1904 Turbinia 1926 (1937)
Steel triple-screw day excursion passenger vessel
Built at England by Hawthorn Leslie & Co., hull 393
Launched
260’ LOA, 250’ LBP, 33’ beam, 13’ depth
3 decks, 3 coal-fired boilers, steam turbine engines, 3000 SHP
First turbine powered steam vessel on the Great Lakes.
Enrolled at Hamilton ON (on British registry for inbound trip)
250.0 x 33.2 x 12.6, 1064 GT, 603 NT Can 112201 to:
Turbine Steamship Co., Hamilton ON (home port Hamilton ON)
Entered service June 30, 1904
Sold 1911 to Niagara Navigation Co., Toronto ON
Fleet merged 1912 into Richelieu & Ontario Navigation Co., Montreal QC
Fleet merged 1913 into Canada Steamship Lines, Montreal QC
Requisitioned 1917 for off-Lakes service during World War I and left the Great Lakes.
Returned to former owners 1922 and reentered service 1923.
Assigned 1926 to off-Lakes service and left the Great Lakes to operate on the St. Lawrence River between Montreal and Quebec QC
Scrapped 1937 at Sorel QC by Manseau Shipyard.
See history in Scanner Midsummer 1977 (#67)
Also in Detroit Marine Historian Feb 1953 (#42)
Also in Great Lakes Ships We Remember p. 380
0421
My father was an officer on the Turbinia sailing between Toronto, Niagara on the lake and sometimes Rochester, NY. I have pictures of her in dry dock and under sail. I would like more information if there is any available.
I give a detailed history of Turbinia (1904) in three parts in the magazine Sea Breezes. Title is “The Forgotten Turbinia.” and the article appeared in the February, March, April, 2015, issues. Sea Breezes website is http://www.seabreezes.co.im. It is possible to get access and prints at a very reasonable price. Turbinia was a very interesting ship. For example, during WWI, she returned to British waters and was used in trooping across the English Channel.