PS Oscar W

The PS Oscar W is a restored paddle steamer located at Goolwa in South Australia.

History
Australia
Name: Oscar W
Owner:
  • Charles Wallin (1908–1914)
  • Permewan Wright/Murray Shipping Company (1914–1942)
  • George Ritchie (1942–1943)
  • South Aust. Govt. Highways Dept. (1943-1960)
  • Paddy Hogg (1960–1964)
  • Allan Moritz (1964–1985)
  • SA Tourist Commission (1985– )
Operator: Friends of PS Oscar W
Route: River Murray, Australia
Ordered: 1908
Builder: Charlie Wallin
Commissioned: 1908
Homeport: Goolwa, South Australia
Nickname(s): Oscar
Status: Tourist vessel
General characteristics
Class and type: Composite Paddle Steamer
Displacement: 59 tons
Tons burthen: 83 tons
Length: 103 ft 1 in (31.42 m)
Beam: 20 ft 2 in (6.15 m)
Propulsion: Steam
Notes: Data compiled from three sources[1][2][3]

History

(Frans) Oscar "Charlie" Wallin (1867 – 16 August 1934), born in Sweden and naturalized as a British Subject in Australia in 1897, owned and skippered several steamboats on the Murray-Darling river system. He built the boat at Echuca in 1908, and named it for his son Oscar William Wallin (ca. July 1897 – 20 September 1917) who fought with the 8th Battalion in World War I, and was killed in action in Belgium.[4] She was taken over by the shipping firm Permewan, Wright and Co. in 1909; Wallin became owner of the steamer Clyde as part of the deal.[5]

Particulars

The Oscar W. is 103 ft, 5 inches in length, with a beam of 20 ft 7 inches and a draft of 2 ft 3 inches to 5 ft 1 inch. It weighs 83 tons gross, 59 ton net.

The paddle steamer is of composite construction and was built from steel topsides and 3 inch Red Gum below.[3] The engine gives out 16 hp - a wood-burning Marshall Steam engine.

References
  1. "P.S. OSCAR-W ~ SPECIFICATIONS". Friends of PS Oscar W. Retrieved 22 May 2012.
  2. "P.S. OSCAR-W ~ THE HISTORY". Friends of PS Oscar W. Retrieved 22 May 2012.
  3. "SA Memory: Paddle-steamer Oscar W". State Library of South Australia. Retrieved 22 May 2012.
  4. "ROLL OF HONOR". Riverine Herald (Echuca, Vic. : Moama, NSW : 1869 - 1954). Echuca, Vic.: National Library of Australia. 23 October 1917. p. 2 Edition: Daily. Retrieved 18 October 2013.
  5. "Advertising". Riverina Recorder (Balranald, Moulamein, NSW : 1887 - 1944). Balranald, Moulamein, NSW: National Library of Australia. 7 July 1909. p. 2. Retrieved 14 February 2014.

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