Major Davel - Compagnie Générale de Navigation sur le lac Léman (CGN)



Compagnie Générale de Navigation sur le lac Léman (CGN)



This page is devoted to postcards and photographs of the Compagnie Générale de Navigation sur le lac Léman (CGN) steamer Major Davel. There is a table of all CGN individual ship histories on the CGN Header Page.

Major Davel was the last Geneva steamer to be built by Escher Weiss of Zurich, being delivered in 1892. She pleased her owners with her speed of 25 km/hr combined with good fuel economy. Major Davel was the last half-saloon steamer built for the lake. In 1926 she received major revisions to her half-saloon, and a smoking saloon was added in front of the bridge. Major Davel was out of use during the Second War, returning to service in 1947. In the early 1960s, she operated in the Haut-Lac.

It was decided in 1966 that Major Davel would be withdrawn, but she ran a 75 Years anniversary cruise in 1967. Her navigation licence expired in February 1968. However, in 1969, Major Davel was sold for use as a club house in Port-Ripaille, where she was moved in 1970, stripped of her engines. The project fell through, and Major Davel was moved to Thonon, where she suffered badly due to vandalism. The town of Thonon became owners in 1975. Her condition deteriorated over the years, but attempts were made to save her in the late 1980s. An application to have her classed as an ancient monument (as happened to the funicular in nearby Evian) was lodged with the Ministry of Culture, and Major Davel was moved to the CGN yard in Ouchy in October 1989 to await a response. Unfortunately this was negative, so the last surviving half-saloon Geneva steamer was taken to Bouveret for demolition in 1990.


Sections on this Page:-
Major Davel - Postcards
Major Davel - Photographs

CGN Pages:-
CGN Header Page
CGN - Page 1 - Paddle Steamers 1822-1886
CGN - Page 2 - Paddle Vessels 1887-2004
CGN - Page 3 - Screw Motor Vessels
CGN - Page 4 - The 2004 Fleet
CGN - Page 5 - The 2005 Fleet

Associated Pages:-
2004 Holiday on Lake Geneva
Ferry Postcards
Cruise Ship Postcards
Ocean Liner Postcards
Simplon Postcards Home Page

Search This Website:-
powered by FreeFind Major Davel Postcards

Major Davel was the last Geneva steamer to be built by Escher Weiss of Zurich, being delivered in 1892. She pleased her owners with her speed of 25 km/hr combined with good fuel economy. Major Davel was the last half-saloon steamer built for the lake. In 1926 she received major revisions to her half-saloon, and a smoking saloon was added in front of the bridge. Major Davel was out of use during the Second War, returning to service in 1947. In the early 1960s, she operated in the Haut-Lac. It was decided in 1966 that Major Davel would be withdrawn, but she ran a 75 Years anniversary cruise in 1967. Her navigation licence expired in February 1968.


Postcard of Major Davel leaving Montreux.
Postcard of Major Davel at Ouchy.
Postcard of Major Davel at Geneva.
Postcard of Major Davel at Geneva.
Postcard of Major Davel at Geneva.
Postcard of Major Davel at Geneva.
Variation on the card above.
Postcard of Major Davel at Evian with white hull.
Colour postcard of Major Davel at Bouveret with yellow funnel.
Superb aerial colour postcard of Major Davel with yellow funnel.
Postcard of Major Davel laid up at Thonon.
Postcard of Major Davel laid up at Thonon.
Postcard of Major Davel laid up at Thonon.
Photographs

It was decided in 1966 that Major Davel would be withdrawn, but she ran a 75 Years anniversary cruise in 1967. Her navigation licence expired in February 1968. However, in 1969, Major Davel was sold for use as a club house in Port-Ripaille, where she was moved in 1970, stripped of her engines. The project fell through, and Major Davel was moved to Thonon, where she suffered badly due to vandalism. The town of Thonon became owners in 1975. Her condition deteriorated over the years, but attempts were made to save her in the late 1980s. An application to have her classed as an ancient monument (as happened to the funicular in nearby Evian) was lodged with the Ministry of Culture, and Major Davel was moved to the CGN yard in Ouchy in October 1989 to await a response. Unfortunately this was negative, so the last surviving half-saloon Geneva steamer was taken to Bouveret for demolition in 1990. Major Davel at Thonon-les-Bains.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1986.
Major Davel at Thonon-les-Bains.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1986.
Major Davel at Thonon-les-Bains.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1986.
Major Davel at Thonon-les-Bains.
Shown in her last full year at Thonon before moving to Ouchy, then Bouveret to be scrapped.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1988.
Major Davel at Thonon-les-Bains.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1988.
Major Davel at Thonon-les-Bains.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1988.
CGN Header Page - CGN-Page 1 - CGN-Page 2 - CGN-Page 3 - CGN-Page 4
Ferry Postcards - Cruise Ship Postcards - Ocean Liner Postcards
Top of Page - Simplon Postcards Home Page �1999-2010 Copyright Ian Boyle/Simplon Postcards (all pages on web site) All Rights Reserved Free Web Counter Times viewed since 12/05/2005: