TrSS Kingfisher
The 3-Screw Turbine Vessel 'Kingfisher'
Start of 20th Century: Competition to the Thanet and the East Coast resorts continued between the New Palace Steamers, the General Steam Navigation Co and the Belle Steamers with the periodical "butting in" of an outsider. All the Thanet trips were based on a daily return run, but the trip to Yarmouth was a day’s run each way.
However, in spite of the many advantages of the paddle steamer over the screw for river traffic, the G.S.N. Company decided to have built a screw steamer for their cross-Channel work. Accordingly an order was placed with W. Denny and Brothers, Dumbarton, for a triple screw turbine-driven steamer.
This new venture of 1906, named the KINGFISHER, was beyond dispute a very fine production, as might be expected, coming from such famous builders of cross Channel steamers. The KINGFISHER was the fastest vessel ever built for excursion traffic on the Thames, her speed being 21.5 knots, but nevertheless she was not a success on the London river. Her run was from Tilbury to Dover and Boulogne, calling at Southend, Margate, Ramsgate and Deal. Her first trip to Dover was on the 16th June, 1907, and she continued in service until 1911.
Two unforeseen factors made it advisable to withdraw the KINGFISHER while she was comparatively a new boat. The relatively high speed at which she travelled and the consequent wash created brought the Company a troublesome harvest of claims for damage from owners of small craft on the river. In addition, she proved difficult to manoeuvre at the piers. As the pleasure piers are usually built on piles, they do not act as breakwaters. This means that any currents created by the tide have free play around the landing stage. It was found that the KINGFISHER, being a screw steamer, took much longer to come alongside the piers than her paddle-driven contemporaries.
These delays added considerably to the vessel’s journey time, and together with the claims already mentioned influenced the Company in their decision to dispose of her after running her for only five seasons. The failure of the KINGFISHER served to demonstrate the supremacy of the paddle-wheel as a means of propulsion for vessels running on the Thames excursion services. Paddle-steamers are ideal for service on routes where a great deal of manoeuvring has to be done very quickly, because the paddle wheels get a grip on the water much sooner than a screw propeller.
The KINGFISHER had two decks, the promenade deck extending from the bow to within a few feet of the stern; she had one funnel, and two masts. Her dimensions were: length 275 feet, beam 32.1, depth 10.2, gross tons 982; three steam turbines, 399 n.h.p., speed 21.43 knots.
In 1912, she was sold to owners at Trieste and took up duties in the Adriatic, being re-named VENEZIA. In 1913, she was fitted for oil fuel burning; later she was sold to the China New Era Shipping Company, Hong Kong.
1938 She was reported broken up in China.
See Also
Sources of Information
- 'Steamers of the Thames and Medway' by Frank Burtt
- [1] Clyde Ships