may be interested to know that this ferry was brought across from the St. Lawrence in 1917 to Belfast for overhaul and alterations; she was also fitted with four 12-pounders, one on each bow and stern. Extra accommodation had to be fitted.
Having been O.C. of Train Ferry No. 2 for a period of 12 months, I was appointed O.C. of Train Ferry No. 4, ex Leonard. The navigating bridge was about 80ft. out of water, right forward, and with any swell one had to hang on with hands as well as feet. In narrow waters we had a long pole stuck out from the bridge for the helmsman to steer by, as the compass was practically useless; we had to change our compass after running our trials in Belfast Lough, as we unshipped the compass card with the vibration. We installed a new compass, one similar to that used by the smaller naval craft.
We remained in Belfast Lough a couple of days awaiting our escort, but were finally advised that we might proceed as the Irish Sea was clear of submarines then. We eventually left, and picked up one of our own I.W.T. tugs, which escorted us to Kingstown — our first stop — and on approaching that port we were morsed, " Floating dock, ahoy — what ship is that?" I felt rather amused as I answered, "H.M. Train Ferry No. 4." We left next day and arrived safely in Southampton, from which port we ran to Cherbourg and back till the Armistice was signed, when I handed over command, having to go to hospital in Southampton. This class of ferry was, of course, only suitable for smooth water, having so much top hamper work; after a few voyages the rivets at the base of the columns began to leak, and I heard that the Train!Ferry No. 4 was later condemned and eonverted into an oil depot. I might mention the bow propeller was unshipped and stowed in the forehold.
We had a telegraph on the navigating bridge for operating the main car-deck, which raised, as you state, in 18 minutes.— Yours, &c.,
C. S. MAXTED. (Late Acting Major (Temp.), Captain, O.C. Train Ferry No. 4.), Barry Dock, Aug. 27, 1933' [3]
Surprisingly, the vessel was bought by Anglo-Saxon/Shell Tankers in 1920 and converted to a tanker, and named Limax. Scrapped in Osaka in 1931 [4]
1921 FERRY TRAIN TO OIL STEAMER. Interesting Conversion at North Shields. "Modern Transport " contains an interesting account of the conversion, at North Shields, of the train ferry Leonard into an oil-carrying steamer.
The Canadian train ferry Leonard, was from the summer of 1918 until May 28, 1919, engaged in the conveyance of military traffic between Southampton and Cherbourg, and was subsequently sold by the Canadian Government to the Anglo-Saxon Petroleum Co., Limited, London. Having been converted for the carriage of benzine, she has undergone a change of name, being now known as "Limax." The work of dismantling the vessel and reconstructing her for her present service, which was undertaken by Messrs. Smith's Dock Co., Limited, at their Bull Ring Docks, North Shields, was of a partimilarly involved nature, and entailed a vast amount of preliminary work before the actual work of conversion could be proceeded with.
The vessel, which is 307 ft. in length, between perpendiculars, with a breadth moulded, of 65ft., and depth of 23ft., was built by Cammell Laird and Co. Limited., Birkenhead, in 1914 to the order of the Trans-Continental Railway of Canada, and was used for the carriage of passenger and freight trffic across the River St. Lawrence between Quebec and St. Lewis. With the completion of the Quebec bridge the use of the "Leonard" as a train ferry was rendered unnecessary and after undergoing overhaul and alteration at the hands of Workman, Clark and Co., Limited, Belfast, she was relegated to the Cross-Channel service.
The vessel originally had a large amount of upper-works embracing high supports carrying a tidal deck capable of being raised or lowered within a limit of about 20ft. There were also fixed platforms running completely fore and aft above the tidal deck, with officers' accommodation, charthouse, etc., at the fore end. These upperworks had all to be cut away and removed, together with all machinery, shafting, etc., necessary for working the tidal deck. In addition, a set of machinery for the ice-propeller forward had to removed ashore and seatings for the same cut out. Eight boilers - four on the port and four on the starboard side — had to be removed, and six of them were placed in the new boiler-room , abaft of the machinery. A new oil fuel bunker was also built aft of the boilers. The original coal bunkers amidships were also cut out and the hull forward of the machinery was divided into cargo-carrying tanks. Seven new transverse bulkheads and a centre line fore and aft bulkhead, built on the Smith-Cameron patent, were constructed, and a new expansion trunk, 34ft. 8ins. wide and extending for about 217 ft. fore and aft, erected on the upper deck. A new forecastle, and long poop decks were also erected, while heating coils were fitted in the bunkers, and the vessel was rewired for electric light throughout. In addition, a cargo pipe-line and pumps were fitted, as was a gas-freeing line. Accommodation for the officers and crew was also provided. The Limax is fitted to burn oil fuel on the Smith-Zulver system.'[5]
'1931 Limax was still sailing commercially in 1931, but was sold in December to Japanese shipbreakers [6]