SWISS PADDLE STEAMERS
A SPECIAL 2005 FEATURE
 



SUMMER   FLOODING   2005

Switzerland experienced some of the worst Summer rain for many years resulting in rapidly rising lake levels
This caused disruption to both road and rail with many examples of both completely blocked by rivers and lakes overflowing

This also had a 'knock-on' effect on various lake services where some piers were unaccessable for several days



The first disruption to sailings on Lake Luzern happened on
Monday 22nd August when heavy rain caused the replaced of
PS Gallia on the 1000 sailing to Flüelen by mv Brunnen
In the afternoon PS Unterwalden was unable to sail under the
Acheregg road and railway bridge at Stansstad on her 2nd sailing
of the day to Alpnachstad due to the rapidly rising lake level - she
remained at Stansstad pier until her booked return time

The following day just a few passengers were able to cross the
almost flooded Pier no 2 at Luzern without getting their feet wet
to join 'acting paddle steamer' mv Pliatus on a slightly delayed
'revised' sailing 65 to just Stansstad vice the usual
PS Unterwalden  (which ended up operating to Flüelen instead)
After the 1325 departure to Flüelen by PS Schiller
all timetabled paddle stemer sailings were suspended
- the evening "Sunset Cruise" being operated by mv Waldstätter
A temporary modified motor vessel only service operated fo the next week

Over in the Berner Oberland all sailings on both Lakes Thun and Brienz were completely suspended all day on Tuesday 23rd August


Thereafter all seven paddle steamers remained firmly tied up at their respective docks with the exception of PS Uri which berthed throughout at Pier no 6 at Luzern

She ventured out on a short evening charter sailing on
Friday 26th August whilst mv Waldstätter operated the final Friday Evening Music Cruise omitting all the advertised intermediate calls
On Sunday 28th August she also operated a modified non-landing version of the sailings 153-154 Brunch Cruise
operating around the Bürgenstock towards Rotschuo
rather than along the usual Küssnacht arm of the lake
This was the only public cruise by a paddle steamer during
the exceptionally high water level period


BLS sailings on Lake Thun did not
resume until Wednesday 31st August 2005

(including those by PS Blümlisalp)

PS Blümlisalp back in service on Thursday 1st September

Sailings on Lake Brienz only resumed on
Saturday 3rd September 2005

but all timetabled sailings were operated by
motor vessels for the remainder of the 2005 season



PS Uri resumes paddle steamer sailings whilst mv Pilatus
waits to form the first 'special' sailing to Stansstad for a week


SGV sailings resumed to Flüelen only
as per their peak-Summer Timetable on
Wednesday 31st August 2005

(including the advertised paddle steamer sailings)
However the lake had not lowered sufficiently to allow
PS Unterwalden to sail under the Acheregg bridge at Stansstad
for the final 2005 advertised mid-week paddle steamer sailings
to Alpnachstad - these re-commenced the following Sunday


Unusually she covered the 1125 Wilhelm Tell Express sailings on
Thursday and Friday 1st and 2nd September vice her larger sister


PS Unterwalden departs Luzern on Thursday 1st September


If you have any further information about what actually
happened please e-mail me with the details





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Updated - Lakes Brienz, Geneva, Luzern, Thun, Zurich, Konstanz, Maggiore, Como, Garda 2nd October 2005   e-mail:john@rhos.screaming.net   (c)2005 John B Bird