Blankenberge (Belgium) - Pier and pleasure boats

This page shows postcards and images of Blankenberge on the Belgian coast, its pier and excursion boats.


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Blankenberge Pleasure Boats
Blankenberge Pier

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A wide variety of pleasure steamers has operated from Blankenberge. Any information about these vessels would be welcomed - please email:- simplon@simplon.co.uk

PS Nelson Dim 140’0” x 19’8” x 9’0” draft. Grt 190t. Official No.69709.
Yard No.27. Built May 1875 by William Allsup at Preston for South Blackpool Jetty Co. Ltd., and fitted with an 80 Nhp steam engine she was used as an excursion steamer at Blackpool. Around 1883 she was sold to Samuel Little who operated her between Newport & Cardiff. In 1866 she was acquired by the Bristol Channel Steam Towing & Firing Co. Ltd., who used her extensively for towing, however within a year she had been sold again this time to be used as a pleasure steamer operating out of Plymouth. She never actually sailed from there because she was chartered by Hastings St.Leonards & Eastbourne Steamboat Co. who used her for excursions out of Hastings. She was sold to Mr Collard of Hastings for South Coast excursion work and was acquired by A.T.C.L. on 3rd June 1892 for a figure of £1600.00 she was immediately chartered back to Mr Collard. A.T.C.L. sold her to Mr J.H.Williams of Manchester in June 1894 for double her purchase price. She was sold some time later to Belgian owners who used her for excursions from Blankenberge up until 1919. Her ultimate fate is unknown. (supplied by Mark Butler) The Nelson at Blankenberge PS Reine des Plages The Reine des Plages at Blankenberge - card posted in 1910A very ancient-looking vessel SS Avant l The Avant l at Blankenberge - card posted in 1914 SS Juliette II The Juliette II at Blankenberge SS Marie Rose The Marie-Rose at Blankenberge PS Southampton

The Southampton was the first of a series of seven iron-hulled steamers delivered from Barclay, Curle and Co, Glasgow for the Southampton, Isle of Wight & South of England Royal Mail Steam Packet Co. Ltd (later Red Funnel). She was delivered in 1872, and operated from Southampton to the Isle of Wight. Southampton was of modern design for her time, with compound diagonal engines and funnel forward of the paddleboxes. Subsequent deliveries from Barclay, Curle reverted to compound oscillating engines and their funnels behind the paddles. Southampton was sold in 1902 to R.R.Collard of Newhaven, who ran her on the South Coast under her original name. She also ran excursions from Ostend to Flushing along the Belgian coast, probably under the same ownership. In 1907 Southampton was sold to the L&NWSS for use on short excursions along the North Wales coast. Her bridge was moved forward of the funnel. She was renamed St Elian (1) and was scrapped in 1915. Postcard of Southampton at Blankenberge in Belgium. Postcard of Southampton at Oostende. Scan: Reto Raeth Blankenberge Pier

The first Blankenberge pier was a wooden piled structure built in 1895. It was replaced in the 1930s by the current concrete pier.
Blankenberge beach and pier Photo: © Ian Boyle, 29th October 2006 Beach looking towards Zeebrugge portPhoto: © Ian Boyle, 29th October 2006 Most seaside towns have a French Dotto train - Blankenberge has a Belgian Gopo tram, very loosely based on a Vicinal tram Photo: © Ian Boyle, 29th October 2006 Blankenberge sea front has been almost completely modernised, and only a few older buildings remain in the town Photo: © Ian Boyle, 29th October 2006 Ferry Postcards - Cruise Ship Postcards - Ocean Liner Postcards Top of Page - Simplon Postcards Recent Updates - Simplon Postcards Home Page




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