SS Tauranga explained

SS Tauranga was the first coastal trading steam ship to be built in New Zealand,[1] though a harbour steamer, Governor Wynyard, had been built at Auckland in 1851.[2]

She was launched at Henry Niccol's North Shore yard in Auckland on 27 March 1867.[3] Tauranga was a kauri-built, twin screw, 70 ton dwt, top-sail schooner,[4] built for Bay of Plenty Steam Navigation Co.

Engines and other fitting out works were done by Fraser & Tinne's Phoenix Foundry at Mechanics Bay. Tauranga's engines had a jet condenser 20inches cylinders, an 18inches stroke and ran at 25psi to produce 30 to 35hp and, although only designed for 7kn,[5] she achieved a trial speed of 8knot

She was built for the Auckland-Tauranga-Opotiki service, but also followed the 50miles Auckland–Thames route.[6] She replaced an earlier schooner on the Auckland-Tauranga route, also called Tauranga.[7]

She made a trial trip on 13 June 1867. With the exception of the imported shaft forgings, all the machinery was built by Phoenix Foundry, the first marine condensing engines constructed in the colony. The engine design was by Mr. Lowenhagen, who was formerly connected with E. and W. Hawthorne, of Newcastle-upon-Tyne. The contract price for the work, £2,000. The engine, weighing about 30 tons, had to be moved over a poor road to the beach and lifted from the beach in Mechanics Bay with a flax rope spun by Fraser and Tinne's machinery. on the downward trip eight miles and a quarter per hour, and returning, with one screw, six and a half miles. Her performance during this time was in 20 minutes, or an hour, with of steam, and vacuum.[1] The boiler was a 20 ton three-furnace, multi-tubular boiler, with flat top and sides. To cope with the marine work they erected workshops in Mechanics Bay.[8]

Tauranga sank, somewhere in Bream Bay, after a night-time collision on 23 July 1870 with an unlit ketch, Enterprise, with the loss of all 5 passengers and 14 crew.[9] [10] [11] Initially she was replaced on the Tauranga route by SS Go Ahead.[12] A fund to provide for the families of those drowned raised over £1,000.[13]

References

-36.124°N 174.768°W

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 14 Jun 1867. TRIAL TRIP OF THE B.P.S.N. COMPANY'S S.S. 'TAURANGA.' DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. 2020-08-22. paperspast.natlib.govt.nz.
  2. Web site: 21 Jan 1852. NEW ZEALANDER. 2020-09-12. paperspast.natlib.govt.nz.
  3. Web site: 28 Mar 1867. PORT OF AUCKLAND. MISCELLANEOUS. DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. 2020-08-25. paperspast.natlib.govt.nz.
  4. Web site: 31 Oct 1939. PIONEERING ENGINEERING HISTORY GEORGE FRASER & SONS PHOENIX FOUNDRY. AUCKLAND STAR. 2020-08-17. paperspast.natlib.govt.nz.
  5. Web site: 21 Apr 1868. [Before his Honor Mr. Judge Beckham.] DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS]. 2020-08-27. paperspast.natlib.govt.nz.
  6. Web site: 5 Oct 1867. Shipping Intelligence. NEW ZEALAND HERALD. 2020-08-27. paperspast.natlib.govt.nz.
  7. Web site: 15 Jun 1867. PORT OF AUCKLAND. DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. 2020-08-27. paperspast.natlib.govt.nz.
  8. Web site: 26 Sep 1900. GEORGE FRASER AND SONS, LTD. NEW ZEALAND HERALD. 2020-08-20. paperspast.natlib.govt.nz.
  9. Web site: 5 Nov 1934. OBITUARY. AUCKLAND STAR. 2020-08-17. paperspast.natlib.govt.nz.
  10. Web site: 3 Aug 1870. ENQUIRY INTO THE LATE COLLISION. AUCKLAND STAR. 2020-08-17. paperspast.natlib.govt.nz.
  11. Web site: 1 Aug 1870. SUPPOSED FOUNDERING OF THE STEAMER 'TAURANGA' WITH PASSENGERS AND CREW. DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. 2020-08-28. paperspast.natlib.govt.nz.
  12. Web site: 10 Aug 1870. DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. 2020-09-24. paperspast.natlib.govt.nz.
  13. Web site: 24 Aug 1877. AUCKLAND STAR. 2020-09-17. paperspast.natlib.govt.nz.