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Rigi
1848 - 1952 : Preserved at
the Verkehrshaus Transport Museum at Luzern
Above : Rigi, seen in 2009, restored to approximate her original appearance. Photo by kind courtesy of Jack Woodhams
She has since lost her paddle-box housings.
Built by Ditchborne and
Mare at Greenwich, London, England
Engines : Oscillating, by Penn and Son, London, England, replaced by compound
engines in 1894. See
more of the engines
Lengthened by 4 metres in 1860
carried the first tourist passengers brought to Switzerland by pioneering British travel operator Thomas Cook in 1863
Reboilered 1872 and 1894
Reengined 1894
After deck saloon built in 1905 for first class passengers
Out of service 1915-1920
Planned to be reactivated with diesel machinery, the new engines
bought for her were never fitted
Last in service in May 1952. After several years laid-up after being taken out of service, she was
taken to the Verkehrshaus museum in 1958.
Served as a restaurant in the central
courtyard of the museum
Severely damaged when the lake Luzern flooded over its banks in 2005
A feasibility study was made in 2005 as to whether
Rigi could be restored to steam on Lake Luzern, but in 2006 it was decided not
to follow up the plans
With the museum
now being refurbished, Rigi needed to be moved if she was to remain.
In 2006
it was decided to rebuild her as a static exhibit as a flat deck steamer as close as possible
to her original condition (without any restaurant facilities)
Engines : See more
Above : Rigi at the Verkehrshaus in 2001 before reconstruction. Photos by Gordon Stewart
Above : Stern view, 2009, by Jack Woodhams
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