Paddle Steamer Ruby: Specifications
The PS Ruby had a long career working the passenger and freight trade between Morgan, Mildura and Swan Hill and went out of commission in the 1930s.
Built: 1907, by David Milne at Morgan in South Australia. (She was the fourth Riverboat of that name). Reg. Survey No: 122724.
Owners: 1907 Hugh King, Morgan, and Ruby was registered at Port Adelaide; circa 1914 purchased by the Gem Navigation Co.; 1919 Murray Shipping Ltd.; and others.
Weight: 205 tons gross; 108 nett tons.
General features: The Ruby was constructed with a composite hull with a metal frame and topsides and wood planking, a whaleboat stern (a carvel built straight stern), three decks and nine bulkheads.
- The top deck featured the wheelhouse and Captain's quarters, later female crew quarters and a music room were added to the top deck.
- Second deck housed twenty eight passengers in fourteen (14) twin bunk cabins and a saloon and communal bathrooms.
- The lower or cargo deck contained the engineer's cabin, galley and crew quarters.
Length: Measured at 132 feet 9 inches (approximately 40.89 metres).
Parsons (2005) states 130'9. 1
Beam: 18 feet 9 inches (5.72 metres)
Hull depth or draught: 6 feet (1.83 metres).
When fully loaded the draught is 2 feet 6 inches (76 cm).
Engines and Boilers:
The Ruby was originally powered by a 20 NHP Robey & Company Steam engine which was rated at 8 knots. The original Robey engine was a 2 cylinder, high pressure horizontal steam engine with 20 nominal horsepower.
The original engine was replaced in 1911 by a narrow gauge locomotive boiler from the South Australian Railways and direct action engines from the P.S. Industry.
In 1918 these were replaced with an engine and boiler from the P.S. Lancashire Lass.
The restoration of the Ruby has seen the installation of a 20 NHP 1926 Robey portable steam engine of similar dimensions to the original Robey which was fitted in 1907. A reversing linkage has been fitted to the portable engine in 2006.
The length of the crankshaft is 8 feet 6 inches (2.59 metres) and the main shaft 7 feet. (2.13 metres).
Paddle wheels: Diameter 13 feet. (3.96 metres). The original paddle wheels were 12 feet in diameter)
The spur gear, shaft and paddlewheel hub used for the restoration of the PS Ruby are from the Paddle Steamer J.G. Arnold (built circa 1917).
(The PS Ruby Board of Mangement wish to acknowledge R. Parsons, Ships of the Inland Rivers, 3rd ed., 2005 for some of the information appearing in this item)
