Builders: Ailsa Shipbuilding Co Ltd Troon 1914
Propulsion type: Paddle compound diagonal
Owners: P & A Campbell Ltd
Service dates: 1914 - 1960
Tonnage: Net 226 Gross 524
Comments:
The building of this ship part of a trio of steamers built at the Ailsa yard. The others were Glen Avon (1912) and Lady Ismay (1911). Glen Usk's building was supervised by Capt. Daniel Taylor, who later became Commodore and Marine Superintendent for P & A Campbell. In the First World War, Glen Usk served as a minesweeper in conjunction with Britannia (for whom Capt Taylor was later to be appointed Master), initially off the North West Coast of Ireland. On 21 November 1918 she was present at the surrender of the Imperial German High Seas Fleet.
After the war she ran on the Cardiff-Weston and Cardiff-Minehead runs. She saw service again in the Second World War and was one of the few Campbells steamers that were considered fit for reconditioning, although she needed much overhauling. She continued in service until withdrawn in 1960 after coal prices forced her retirement. She was not, however, entirely without incident as on the evening of Saturday 30 August 1959 she ran aground at the notorious Horseshoe Bend. She settled at an alarming angle in the mud as the tide ebbed but was successfully refloated the following morning without damage.
These superb colour pictures of PS Glen Usk were taken by Vivian V H Brown (1917 - 2003) and are displayed here by courtesy of his son Peter. The images shows Glen Usk leaving/arriving at Penarth Pier on the same day in the spring of 1960. I am grateful to Peter for allowing me to share the pictures with you.
For a picture of PS Glen Usk at Newport, displayed by kind permission of Jennifer Tinnion, please click here.
For a close up of Glen Usk's paddle box please click here.