A short film of Paddle Steamer Monarch sailing from Wareham on Saturday 22nd September 2018.
PS Monarch was built by Brian Waters between 1985 and 1995 on the Medway. She is 42 feet long and just over 7 feet across the beam.
The hull is flat bottomed drawing 21” with a wooden saloon and wheelhouse but steel boiler room housing.
Monarch’s paddles are feathering and built to Brain’s own design. The engine is compound 4 1/2” HP, 8” LP and 10 1/2” stroke.
The feed pump and air pump are driven off the little ends by rocking beams. The engine exhausts into an inboard condenser then into a hotwell, to be pumped back into the boiler.
Monarch is able to carry 12 passengers and is reputedly the smallest commercial paddle steamer in the world. In 2018 she operated cruises on the river Frome, departing from the Quay in Wareham.
4 окт 2024
