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Alaska
 
Salter Brothers - Thames Steamers
 
 
This page is devoted to postcards and photographs of the River Thames steam excursion vessel Alaska of 1883. Alaska is one of the most magnificently restored steamers I have seen, and a trip on her is strongly recommended. She is operated by Thames Steamers.
 
Alaska was built in 1883 by Horsham & Co. of Bourne End, Buckinghamshire and she was subsequently purchased in 1887 from W.H. Barbrook of Walton-on-Thames for whom she had been built. Her new owners were the Oxford firm of Salter Brothers, who used her on the weekly return service from Oxford to Kingston and back. Passengers spent the day on the boat, enjoying the delightful scenery along the journey, and stayed ashore in different hotels each night. In later years Alaska was used as a private party boat at Oxford.
 
Alaska served in the wartime Thames River Patrol, was then sold in 1942 for service further down the river with Joseph Mears and was laid up shortly afterwards. After withdrawal, Alaska is reputed to have been poled from Kingston to Oxford by a new owner. She settled in shallow water, was decked over and used as a boat hire pontoon. In 1974 she was rediscovered and identified by boat historians, ex-crew members and Lloyds. After being brought to a boatyard at Hurley, further research located her original engine at Kingston. Boat and engine were restored over a period of several years and a new boiler provided.
 
In 1999, Alaska was acquired by Susanne & David Williams and leased to Thames Steamers for Thames charter work. From 2006, Alaska is owned and operated by her skipper Peter Green. Additional history and images, plus charter details, are available on the Thames Steamers website.
 
 
 
Sections on this Page:-
Alaska - Salter Brothers: 1887-1941
Alaska - Thames Steamers: 1999-
 
Alaska Pages:-
Alaska Header Page
Alaska Page 1 - History - this page!
Alaska Page 1b - Maidenhead-Marlow - Photos from a cruise: 1st October 2005
Alaska Page 2 - Bourne End Cruise 2006 - Photos from a short cruise: 29th May 2006
Alaska Page 3 - Teddington Cruise 2006 - Photos from a short cruise: 18th June 2006
Alaska Page 4 - Wargrave 2008 - launching after overhaul: 28th January 2008
Alaska Page 5 - Bourne End 2008 - public trips from Bourne End Marina
 
Brochure Archive:-
2005 Alaska Brochure - 400 KB .pdf file - Requires Adobe Reader
 
Thames Passenger Boat Pages:-
River Thames Header Page - other operators
French Brothers
Salter Brothers
 
Associated Pages:-
www.thames-steamers.co.uk - Thames Steamers Official Website
www.salterssteamers.co.uk - Salter Brothers Official Website
Vintage Tours
Ferry Postcards
Cruise Ship Postcards
Ocean Liner Postcards
Simplon Postcards Home Page
 
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Alaska
(Salter Brothers: 1888-1941)
 
Alaska was acquired by Salter Brothers in 1887, and initiated their Oxford to Kingston service in 1888. Note the seats on top of the saloon.
 
 
Early photograph of Alaska
Scan: Iain MacLeod
Iain MacLeod writes:- The earliest image of Alaska that I have. She's at the Red Lion Hotel, Henley, and I've enlarged the part of the
print which shows her. The official date is c1890. I think it is earlier - the cabin has no seating on the roof which instead carries a
small boat (a tender, I suppose) and there is no awning forward. It looks to me as if she is still in private hands, which would mean
it is between 1883 and 1887.
 
 
Postcard of Alaska at Folly Bridge used 1903
Scan: Iain MacLeod - paddle steamer is Koh-i-Noor
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Postcard of Alaska at Folly Bridge c.1900
Scan: Iain MacLeod - enlarged view of Alaska from image used in card above
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Photograph of Alaska
Scan: Iain MacLeod - Upstream of Folly Bridge, with the Phoenix/Hurley and either the Iffley or the Leander
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Photograph of Alaska in winter
Scan: Iain MacLeod - no funnel (and perhaps boiler too)
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Photograph of Alaska.
Scan: © Salter Brothers
 
 
Photograph of Alaska
Scan: Iain MacLeod - At Folly Bridge, c.1905
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Postcard of Alaska
Scan: Tony Langford
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Postcard of Alaska
Scan: Tony Langford
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Postcard of Alaska
Scan: Tony Langford
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Postcard of Alaska
Scan: Tony Langford
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Photograph of Alaska
Scan: Iain MacLeod - It is a privately taken photograph of her at Salter's barge, Oxford, on 12 August 1939, just
a few weeks before her career with them came to an end. (She had no passenger certificate in 1940 or 1941)
Click to open larger image in new window
 
 
 
 
 
Alaska
(Thames Steamers: 1999- )
 
After withdrawal, Alaska is reputed to have been poled from Kingston to Oxford by a new owner. She settled in shallow water, was decked over and used as a boat hire pontoon. In 1974 she was rediscovered and identified by boat historians, ex-crew members and Lloyds. After being brought to a boatyard at Hurley, further research located her original engine at Kingston. Boat and engine were restored over a period of several years and a new boiler provided. In 1999, Alaska was acquired by Susanne & David Williams and leased to Thames Steamers for Thames charter work. From 2006, Alaska is owned and operated by her skipper Peter Green. She also undertakes short public trips from Henley, Bourne End, etc on selected weekends and bank holidays - details: www.thames-steamers.co.uk
 
 
 
At Boulter's Lock, Maidenhead
1st October 2005
 
More images at Maidenhead
 
 
Alaska at Boulter's Lock, Maidenhead.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1st October 2005
 
 
Alaska at Boulter's Lock, Maidenhead.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1st October 2005
 
 
Alaska at Boulter's Lock, Maidenhead.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1st October 2005
 
Photograph on board Alaska.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1st October 2005
 
 
Alaska at Boulter's Lock, Maidenhead.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1st October 2005
 
 
Alaska at Boulter's Lock, Maidenhead.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1st October 2005
 
 
Alaska at Boulter's Lock, Maidenhead.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1st October 2005
 
 
Alaska leaving Boulter's Lock, Maidenhead.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1st October 2005
 
 
Alaska at Boulter's Lock, Maidenhead.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1st October 2005
 
 
 
 
Cookham Lock
1st October 2005
 
More images at Cookham Lock
 
 
Alaska at Cookham Lock.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1st October 2005
 
 
Alaska at Cookham Lock.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1st October 2005
 
 
Alaska at Cookham Lock.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1st October 2005
 
 
Alaska at Cookham Lock.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1st October 2005
 
 
Alaska at Cookham Lock.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1st October 2005
 
 
Alaska at Cookham Lock.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1st October 2005
 
 
Alaska at Cookham Lock.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1st October 2005
 
 
 
 
 
Cookham Ferry
1st October 2005
 
Alaska passing the Ferry at Cookham, after the cruise.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1st October 2005
 
 
Alaska passing the Ferry at Cookham.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1st October 2005
 
 
Alaska passing the Ferry at Cookham.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1st October 2005
 
 
 
 
 
Bourne End
29th May 2006
 
More images at Bourne End in 2006
 
 
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 29th May 2006
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Photo: © Ian Boyle, 29th May 2006
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Photo: © Ian Boyle, 29th May 2006
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Photo: © Ian Boyle, 29th May 2006
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Photo: © Ian Boyle, 29th May 2006
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Teddington Lock
18th June 2006
 
More images at Teddington in 2006
 
 
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 18th June 2006
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Photo: © Ian Boyle, 18th June 2006
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Photo: © Ian Boyle, 18th June 2006
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Overhaul & Launching at Wargrave
28th January 2008
 
More images at Wargrave in 2008
 
 
Alaska at Wargrave
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 28th January 2008
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Steam Launch "Alaska" 1883 - www.simplonpc.co.uk -  Photo: © Ian Boyle, 28th January 2008
 
 
Alaska at Wargrave
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 28th January 2008
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Steam Launch "Alaska" 1883 - www.simplonpc.co.uk -  Photo: © Ian Boyle, 28th January 2008
 
 
Alaska at Wargrave
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 28th January 2008
Click to open larger image in new window
Steam Launch "Alaska" 1883 - www.simplonpc.co.uk -  Photo: © Ian Boyle, 28th January 2008
 
 
Alaska at Wargrave
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 28th January 2008
Click to open larger image in new window
Steam Launch "Alaska" 1883 - www.simplonpc.co.uk -  Photo: © Ian Boyle, 28th January 2008
 
 
Alaska at Wargrave
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 28th January 2008
Click to open larger image in new window
Steam Launch "Alaska" 1883 - www.simplonpc.co.uk -  Photo: © Ian Boyle, 28th January 2008
 
 
 
 
 
Bourne End
24th May 2008
 
More images at Bourne End in 2008
 
 
Alaska arriving at Bourne End
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 24th May 2008
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Alaska arriving at Bourne End
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 24th May 2008
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Alaska arriving at Bourne End
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 24th May 2008
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Alaska leaving Bourne End
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 24th May 2008
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Alaska leaving Bourne End
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 24th May 2008
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Alaska leaving Bourne End
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 24th May 2008
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Alaska leaving Bourne End
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 24th May 2008
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