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

---

Return to Features Index Return to 2005 Features Return to Lake Brienz Archive Timetables Index Return to Lake Luzern Archive Timetables Index Return to Lake Thun Archive Timetables Index Return to Paddle Steamer Timetables Index

Restore Frames Can you help?

---

2nd October 2005   e-mail:john@rhos.screaming.net   (c)2005 John B Bird