paddlesteamers.info : The Internet's leading website for Side-Wheeled Paddle Steamers
Paddlers (originally steamers, but converted to diesel power in 1995) still exist in Bangladesh operated by Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation on the famous "Rocket" service from Dhaka (Sadarghat Ferry terminal) to Morrelganj with various intermediate stops, a distance of 354 kilometres. The route takes the ship along several rivers in the Padma delta and includes calls at Chandpur, Barisal, Hularhat. Originally the service went as far as Khulna, but this is no longer the case.
Vessels offer accommodation in three classes and are patronised by regular paying ferry passengers and tourists sailing as part of organised holiday tours. Only in First Class, on the upper deck forward, do the cabins have a wash basin and bed linen and on deck there is dining and tea service with stewards in attendance. Sailing "Deck class" is altogether different. Passengers have to bring their own sleeping bag and sleep on the deck. The journey passes through the Sundarbans, the vast mangrove Forest of the Padma delta which is teeming with exotic wildlife. (see BBC report on this link).
Above : MPV (ex-steamer) Mahsud of 1929 serving on the "Rocket" line.
Photo from wikicommons by A Rahim, reproduced under Creative Commons licence : https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.en
For 2018 the advertised schedule shows paddlers leaving Dhaka at 06:30 every day except Friday, arriving at 14:30 hrs the following day. The return is at 08:30 hrs, daily exept Sunday, arriving at 05:00 hrs on the following morning.
There are believed to be four "classic" vessels in service on this route, Mahsud, Ostrich, Tern and Lepcha at the time of writing - June 2018. All were built and engined by Denny of Dumbarton, Scotland, however their steam engines have been replaced with diesel engines. Details of original engines are included below
Mahsud (1929)
----- Builder's yard no 1227 for the Rivers Steam Navigation Co : 235 ft x 30 ft x 9 ft - Triple expansion diagonal 41 in, 25.5 in, 16 in x 63 in - engine no 977.Ostrich (1929)
----- Builder's yard no 1228 for the India General Navigation Co : 235 ft x 30 ft x 9 ft - Triple expansion diagonal 41 in, 25.5 in, 16 in x 63 in - engine no 978Lepcha (1937)
----- Builder's yard no 1318 for the Rivers Steam Navigation Co : 190 ft x 25 ft x 8,6 ft, Triple expansion diagonal 41 in 25,5 in, 16 in x 54 in - engine no 1073
Tern (1948/9)
----- Builder's yard no 1419 for the India General Navigation Co : 200 ft x 26 ft x 8.6 ft - Triple expansion diagonal 41 in, 25.5 in, 16 in x 54 in - engine no 1165
These old ships remain on this flagship passenger service as the operators are constantly short of new vessels due to financial constraints. The ships are not fully reliable and lack of availablity is often compounded by ships being out of service due to damage sustained on the river, either at river banks or on sandbanks - the rivers are notoriously dangerous, especially during cyclone weather and is susceptible to flooding. Also, being a busy waterway, there are frequent tragedies due to collisions and capsising of overcrowded ferries. Whilst these vessels have survived the tribulations and are amongst the safest in operation, one recent example shows how serious these incidents can be :Return to