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Side-Wheeled Paddle Steamers
Koln-Dusseldorfer
Deutsche Rheinschiffahrt AG
The "KD" operates an extensive
service along the River Rhein, primarily between Cologne (Koln) and
Mainz, with Koblenz at the mid-point. Now almost totally a service
for tourists, a large fleet of motor vessels and one paddler, MPV
Goethe, share the busy river with freight barges passing some
magnificent scenery and calling at numerous attractive riverside
towns and villages.
The KD operated 38
paddlers at the outbreak of World War I and 20 at the outbreak of
World War II and although the latter war in particular brought severe
losses, it was still felt suitable to raise and rebuilt wrecked
vessels for further service. The last survivor, Goethe, returned to
service in heavily rebuilt form in 1952, and for the 1953 season,
there ware 14 large paddlers on the roster. In 1969 this had been
reduced to 6 although the shortfall in capacity had been made up by
the introduction of similar sized motor vessels. After 1974, with the
withdrawal of Cecilie and Bismarck, three paddlers remained, all of
which survive. Goethe remains the only vessel now serving with the KD
and has been the last example of paddle propulsion since Rudesheim
was laid up after the 1981 season. The future looked bleak for Goethe
in 1989, but a commitment to save her despite changing ownership of
the KD (with a bank becoming the majority shareholder), led to a
triumphant return to service in 1996 as a thoroughly modern, yet
traditional steamer. During 2008, the KD announced that Goethe was to be converted
to dieel-hydraulic drive, thus ending the long history of paddle steamers on
the German section of the Rhine.
The majority shareholding in the KD company was bought by investment
company Premicon AG
in March 2000 and in 2016 the majority was acquired by KD River Invest
GmbH as a subsidiary of the Basel-based River Advice AG, with a bid
expected to be made to buy out the small number of minority
shareholders. River Advice is the leading operator and manager of River
Cruise ships on the Rhine, with its services subcontracted to each
vessel's owners.
OPERATIONAL PADDLE
VESSEL
MPV Goethe
Built 1913 but superstructure modified several times. Returned to service in late 1996 after a seven-year
lay-up and controversially converted to diesel hydraulic operation
after the 2008 season. Seen at St Goar in 2000
HISTORICAL PADDLERS
STILL IN EXISTENCE
PS Mainz (1929-1980)
PS Rudesheim
(ex-Rheinland( 1926-1981)
PS Hansa (1886-1924)
Click
here for Historical
Paddle Steamers of the Rhein
KD: Official Website
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