SS Great Western facts for kids
PS Great Western in 1838
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Quick facts for kids History |
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 United Kingdom |
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| Name | Great Western |
| Namesake | Great Western Railway |
| Operator | Great Western Steamship Company |
| Route | Bristol – New York |
| Builder | William Patterson, Bristol, England |
| Laid down | 26 June 1836 |
| Launched | 19 July 1837 |
| Completed | 31 March 1838 |
| Maiden voyage |
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| Out of service | December 1846 in Liverpool |
| Notes |
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| Operator | Royal Mail Steam Packet Company |
| Acquired | 24 April 1847 |
| Fate | Scrapped, 1856 |
| Notes | Transatlantic mail service Southampton – West Indies |
| Operator | British Government |
| Acquired | 1855 |
| Fate | Scrapped October 1856 |
| Notes | Operated as troop transport in the Crimean War |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Oak-hulled paddle-wheel steamship |
| Tonnage | 1,340 GRT, later 1,700 GRT |
| Displacement | 2300 ton |
| Length | 71.6 m (234 ft 11 in), later 76.8 m (252 ft 0 in) long |
| Beam | 17.59 m (57 ft 9 in) across wheels |
| Installed power |
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| Propulsion | Two paddle-wheels |
| Speed | 8.5 knots |
| Capacity | 128 passengers in 1st class + 20 servants |
| Crew | 60 |
The SS Great Western was an amazing ship built in 1838. It was a paddle-wheel steamship with a wooden body and four masts. This ship was the very first steamship made specifically to cross the Atlantic Ocean. It was also the first ship for the Great Western Steamship Company.
From 1837 to 1839, the Great Western was the biggest passenger ship in the world! It was designed by a brilliant British engineer named Isambard Kingdom Brunel. The ship worked really well and became a model for other successful wooden paddle-steamers that crossed the Atlantic. It even set speed records for voyages until 1843.
The Great Western sailed to New York for eight years. After its first owners closed their business, the ship was sold. It later served as a troopship (a ship that carries soldiers) during the Crimean War. The Great Western was finally taken apart in 1856.
Contents
Building a Giant Ship
In 1836, Isambard Brunel and his friend Thomas Guppy, along with some investors from Bristol, decided to start the Great Western Steamship Company. Their goal was to build a fleet of steamships to travel regularly between Bristol, England, and New York, USA.
Why Bigger Was Better
Many people thought the Great Western was too big. But Brunel understood something important: larger ships are more fuel-efficient for long journeys. This is because a ship's carrying space grows much faster than the water resistance it faces. This idea was key for crossing the Atlantic.
How the Ship Was Made
The Great Western was a special kind of ship. It was a wooden, side-wheel paddle steamer. It also had four masts for extra sails. These sails helped move the ship and kept it steady in rough seas. This made sure both paddle wheels stayed in the water, helping the ship go straight.
The ship's body was made of strong oak wood using traditional building methods. For one year, it was the largest steamship ever built! It was constructed at the Patterson & Mercer shipyard in Bristol, England. The Great Western was launched on July 19, 1837. After that, it sailed to London to get its powerful side-lever steam engines. These engines were made by Maudslay, Sons and Field and produced 750 horsepower.
First Journeys and Races
On March 31, 1838, the Great Western set off for Avonmouth (near Bristol). It was getting ready for its first trip to New York.
An Unexpected Fire
Before reaching Avonmouth, a fire started in the engine room. In the confusion, Brunel himself fell about 20 feet and got hurt. The fire was put out quickly, and the ship wasn't badly damaged. But Brunel had to be taken ashore. Because of this accident, more than 50 passengers canceled their tickets. When the Great Western finally left Avonmouth, only seven passengers were on board.
The Race Across the Atlantic
Another company, the British and American Steam Navigation Company, also wanted to be first to New York. Their own ship was delayed, so they rented a smaller ship called the Sirius. The Sirius was an Irish Sea steam packet, and they removed some passenger rooms to fit more coal.
The Sirius left London three days before the Great Western. It refueled in Cork, Ireland, and then headed for New York on April 4. The Great Western was delayed by the fire and didn't leave Bristol until April 8.
Even with a four-day head start, the Sirius barely won the race. It arrived in New York on April 22. Its crew even had to burn five drums of resin (a type of tree sap) for fuel because they were running out of coal! The Great Western arrived the very next day, on April 23. It still had 200 tons of coal left!
The Sirius is often called the first winner of the "Blue Riband" for speed, even though that award wasn't created yet. But the Sirius only held the record for one day! The Great Western's trip was actually faster.
Life of the Ship
The Great Western worked very well and became a model for other ships crossing the Atlantic. Even the famous Britannia was a smaller version of the Great Western.
Regular Atlantic Crossings
From 1838 to 1840, the Great Western usually took about 16 days to travel westward to New York. The trip home was faster, taking about 13 days. The ship was profitable for its owners.
In 1843, the Great Western started sailing from Liverpool instead of Avonmouth. It remained profitable even without another ship to sail alongside it. This was because the company's next ship, the Great Britain, took a very long time to build.
New Owners and New Jobs
The company's luck improved in 1845 when the Great Britain finally started sailing. However, in 1846, the Great Britain ran aground (got stuck) because of a mistake in navigation. It was thought it might not survive the winter. Because of this, the owners stopped all sailings of the Great Western and closed their business.
The Great Western had completed 45 trips across the Atlantic for its first owners in eight years. In 1847, it was sold to the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company. This company used it for routes to the West Indies. Southampton became its new home port. From 1847 to 1853, it made 14 trips to the West Indies. Then, from 1853 to 1855, it made nine trips to Rio de Janeiro in South America. On these trips, it stopped at places like Lisbon, Madeira, and Pernambuco.
Serving in War and Final Days
After its mail service, the Great Western was put away in Southampton. Then, in 1855, the British government took it over as 'Transport No. 6'. It became a troopship during the Crimean War in 1856. It carried soldiers between the UK, Gibraltar, Malta, and the Crimean Peninsula.
In August 1856, the Great Western was sold to be taken apart. It was broken up at Castles' Yard, Millbank, on the River Thames.
See also
- List of longest wooden ships
- SS Great Eastern
