Llandudno, S.S. Alexandra 1891

Photo ref: 29434

More about this scene

By 1848 the London, Brighton & South Coast Railway were keen to promote Brighton as a cross-channel port; they funded the Brighton & Continental Steam Packet Co, though it was soon found that Newhaven on the Ouse was a far more practicable choice. In those days railway companies were forbidden from owning passenger ships without Parliamentary approval, a fact not lost on the LB&SCR's arch-rival the London & South Eastern. Within months the LB&SCR were in court, found guilty, and heavily fined. They were now in a catch-22 situation. As the B&CSPCo had been adjudged a wholly-owned subsidiary, there was the certainty of further heavy fines if it continued to operate, and the railway's directors would be imprisoned for contempt of court. Unable to function, the B&CSPCo had no way of raising revenue or finance to pay back the funding and become independent. The line ceased trading (but was not liquidated) and its three paddlers sold. The railway then entered into an arrangement with Maple & Morris. The latter would own and manage steamers for a Newhaven-Dieppe service, but the railway would operate them and timetable trains so as to connect with arrivals and departures. In 1863, railway companies were at last given powers to own their own passenger ships. With some thousands of pounds in the kitty from the B&CSPCo fiasco, the iron-hulled paddler 'Alexandra' was ordered from Cairn & Co, Greenock. In 1883 she was sold to the Plymouth Promenade Pier Co, but worked excursion traffic around the Bristol Channel. Under their ownership she was refitted, being given a forward sun deck and an alley-wayed saloon aft. She was later sold to R & D Jones, Liverpool, for excursion work along the North Wales coast, and it was whilst she was in their ownership that she was photographed here off Little Orme Head in 1891. The following year she was sold to James Jones of Swansea, and operated out of Milford Haven. She had a further refit in 1893 which included reboilering and the fitting of new compound engines. In 1895 she was sold yet again, this time to the Hastings & St Leonard's Steam Boat Co for work along the south coast. She was broken up in 1905.