8th April 1838: The steamship Great Western begins her maiden voyage to New York
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- Опубликовано: 10 сен 2024
- Built by the Great Western Steam Ship Company, SS Great Western was a side-wheel paddle steamer, featuring an iron-strapped wooden hull and four masts. The sails provided auxiliary power and stability that ensured the paddles stayed in the water in rough seas.
At the helm of the project was the pioneering British engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel whose friend, Thomas Guppy, secured investors in the company. The intention was to enable passengers to purchase a single Great Western ticket that would carry them from Paddington station in London to the Bristol terminus of the Great Western Railway and onwards to New York City.
The contract to build Brunel’s design, for what briefly became the largest passenger ship in the world, was won by the respected shipbuilders Patterson & Mercer based in Bristol, England. Great Western was launched on 19 July 1837 and subsequently taken to London to be fitted with two steam engines from Maudslay, Sons and Field that would provide a combined 750 horsepower.
During her journey back to Bristol a fire broke out onboard, delaying the ship’s scheduled departure by a week. Nevertheless, Great Western’s maiden voyage crossed the Atlantic in a record time of 15 days and five hours, although the delayed departure meant she missed the opportunity to become the first steamship to cross the Atlantic as the British and American Steam Navigation Company chartered SS Sirius and completed the crossing a day earlier.
SS Great Western was a resounding success, consolidating Brunel’s position as pioneering engineer and showcasing the potential of steam-powered ships to revolutionize long-distance transportation.
Very interesting, thank you!
excelnt video, love transport hisotry
2 days 161 years before I was born. I can't wait to see what happens on April 10th.
Was the a coal burned steamer?
Yes, and he designed the shop to maximise fuel consumption. The Sirius, which completed the voyage a day earlier, was not specifically designed for transatlantic travel. Her crew burnt all the coal and then needed to start stripping wood from the ship itself to burn as they ran out of fuel. In contrast Great Western still had spare coal on board when she reached New York as she was more efficient.
It looks like it.