SS Great Britain | Details | Drag boat 'Bertha'

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Actions Displays	Drag boat 'Bertha' Remove from selection Add to selection Object number2016.00021 TitleDrag boat 'Bertha' CreatorLunnel G. & Co. (shipbuilder)‎ DescriptionWrought iron drag boat built in the 1840s for Bridgwater Docks by Lunnel G. & Co. in Bristol. The boat was named 'Bertha' although probably only in the 20th century. The drag boat was built to clear silt and mud out of Bridgwater Docks into the river Parrett. It is thought that 'Bertha' was built to designs created by I. K. Brunel for dredger boats in Bristol Floating Harbour. Although she is also attributed to John McLean who designed the drag boat 'Dragon', the first vessel of its kind built for the service of Brunel's plan in Bristol. The boat was probably designed in Bristol and assembled in Bridgwater in about 1844. She remained in operation there until 1968. The boat is of 60 gross tonnage, with an iron riveted hull and wooden superstructure, and with a single cylinder, double action steam engine. It carries a submerged blade which scrapes material along the bottom (as opposed to a dredger, which lifts the mud and silt out of the water). The engine is dated 1844, but the boiler is unknown. Boilermakers are Abbot & Co. in Newark. The engine operates at a pressure of 40 pounds per square inch. Steam is raised in a coal fired boiler of unknown period and the motion is transferred to the main drive shaft which can be recognised by the large flywheel by means of a single reduction spur wheel drive. The boat is listed on the national register of historic vessels as number 17, and on the national small boat register as number 2494. Production placeBristol Production date 1840 - 1850 Object namevessel Object categorystructure Materialiron, wood Techniquemanufactured Dimensions whole width: 4110 mm length: 15240 mm depth: 1220 mm

Object number2016.00021

TitleDrag boat 'Bertha'

CreatorLunnel G. & Co. (shipbuilder)‎

DescriptionWrought iron drag boat built in the 1840s for Bridgwater Docks by Lunnel G. & Co. in Bristol. The boat was named 'Bertha' although probably only in the 20th century. The drag boat was built to clear silt and mud out of Bridgwater Docks into the river Parrett. It is thought that 'Bertha' was built to designs created by I. K. Brunel for dredger boats in Bristol Floating Harbour. Although she is also attributed to John McLean who designed the drag boat 'Dragon', the first vessel of its kind built for the service of Brunel's plan in Bristol. The boat was probably designed in Bristol and assembled in Bridgwater in about 1844. She remained in operation there until 1968. The boat is of 60 gross tonnage, with an iron riveted hull and wooden superstructure, and with a single cylinder, double action steam engine. It carries a submerged blade which scrapes material along the bottom (as opposed to a dredger, which lifts the mud and silt out of the water). The engine is dated 1844, but the boiler is unknown. Boilermakers are Abbot & Co. in Newark. The engine operates at a pressure of 40 pounds per square inch. Steam is raised in a coal fired boiler of unknown period and the motion is transferred to the main drive shaft which can be recognised by the large flywheel by means of a single reduction spur wheel drive. The boat is listed on the national register of historic vessels as number 17, and on the national small boat register as number 2494.

Production placeBristol

Production date 1840 - 1850

Object namevessel

Object categorystructure

Materialiron, wood

Techniquemanufactured

Dimensions

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