SWISS PADDLE STEAMER
           FEATURES 2001


INTERLAKEN WORKS OPEN DAY
Re-build of PS Lötschberg


Lötschberg
The BLS held an open-day at Lake Brienz Interlaken works
over the weekend 26th-28th January 2001 which was attended by many visitors

other attractions included a steam model railway and for warming up the visitors there was a steam coffee machine in operation


the small 77 year old 60 passenger Motor Launch "Harder" which (following withdrawal of the Winter service
between Bönigen and Iseltwald)
had been based at Brienz during July and August was up for auction on Saturday 27th January
also sailed from Interlaken (see the pictures by Peter Schmid)



John Megoran was there and reports that the work on the
3.8 million Swiss Francs re-build of PS Lötschberg
"is coming on well. The new boiler is now installed, new aluminium deck houses are being put on and quite a lot of re-decking is underway"
See his picture report (on the Kingswear Castle Website)

See also additional photos of the re-build taken later by Peter Gourlay



SWISS NAVIGATION DAY
Sunday 29th April 2001


NINE paddle steamers in service
See News Page for an updated summary of sailings to be operated

LAKE GENEVA

PS Simplon                   MPV Helvétie                   MPV Italie

LAKE LUZERN

PS Schiller                   PS Unterwalden                     PS Uri

LAKE THUN                 LAKE ZURICH            
   
PS Blümlisalp                  PS Stadt Rapperswil          PS Stadt Zürich

Click on individual picture for details of the sailings by each paddle steamer


LAKE LUZERN - Friday 4th May 2001



PS Uri  was 100 years old !!!

The paddle steamer operated
timetabled sailings 7-18 followed by a special
evening   Jubilee Cruise

LAKE LUZERN - Saturday 5th May 2001



PS Uri  continued her birthday weekend with the celebrations of
Ten years of the
"Weg de Schweiz" (Swiss path)

The paddle steamer operated the
Wander Express timetabled sailings 5-1026
(also 'short workings' round the Urnersee)


LAKE GENEVA
Saturday - 19th May 2001


Steamer Parade round the Upper Lake
(Lausanne depart 1200, Montreux arrive 1550)
by the five paddle steamers
to mark the re-entry into service of

PS Montreux
following a two-year re-build and re-conversion to steam power
(The motor paddle vessel was last in service on Sunday 4th October 1998)


Pick up points from various piers between Geneva and Le Bouveret


PS La Suisse                    PS Savoie                    PS Rhône      


thanks to Peter Ammann

PS Simplon 

 Naval Parade Ticket - issued for
19th May 2001


SPRINGTIME on LAKE LUZERN

   

The advertised timetable required only two of the five paddle steamers to operate the service on Sundays and only one paddle steamer to operate the basic advertised service on Mondays to Saturdays until Saturday 19th May, two thereafter

APRIL 2001
Special pre-Season sailing
Sunday 1st April by PS Unterwalden

Spring Season
Sunday 8th April by PS Uri and PS Unterwalden
Good Friday 13th April by PS Uri and PS Unterwalden
Easter Sunday 15th April by PS Uri and PS Unterwalden
Easter Monday 16th April by PS Uri and PS Unterwalden
Sunday 22nd April by PS Uri and PS Schiller
Sunday 29th April by PS Uri   PS Unterwalden and PS Schiller

MAY 2001
Tuesday 1st May by PS Uri
Wednesday 2nd May by PS Uri
Thursday 3rd May by PS Unterwalden
Friday 4th May by PS Uri (100 years old) and PS Unterwalden
Saturday 5th May by PS Uri   PS Unterwalden and PS Schiller
Sunday 6th May by PS Unterwalden and PS Schiller
Monday 7th May by PS Uri
Tuesday 8th May by PS Uri
Wednesday 9th May by PS Uri and PS Unterwalden
Thursday 10th May by PS Schiller
Friday 11th May by PS Uri
Saturday 12th May by PS Unterwalden
Sunday 13th May by PS Uri   PS Unterwalden and PS Schiller
Monday 14th May by PS Uri and PS Unterwalden
Tuesday 15th May by PS Uri
Wednesday 16th May by PS Uri and PS Unterwalden
Thursday 17th May by PS Uri
Friday 18th May by PS Uri
Saturday 19th May by PS Uri
Sunday 20th May by PS Unterwalden and PS Schiller
Monday 21st May by PS Uri and PS Unterwalden
Tuesday 22nd May by PS Uri and PS Unterwalden
Wednesday 23rd May by PS Uri and PS Unterwalden
Ascension Thursday 24th May by PS Uri and PS Stadt Luzern
Friday 25th May by PS Uri and PS Stadt Luzern
Saturday 26th May by PS Uri and PS Stadt Luzern
Sunday 27th May by PS Stadt Luzern  PS Unterwalden and PS Schiller
Monday 28th May by PS Uri and PS Unterwalden
Tuesday 29th May by PS Uri and PS Unterwalden
Wednesday 30th May by PS Uri and PS Unterwalden
Thursday 31st May by PS Uri and PS Unterwalden
Friday 1st June by PS Stadt Luzern  PS Unterwalden and PS Schiller
Saturday 2nd June by PS Uri and PS Stadt Luzern
Whit Sunday 3rd June by PS Stadt Luzern  PS Uri and PS Schiller
Whit Monday 4th June by PS Stadt Luzern  PS Uri and PS Schiller
Tuesday 5th June by PS Uri and PS Stadt Luzern
Wednesday 6th June by PS Uri and PS Stadt Luzern
Thursday 7th June by PS Uri and PS Schiller
Friday 8th May by PS Uri   PS Unterwalden and PS Schiller
Saturday 9th June by PS Uri  PS Stadt Luzern and PS Schiller


LAKE   BRIENZ


PS Lötschberg

made her "Maiden Voyage" on Friday 22nd June 2001
(for invited guests only)

P R O V I S I O N A L
  PS Lötschberg  
sailing number sp sailing number
  Maiden
Voyage
 
Interlaken Ost 16:30 Interlaken Ost
Iseltwald 17:45   photo stop Iseltwald
Interlaken Ost 18:30 Interlaken Ost
next sailing - next sailing
  PS Lötschberg  


This was followed by two further cruises on
Saturday 23rd June 2001
(AGAIN for invited guests only)

P R O V I S I O N A L
  PS
Lötschberg
PS
Lötschberg
 
sailing number sp sp sailing number
  special
sailing
special
sailing
 
Interlaken Ost dep 10:45 14:45 dep Interlaken Ost
Interlaken Ost arr 13:15 17:15 arr Interlaken Ost
next sailing sp - next sailing
  PS
Lötschberg
PS
Lötschberg
 



The first public sailings were on Sunday 24th June 2001
( a week earlier than originally advertised)

P R O V I S I O N A L
  PS
Lötschberg
PS
Lötschberg
 
sailing number 63-64 69-70 sailing number
Interlaken Ost dep 11:34 14:38 dep Interlaken Ost
Interlaken Ost arr 14:28 17:28 arr Interlaken Ost
next sailing 69 - next sailing
  PS
Lötschberg
PS
Lötschberg
 
Click here for full (intermediate) timings


Local residents were invited to a free two-hour evening cruise
from their local pier to sample the re-built PS Lötschberg

departures from
Oberried, Niederried and Ringgenberg
on Tuesday 26th June
Brienz
on Wednesday 27th June
Bönigen and Iseltwald
on Thursday 28th June
Interlaken
on Friday 29th June


Any further information on pre-season sailings would be welcome


SWISS NATIONAL HOLIDAY
Wednesday 1st August 2001

In additional to the regular timetabled sailings
there was one special public MORNING cruise
also twelve special public EVENING cruises
by eleven of the paddle steamers on the five main lakes


Lake Brienz
Fireworks Cruise - by PS Lötschberg from Interlaken at 2000

Lake Geneva
Dance Cruises - by MPV Helvétie from Geneva at 2030
Dance Cruise - by MPV Helvétie from Geneva at 2245
Dance/Fireworks Cruises - by PS Savoie from Lausanne at 2030
Dance/Fireworks Cruise - by MPV Italie from Le Bouveret at 2005

Lake Luzern
Morning 'Airship' Cruise - by PS Unterwalden from Luzern at 0930
Parade/Fireworks Cruise - by PS Gallia from Luzern at 2000
Parade/Fireworks Cruise - by PS Schiller from Luzern at 2000
Parade/Fireworks Cruise - by PS Stadt Luzern from Luzern at 2000
Parade/Fireworks Cruise - by PS Unterwalden from Luzern at 2000
Parade/Fireworks Cruise - by PS Uri from Luzern at 2000

Lake Thun
Naval Parade - by PS Blümlisalp from Thun at 2030
and several motor vessels

Lake Zurich
Evening Cruise - by PS Stadt Zürich from Zurich at 2015


LAKE   LUZERN
LATE   SUMMER   2001



PS Gallia


The 'final sailings' before withdrawal for a major re-build


Saturday 1st September - Sailings 17-28 (Luzern depart 1315)
Sunday 2nd September - Sailings 1013-1024 (Luzern depart 1115)

Monday 3rd September - Sailings 17-28 (Luzern depart 1315)
Tuesday 4th September - Sailings 17-28 (Luzern depart 1315)
Wednesday 5th September - Sailings 17-28 (Luzern depart 1315)
Thursday 6th September - Sailings 17-28 (Luzern depart 1315)
Friday 7th September - No sailings
Saturday 8th September - No sailings
Sunday 9th September - Sailings 1013-1024 (Luzern depart 1115)

Monday 10th September - Sailings 17-28 (Luzern depart 1315)
Tuesday 11th September - Sailings 17-28 (Luzern depart 1315)
Wednesday 12th September - Sailings 17-28 (Luzern depart 1315)
Thursday 13th September - Sailings 17-28 (Luzern depart 1315)
Friday 14th September - Sailings 17-28 (Luzern depart 1315)
Saturday 15th September - Sailings 17-28 (Luzern depart 1315)
Sunday 16th September - Sailings 1013-1024 (Luzern depart 1115)

Monday 17th September - Sailings 17-28 (Luzern depart 1315)
Tuesday 18th September - Sailings 17-28 (Luzern depart 1315)
Wednesday 19th September - Sailings 17-28 (Luzern depart 1315)
Thursday 20th September - Sailings 17-28 (Luzern depart 1315)
Friday 21st September - Sailings 17-28 (Luzern depart 1315)

Last Sailings
Saturday 22nd September - Sailings 1115-20 (Luzern depart 1225)
Sunday 23rd September - Sailings 1013-1024 (Luzern depart 1115)


LAKE   LUZERN
AUTUMN   FEATURE   2001


Services from 24th September to 28th October

The advertised timetable required only two of the remaining
four operational paddle steamers to operate the service on Sundays
and only one paddle steamer for the basic service on Mondays to Saturdays
('Wilhelm Tell Express' sailing - 1120 Luzern to Flüelen and 1505 return)
augmented by the 'usual' second paddle steamer during the half-term period


Dates shown in yellow had extra and/or altered workings


SEPTEMBER 2001
Monday 24th September by PS Stadt Luzern
Tuesday 25th September by PS Stadt Luzern
Wednesday 26th September by PS Stadt Luzern
Thursday 27th September by PS Stadt Luzern
Friday 28th September by PS Uri
Saturday 29th September by PS Stadt Luzern
Sunday 30th September by PS Unterwalden   PS Stadt Luzern and PS Uri

OCTOBER 2001
Monday 1st October by PS Stadt Luzern
Tuesday 2nd October by PS Stadt Luzern
Wednesday 3rd October by PS Stadt Luzern
Thursday 4th October by PS Stadt Luzern
Friday 5th October by PS Stadt Luzern
Saturday 6th October by PS Stadt Luzern
Sunday 7th October by PS Uri   PS Stadt Luzern and PS Unterwalden
Monday 8th October by PS Stadt Luzern
Tuesday 9th October by PS Stadt Luzern
Wednesday 10th October by PS Stadt Luzern
Thursday 11th October by PS Stadt Luzern
Friday 12th October by PS Stadt Luzern
Saturday 13th October by PS Stadt Luzern
Sunday 14th October by PS Unterwalden   PS Stadt Luzern and PS Uri
Monday 15th October by PS Uri and PS Stadt Luzern
Tuesday 16th October by PS Uri   PS Stadt Luzern and PS Unterwalden
Wednesday 17th October by PS Uri and PS Stadt Luzern
Thursday 18th October by PS Uri   PS Stadt Luzern and PS Unterwalden
Friday 19th October by PS Uri and PS Stadt Luzern
Saturday 20th October by PS Uri and PS Stadt Luzern
Sunday 21st October by PS Schiller   PS Uri   PS Stadt Luzern
and PS Unterwalden
Monday 22nd October by PS Uri and PS Stadt Luzern
Tuesday 23rd October by PS Uri and PS Stadt Luzern
Wednesday 24th October by PS Uri and PS Stadt Luzern
Thursday 25th October by PS Uri and PS Stadt Luzern
Friday 26th October by PS Uri and PS Stadt Luzern
Saturday 27th October by PS Uri   PS Unterwalden and PS Schiller
Sunday 28th October by PS Uri   PS Unterwalden and PS Stadt Luzern


LAKE LUZERN
      Christmas and New Year      
Tuesday 25th December 2001 to Wednesday 2nd January 2002

PS Uri

Saturday 29th December 2001
                                    Photo SGV, Luzern  
The full programme of sailings by the
100 year old   PS Uri
over the festive period
(including three evening cruises
and a special morning charter cruise)
Friday 28th December 2001
EVENING FONDUE CRUISE
from Luzern at 1915
Saturday 29th December 2001
EVENING FONDUE CRUISE
from Luzern at 1915
New Year's Eve 2001
EVENING GALA CRUISE
from Luzern at 1930
Wednesday 2nd January 2002
MORNING BREAKFAST CRUISE
from Luzern at 1015
Timetabled sailings
Tuesday 25th Dec   Wednesday 26th Dec
Thursday 27th Dec    Friday 28th Dec
Saturday 29th Dec    Sunday 30th Dec
Tuesday 1st Jan    Wednesday 2nd Jan
The nine PS Uri days of Christmas

LAKE   GENEVA
RE-BUILD OF PS MONTREUX
AUTUMN 1998 to SPRING 2001


 
             before    after

The final sailings by MPV Montreux took place on Sunday 4th October 1998

After that, the old diesel engine was removed and the hull towed to the dry dock at Ouchy Works (Lausanne) for the first part of a two and a half year major rebuild. The work included the installation of a new steam engine with an oil fired boiler

These will eventually have direct controls from the bridge, enabling a reduction in the number of crew - a first for any Swiss paddle steamer (see below)

The hull was re-floated and moved out to Ouchy harbour for the new boiler to be lowered in by crane on 29th August 2000

Re-instatement of the superstructure was completed and fitting out continued to a very high standard. This included the ability to look down on the engine from the first-class upper deck - something normally only possible from the second-class main deck on all other Swiss lake paddle steamers

Lake trials commenced on Thursday 24th April 2001 to enable the paddle steamer to re-enter service on time, albeit with expenditure considerably over budget and the direct controls from the bridge not yet operational, requiring a temporary increase in the number of crew

The paddle steamer re-entered service on Saturday 19th May 2001 with a special Maiden Voyage cruise for invited guests only - the other four paddle steamers joined in with a special public " parade" leaving Lausanne at 1200 and cruising round the Upper Lake to arrive Montreux at 1550

The public had their first opportunity to sail on PS Montreux the following day when six special short free cruises were offered from Lausanne in the morning and Montreux in the afternoon

The paddle steamer was then available for charter until the end of June

A special early morning sailing operated from Lausanne to Geneva on Friday 29th June 2001 to enable shareholders to attend the AGM
During the 'lay-over' at Geneva, the opportunity was taken to provide two short free promotional sailings and a lunch cruise

During July and August 2001 PS Montreux was based at Lausanne and operated the following timetabled services each day:-
  1) 1230 (Lunch Cruise) sailings 65-76 Lausanne to Evian-les-Bains and return
  2) 1415 (Afternoon Cruise) sailings 95-173 anti-clockwise "round the Upper Lake" from Lausanne
  3) 1820 (Evening Cruise) sailings 177-218 Lausanne to Yvoire and return
Detailed timings for all the Lake Geneva paddle steamers during this period are now given for  Mondays  Tuesdays  Wednesdays  Thursdays  Fridays  Saturdays and Sundays

The final timetabled sailings of 2001 by PS Montreux were on Friday 31st August

During this period the new engines performed faultlessly and no sailings were 'lost' - a remarkable achievment for a new steam engine

There were numerous private charter sailings booked for the remainder of 2001
(ie 1st September) which kept the paddle steamer in active service into the new year (January 6th) - apparantly there were OVER TWENTY sailings arranged for September alone,   justifying the 'quality' rebuild for the oldest operational paddle steamer on Lake Geneva

During this period there were also two public Scottish "Whisky-Dinner" cruises
  on  Friday 23rd November  from Lausanne
 and Saturday 1st December   from Geneva

The direct control of the engine from the bridge was finally commissioned at the end of November 2002 and the first public cruise using the equipment was on Sunday 8th December
 
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Updated - Lakes Brienz, Geneva, Luzern, Thun, Zurich, Konstanz, Maggiore, Como, Garda 4th December 2002   e-mail   (c)2001-2002 John B Bird