Royal Alfred










Royal Alfred
Type :
 Wooden paddlewheel steamer
Launched  :
1868
Builder :
 George Beddoes
Auckland, New Zealand
Gross :
 141 tons
Dimensions :
 40.32 x 5.91 (metres)
Passenger capacity :
 750
Speed :
 11 knots

Royal Alfred was a wooden paddlewheel steamer and the first big passenger ferry in the Manly service. She was the first to provide a proper passenger saloon. Because she was purpose built as a passenger vessel she was the only member of the Manly fleet (at the time of her introduction) that didn't also operate as a tug or excursion boat.

Between 1868 and 1873 she operated in Auckland as a ferry before coming to Sydney and joining with the Breadalbane to form the basis of the modern Manly passenger fleet. Royal Alfred worked in this role until 1883 when the big, new Brighton replaced her.

Royal Alfred was the last single ended Manly vessel (discounting Narrabeen II) until the introduction of the hydrofoil Manly III in 1965.

Until 1892 she was used as a spare boat and was broken up at Berry's Bay in the same year.
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