PS Bristol Queen (1946)

PS Bristol Queen was a passenger excursion vessel built for P & A Campbell in 1946.

Bristol Queen in the Camel Estuary in August 1965
History
United Kingdom
Name	Bristol Queen
Operator	P & A Campbell
Port of registry	Bristol
Route	Bristol – Ilfracombe
Builder	Charles Hill & Sons
Yard number	334
Launched	4 April 1946
Completed	September 1946
In service	24 September 1946
Out of service	26 August 1967
Identification	UK official number 169391 call sign GRGL
Fate	Scrapped 1968
General characteristics
Tonnage	961 GRT, 387 NRT
Length	258.7 ft (78.9 m) overall 244.7 ft (74.6 m) registered
Beam	31.2 ft (9.5 m)
Depth	10.5 ft (3.2 m)
Decks	1
Installed power	2,700 ihp (2,014kW)
Propulsion	Rankin & Blackmore triple expansion three crank diagonal engines
Speed	19.4 knots (35.9 km/h; 22.3 mph) trial speed (1946)

History

Construction of the Bristol Queen began at Charles Hill & Sons yard, Bristol as yard number 334.^[1] She was launched on 4 April 1946^[2] by the Lady Mayoress of Bristol, Mrs J. Owen, with a bottle of Bristol Cream sherry. The engines were made by Rankin & Blackmore, Greenock, works number 517. R&B also built Waverley’s engine.^[3]

The Queen was built as a replacement for P & A Campbell ships lost during the Second World War, and operated pleasure cruises in the Bristol Channel, often to Ilfracombe.

On 20 August 1966, the paddle steamer struck Penarth Pier damaging the pier head.^[4]

On 26 August 1967, Bristol Queen was taken out of service after an accident to a paddle wheel, the vessel was retired, then scrapped the following year.