PS Canally 

THE FACTS AS TOLD

 

Thanks to Capt. FRANK TUCKER

 

 

ADELAIDE REGISTER Tuesday 8th March 1927 MORGAN, March 4th- Some of the members 'of Capt. Tinks' old river crew met at the Commercial Hotel on Tuesday afternoon to say good-bye to him. He with his wife, is leaving for England by the Mooltan shortly. Captain O. Searles, on behalf of those present, presented Capt. Tinks with "a case of pipes" as a token of regard from- the river hands, who had been so many years in his employ. Capt. H. McLean supported? Capt. Tlnks had been trading on the river for 47 years.- With his father (Capt James Tinks), in 1879, he began as a boy travelling on the Darling, and remained in the service from Milang to Wilcannia and Bourke until 1836. He first served on board the steamer Wilcannia. In 1896 he joined Capt. H. King on the PS Gem, steaming from Morgan to Mildura. As Master of the PS Corowa he traded for 11 years from Murray Bridge to Renmark, and subsequently 10 years as Master of the PS Ellen, between those two ports. He was employed for four years as "Ships Husband" for the Gem Navigation Company, during which time he was stationed at Morgan. In 1912 Capt.' Tinks became a partner with Captain. A. Francis in the steamer PS Waikerie, bought the PS Canally from Echuca, and the T.F., a barge, from Capt. Freeman. Two years later the partners bought the PS Success and barge Ormond. Capt Tinks had a part ownership in the PS Murrabit and barge Koondrook. He purchased the barge Merle from Capt. Diener, and the Croupier, from Messrs. W. & H. Dunk of Milang. ,. The PS Murrabit and barge carried stone from the Mannum Quarries to Lock 9, Lock 6, and Lock 3. Capt Tinks's fleet traded from Morgan to Berri on a weekly ' service with general cargo. Last year- Capt. Tinks severed his connection with the river by selling the PS Canally to the New South Wales Government, and the remainder of his fleet .to Messrs. W. Bailey & Sons.

(The partnership of Francis/Tinks was not dissolved untill 1925, and tinks was trading under the partnership.) 

Canally - Loco engine.

The locomotive engine placed in the Canally by Thomas Freeman was purchased by him from the Newport Railway Workshops in July 1912 and installed in the hull of the Canally at Echuca Wharf. Tommy purchased the frames and motion of the engine on the condition that the Echuca Wharf Crane would be able to lower it into the hull. This was achieved, only with some sureptitious work on the crane's hydraulics.

The locomotive was built in 1862, in Newcastle England, by Robert Stephenson, and was one of 12 supplied to the Victorian Railways. It was a Goods Engine, Class O (O - 6 - O), meaning it had 6 wheels, three on each side). As a loco, the engine weighed 64 ton. The boiler was rated at 130psi, the grate measured 17.77 square feet, the cylinders were 17' X 24' stroke and the tractive effort achieved was 12,022 lb. The engine was numbered 57 and was the last of the 12 engines supplied by Stephenson to be withdrawn from service by the Victorian Railways when it was dismembered in 1912. The tender of No. 57 was placed on another loco named the Federal, which ran on the Kerang to Koondrook tramway. P.S. Canally machinery: The following has been taken from Newsrail Magazine, September 1996 and was sent to me by Kevin Hutchinson. ......... Many of the Murray River steamers incorporated VR loco parts in their internal economies; the O class 0-6-0 goods locos were particularly sought after, having large fireboxes with two fire doors, suitable for marine use and, being outside framed, cranks on the ends of the axles, suitable for driving paddle wheels. At least six O class, numbers 35, 57, 67, 71, 81 and 121 ended up in river service. The frames and motion of O35 went to Echuca after the engine was written off on 14th May 1909. The boiler of O67 was sold to Max Anderson of Mildura in July 1911. On 25th April 1912, Captain Freeman of Echuca bought the frames and motion of O57, along with the boiler of R195 for $350. The tender of O57 went to Kerang Tramway for $60. Murray Shipping bought the boilers of 71, 81 and 121 in 1920/21.....

Ref: Riverina Recorder 10/7/1912

 

Captain Freeman advertises that he is putting a new steamer in the running this year, by which his clients will have the advantage of quick transit afforded by one of the fastest vessels on the river. The Canally as the new steamer has been christened, is fitted with a powerful loco. boiler and engine and is up to date in every respect. With a barge she will be able to shift 1000 or 1100 bales of wool each trip. She will be one of the first to move from the wharf at Echuca this season.

 

1/7/1917 - Riverina Recorder

The steamer Canally arrived from Echuca on Monday morning last, after a good run of 43 hours including stoppages. She carried several tons of cargo as well as a supply of vegetables, butter, bacon and other produce which met a ready sale from cash customers.

(**Echuca to Balranald = 378 miles. Time taken = 43 hours Av = 8.8mph including stoppages)

Ref: Riverine Herald 8/7/1912

 

A Strange Whistle

The expert ears of many in Echuca can name the steamboats coming and going by the sounds of their whistles, were yesterday somewhat perplexed by hearing from the river a clear and resonant whistle not known to them. It turned out to be the new steamer lately fitted out by Captain T.H Freeman, which the owner was moving from one portion of the river to another. The enterprise of the local steamboat owners in maintaining and improving the standard of boats trading from this port is to be commended, and it is hoped that the new vessel will in every way prove a success.

Ref: Riverina Recorder

 

23/7/1913 Record Steamer Trip

On Saturday week last, Captain Freeman's Canally left Echuca at 5pm and not withstanding 15 stops en route, arrived at Balranald the following day at 8pm. The whole trip thus occupying only 51 hours. The last trip was perhaps an even greater achievement, for, leaving Echuca on Saturday last at 10pm, the steamer arrived here at 4am yesterday morning after stopping 14 times and discharging 30 tons cargo. The Canally is a record breaker no doubt

Ref: Riverina Recorder

 

12/11/1913 ACCIDENT TO STEAMER.

The steamer Canally met with a slight mishap to one of her pinion wheels when on her way up from Balranald to Tupra shed last week, which necessitated her return to Echuca to have a new wheel fitted. This will delay the steamer four days. She will sail next Thursday evening for Balranald. Although using only one paddle wheel on her return trip from Balranald to Echuca, with a barge, the Canally made good time, viz., four days five hours.

 

8/1913 - Riverina Recorder Steamer Race (to the editor of the recorder).

Dear Sir, I thought it might be of interest to your many readers to get a graphic description of a steamboat race, a battle royal for supremacy, between the two greyhounds of the river, Viz., the well-known steamer Canally, owned by Captain Freeman, and the much talked of new steamer Arbuthnot, owned by Mr Arbuthnot, saw miller, who intends trading in these waters. There has been a great diversity of opinion amongst the public as to which vessel was the fastest, as both vessels are equipped with large and powerful engines of 100hp. Well it happened last Saturday that both of these vessels met at Echuca and very few knew that there was to be a battle royal as to which was entitled to the blue ribbon. Both steamers finished loading at 5pm and were ready to start away when one of the Canally's crew left, which necessitated getting another man. This delay seemed to irritate the crew of the Arbuthnot when someone on board suggested that they go a mile downstream to the park and wait for the Canally, as they imagined that they were delaying too long. However, a start was made at 8pm, the Arbuthnot leaving the wharf about 15 minutes before the Canally. Then the battle commenced. It would have done your eyesight good to see these two steamers fighting it out to a finish and the way the banks and trees flew by. The Canally quickly gained on her adversary but the wash from the paddle wheels of the Arbuthnot told severely against the progress of the Canally. However after a desperate race of 18 miles, and reaching a favourable part of the river, the engineer, who had been nursing a few notches up his sleeve, gave her full speed and the much-talked of Arbuthnot met her waterloo. It will give you an idea of our pace when I tell you the distance from Echuca to Perricoota Station is 39 measured miles, and the Canally ran the distance in 3 hours 10 minutes, and had the pleasure of seeing her rival pass later on while discharging cargo. 3/9/1913 - Riverina Recorder Steamer Rivalry - The Barham 'Bridge' says that much rivalry exists between the connections of the Arbuthnot and the Canally as to which is the fastest boat and in a speed trial recently the owners of the latter claimed that their vessel was superior in this direction. The engineer of the Arbuthnot could not develop the speed which he knew his boat to be possessed of, and on examination of the smoke box it was discovered that some individual (presumably a rival) had dropped a brick down the funnel. The draught from the furnaces being considerably interferred with in consequence. Given a fair trial the crew of the Arbuthnot reckon they can beat anything on the river.