PADDLE STEAMERS
Paddle Steamers I World of Ships I 41
CONTENTS
STADT WEHLEN
BUILT 1879 by Werft Blasewitz, Dresden
MACHINERY Two-cylinder simple oscillating (180 hp) built
by Rushton and Company, Prague, originally for steamer
Dresden (1857) and transferred with boiler
NEW BOILERS 1893, 1915 and 1979, converted to oil-firing
1993-94
DIMENSIONS Length 56.4m, width 5.2m (hull), 10.4m (over
paddles)
PASSENGERS 802.When Stadt Wehlen was delivered as Dresden
in 1879, the two-cylinder oscillating engine,
built in Prague by Rushton and Company had
already powered an earlier steamer named
Dresden for 22 years. There was also a switch
of boilers, which were used until replacement
by Werft Ubigau in 1893, before a further
pair were fitted in 1915, when the engine was
compounded and electric lighting installed.
With the name Dresden wanted for a large
new steamer then under construction, there
was a change to Muhlberg, which remained
in use until after the 1962 season, when the
name Stadt Wehlen was brought in.
After completing a centenary season in
1979, the steamer continued until further
renovation in 1980-81, which included a new
oil-fired boiler, fitting of a bow thruster and
enhancement of onboard catering facilities.
Stadt Wehlen has become well known for
90-minute promenade trips from Dresden.DIESBAR
BUILT 1884 Werft Blasewitz, Dresden
MACHINERY Two-cylinder simple oscillating engine of
110hp from John Penn, Greenwich London, transferred from
steamer Pillnitz (1857).
NEW boiler 1959
DIMENSIONS Length 50.1m, width 4.7 (hull), 9.6m (over
paddles). Passengers 594.The final years of the communist era brought
efforts to restore Diesbar, a last example of the
old-style Elbe steamer with open upper decks,simple oscillating machinery and a pencil
thin funnel. Work was sufficiently advanced
in 1985 for Diesbar to be used as a static
museum ship during celebrations of the 150th
anniversary of the start of steam navigation
in the area. There was an operational return
in 1989, when the steamer was still powered
by her original engine built by John Penn.
This engine is thought to date back to 1841,
when it was used in an earlier steamer before
going into the 1857-built Stadt Meissen, which
became Pillnitz in 1873.
The machinery was then switched to the
present vessel, commissioned as a new Pillnitz
in 1884. Little changed until 1926, when tiller
steering was replaced by steam equipment,
electric lighting was fitted and the name
Diesbar brought in. The after deck was not
roofed over until he early 1960s. The vessel,
which spent 1976 on the Czechoslovakian
section of the river, was chartered by Elbe-
Oderschiffhart.
Diesbar is the only coal-fired vessel
remaining in the Dresden fleet using
briquettes. Although now steamed only for
charters or special parades, she usually lies
in Dresden at the downstream end of the
Terrassenufer’s row of berths, and retains a
small museum in one of the saloons.MEISSEN
BUILT 1885 by Werft Blasewitz, Dresden
MACHINERY Two-cylinder simple oscillating engine of
230hp from ONWDG-Werft, Dresden, compounded in 1912.
NEW BOILER 1985, oil-fired since 1992
DIMENSIONS 60.7m x 5.6m (hull), 11.3m (over paddles)
PASSENGERS 1,042.With the greatest capacity of the Dresden
fleet’s remaining 19th century steamers,
Meissen was first commissioned to carry 798
passengers as Konig Albert and then became
Sachsen in 1898. She was powered by a simple
oscillating engine, which was compounded to
increase output to 230hp during a renovation
in 1914, when new boilers and electric lighting
were fitted and capacity was boosted to more
than 1,000, with an after-deck saloon topped
by an upper saloon fitted.
During World War II Meissen was painted
in camouflage colours, with the wheelhouse
protected against air attacks. In 1943 she was
used to evacuate civilians from Hamburg at
the height of Allied bombing raids. Meissen’s
centenary year in 1985 saw the coat of arms
of the town of Meissen and an ‘1885-1985’
motif carried on the paddle boxes, the vessel
receiving a pre-summer overhaul at theABOVE Looking much more attractive in the
current Elbe colours, Diesbar is the only coal
burner left in the fleet. (Phil Barnes)BELOW Diesbar has an oscillating engine built by
John Penn of Greenwich, London as far back as
1841 and used in two earlier vessels. (Phil Barnes)As her funnel sometimes needs to be
lowered, Stadt Wehlen has her steam whistle
located port-side in front of the wheelhouse.07 Paddlers_Germany_NL.indd 41 17/04/2018 12:09