PS Jeanie Deans
Encyclopedia
PS Jeanie Deans was a Clyde
paddle steamer
, built in 1931 for the London and North Eastern Railway
. She was a popular boat, providing summer cruises from Craigendoran
until 1964.
in 1931 to compete with the CSP
turbine steamer, . She was built by the Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company
, Govan
, as a paddler, rather than the more popular turbine steamer, allowing her a shallow draught to visit Craigendoran
and Helensburgh
. She took the name of an earlier fleet member, continuing the tradition of the North British Railway
naming their vessels after characters from Sir Walter Scott's novels.
in 1884 for the North British Steam Packet Co
. She operated out of Craigendoran until 1896, when she was sold for service on Lough Foyle
. Returning to the Clyde in 1899, as Duchess of York she ran cruises from Glasgow
, becoming Isle of Cumbrae in 1904 and serving Rothesay. From 1916, she was chartered to the Glasgow and South Western Railway
and operated between Princes Pier
and Dunoon
. She did not return to peace time service and was broken up at Dumbarton in 1920.
After war service, she was extensively refitted, including a new deckhouse, increasing tonnage to 814. During the winter of 1956/7, she was converted to oil and she had Radar
fitted in 1960.
and Arrochar service. On Sundays, she provided cruises down the Firth. These lower Firth cruises were extended from the 1932 season, visiting Ayr
and offering cruises around Ailsa Craig
and bringing her into direct contact with the Duchess of Hamilton.
By the outbreak of war, she was the longest and fastest paddle steamer on the Firth. She was requisitioned by the government and saw war service as a minesweeper
and then as an anti aircraft vessel on the River Thames. Returning to her peacetime duties, she launched the popular Round Bute cruise in the 1950s.
Jeanie Deans was withdrawn after the 1964 season and sold for further cruising on the River Thames
. As Queen of the South, she operated for the Coastal Steam Packet Company until 1967, but technical problems made the new venture a failure. In December 1967, she left the Thames for breaking up at Antwerp, Belgium.
Firth of Clyde
The Firth of Clyde forms a large area of coastal water, sheltered from the Atlantic Ocean by the Kintyre peninsula which encloses the outer firth in Argyll and Ayrshire, Scotland. The Kilbrannan Sound is a large arm of the Firth of Clyde, separating the Kintyre Peninsula from the Isle of Arran.At...
paddle steamer
Paddle steamer
A paddle steamer is a steamship or riverboat, powered by a steam engine, using paddle wheels to propel it through the water. In antiquity, Paddle wheelers followed the development of poles, oars and sails, where the first uses were wheelers driven by animals or humans...
, built in 1931 for the London and North Eastern Railway
London and North Eastern Railway
The London and North Eastern Railway was the second-largest of the "Big Four" railway companies created by the Railways Act 1921 in Britain...
. She was a popular boat, providing summer cruises from Craigendoran
Craigendoran
Craigendoran is a suburb at the eastern end of Helensburgh in Scotland, on the northern shore of the Firth of Clyde. The name is from the Gaelic for "the rock of the otter"....
until 1964.
History
PS Jeanie Deans was built for the London and North Eastern RailwayLondon and North Eastern Railway
The London and North Eastern Railway was the second-largest of the "Big Four" railway companies created by the Railways Act 1921 in Britain...
in 1931 to compete with the CSP
Caledonian Steam Packet Company
The Caledonian Steam Packet Company provided a scheduled shipping service, carrying freight and passengers, on the west coast of Scotland. Formed in 1889 to complement the services of the Caledonian Railway, the company expanded by taking over rival ferry companies...
turbine steamer, . She was built by the Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company
Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company
The Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company, Limited was a British shipbuilding company in the Govan area on the Clyde in Glasgow. Fairfields, as it is often known, was a major warship builder, turning out many vessels for the Royal Navy and other navies through the First World War and the...
, Govan
Govan
Govan is a district and former burgh now part of southwest City of Glasgow, Scotland. It is situated west of Glasgow city centre, on the south bank of the River Clyde, opposite the mouth of the River Kelvin and the district of Partick....
, as a paddler, rather than the more popular turbine steamer, allowing her a shallow draught to visit Craigendoran
Craigendoran
Craigendoran is a suburb at the eastern end of Helensburgh in Scotland, on the northern shore of the Firth of Clyde. The name is from the Gaelic for "the rock of the otter"....
and Helensburgh
Helensburgh
Helensburgh is a town in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. It lies on the north shore of the Firth of Clyde and the eastern shore of the entrance to the Gareloch....
. She took the name of an earlier fleet member, continuing the tradition of the North British Railway
North British Railway
The North British Railway was a Scottish railway company that was absorbed into the London and North Eastern Railway at the Grouping in 1923.-History:...
naming their vessels after characters from Sir Walter Scott's novels.
Jeanie Deans (1884)
An earlier Clyde steamer of the same name was built by Barclay Curle & CoBarclay Curle
-History:The company was founded by Robert Barclay at Stobcross in Glasgow, Scotland during 1818. In 1862, the company built a large engineering works at Stobcross in Glasgow. In 1876, the company moved their yard down the river to Whiteinch. It was incorporated in 1884 as Barclay Curle...
in 1884 for the North British Steam Packet Co
North British Railway
The North British Railway was a Scottish railway company that was absorbed into the London and North Eastern Railway at the Grouping in 1923.-History:...
. She operated out of Craigendoran until 1896, when she was sold for service on Lough Foyle
Lough Foyle
Lough Foyle, sometimes Loch Foyle , is the estuary of the River Foyle in Ulster. It starts where the Foyle leaves Derry. It separates the Inishowen Peninsula in County Donegal, Republic of Ireland from County Londonderry in Northern Ireland.-Transport:...
. Returning to the Clyde in 1899, as Duchess of York she ran cruises from Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, becoming Isle of Cumbrae in 1904 and serving Rothesay. From 1916, she was chartered to the Glasgow and South Western Railway
Glasgow and South Western Railway
The Glasgow and South Western Railway , one of the pre-grouping railway companies, served a triangular area of south-west Scotland, between Glasgow, Stranraer and Carlisle...
and operated between Princes Pier
Greenock Princes Pier railway station
Greenock Albert Harbour was a railway station serving Greenock, Renfrewshire, Scotland, originally as part of the Greenock and Ayrshire Railway.-History:...
and Dunoon
Dunoon
Dunoon is a resort town situated on the Cowal Peninsula in Argyll, Scotland. It sits on the Firth of Clyde to the south of Holy Loch and to the west of Gourock.-Waterfront:...
. She did not return to peace time service and was broken up at Dumbarton in 1920.
Layout
Jeanie Deans was the first Clyde steamer with a three-crank engine, giving her an impressive speed of 18.5 knot in trials. As built, she had two small deckhouses, one forward, supporting the open bridge and one aft of the twin funnels, covering the companionway. After her first season, a large first class observation saloon was built forward on the promenade deck, providing welcome shelter during poor weather. Her funnels were lengthened to reduce the cinders deposited on passengers.After war service, she was extensively refitted, including a new deckhouse, increasing tonnage to 814. During the winter of 1956/7, she was converted to oil and she had Radar
Radar
Radar is an object-detection system which uses radio waves to determine the range, altitude, direction, or speed of objects. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, weather formations, and terrain. The radar dish or antenna transmits pulses of radio...
fitted in 1960.
Service
Jeanie Deans was built for summer cruising from Craigendoran. In 1931, she took up the company's flagship LochgoilheadLochgoilhead
Lochgoilhead ) is a small village of some 300-400 people and is in the Scottish Highlands in Argyll, Scotland.Situated at the head of Loch Goil, where the Goil river, which rises on nearby Ben Donich and Beinn an Lochain, flows into the loch , it is surrounded by mountains rising as high as 3 000...
and Arrochar service. On Sundays, she provided cruises down the Firth. These lower Firth cruises were extended from the 1932 season, visiting Ayr
Ayr
Ayr is a town and port situated on the Firth of Clyde in south-west Scotland. With a population of around 46,000, Ayr is the largest settlement in Ayrshire, of which it is the county town, and has held royal burgh status since 1205...
and offering cruises around Ailsa Craig
Ailsa Craig
Ailsa Craig is an island of 219.69 acres in the outer Firth of Clyde, Scotland where blue hone granite was quarried to make curling stones. "Ailsa" is pronounced "ale-sa", with the first syllable stressed...
and bringing her into direct contact with the Duchess of Hamilton.
By the outbreak of war, she was the longest and fastest paddle steamer on the Firth. She was requisitioned by the government and saw war service as a minesweeper
Minesweeper (ship)
A minesweeper is a small naval warship designed to counter the threat posed by naval mines. Minesweepers generally detect then neutralize mines in advance of other naval operations.-History:...
and then as an anti aircraft vessel on the River Thames. Returning to her peacetime duties, she launched the popular Round Bute cruise in the 1950s.
Jeanie Deans was withdrawn after the 1964 season and sold for further cruising on the River Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
. As Queen of the South, she operated for the Coastal Steam Packet Company until 1967, but technical problems made the new venture a failure. In December 1967, she left the Thames for breaking up at Antwerp, Belgium.