Ferry 4
Timetable Ferry 4
Göteborg
Mellan Västtrafiks Resecentrum och Casinot.
Göteborg
Göteborg
Under och alldeles innanför Älvsborgsbron.
Göteborg
Claes Verner is responsible for the rental of Ferry 4.
You can reach him on mobile: +46730-68 47 08, or email: mailto:charter_f4@steamboat.se
FÄRJAN 4 is suitable for smaller groups - it can be a staff outing, customer meeting or why not a fun group jip. The trip goes where you want (as long as we don't charge for security). A guided tour in the harbor is a suggestion, as is transport to Nya Varvet or Nya Älvsborg, or upstream on the Göta river.
FERRY 4 was built as a steam-powered passenger ferry at the Motala Workshop in 1920. It is 20.6 meters long. When operating in the inner harbor area, the ferry can take 100 passengers (originally 195). There are 50 seats in the lounge. The crew consists of the master, engineer and deckhand.
The ferry's hull is built of riveted steel and reinforced for walking in ice. It has a balance rudder and a propeller at each end. The rudders are connected and must be turned 180 degrees when the direction of travel is changed. The 4 is largely unchanged since delivery in 1920. A noticeable change took place in 1934 when the ferry got new larger wheelhouses and roofs over the fore and aft decks.
The 4 is powered by a two-cylinder compound engine with a surface condenser. The cylinder diameters are 190 and 420 mm and the stroke 320 mm. Engine power is 70 indicated horsepower. The speed is about 180 rpm. The machine has Stephenson's slide movement for reversal between forward and reverse. Because the propeller shaft is continuous, both four-bladed propellers are driven simultaneously. Cruising speed is 7 knots. The steam boiler is of the Scottish type with a fire tube and is fired with coal. The working pressure is 9.5 kg/cm2. During normal ferry traffic, the coal consumption is 25 kg/hour. For the electricity supply, there is a steam turbine-driven generator that provides 110 V direct current.
The Gothenburg Harbor Board's steam ferry traffic, dating back to 1837, has been described separately. The 4th was delivered in October 1920 by Motala Verkstad to the Gothenburg Harbor Board. It was the twin sister of the FERRY 3 delivered just before. FERRY 4 was deployed on the Residensbron - Götaverken line, where it became a real wearer during many years of intensive traffic. It ran every 15 minutes from six in the morning until one in the night. On Sundays, tours started an hour later and ended an hour earlier. One day a week, the ferry was taken out of service for a few hours for coaling and washing at the Port's wharf. During the morning and afternoon rush hour, FERRY 5 ran as an extra ferry, giving a 7 1/2 minute interval between trips.
That the ferry traffic across the river was extremely important is evident from the fact that in 1925, for example, 160,000 passengers per month traveled on the line Residensbron - Götaverken. In a later numbering of the lines, this line was given the number 5. On 2/6 1954, traffic was moved from Götaverken to a new ferry location in the then newly built Lundbyhamnen. At the same time, both steam ferries were replaced with the new motor ferry HUGO HAMMAR.
FERRY 4 then became an extra ferry and replacement on the various ferry lines until July 1970. During 1968, however, the "4" went again as a regular on its old route since the motor ferry had been installed on line 4. Also during 1969 and 1970, the 4 for long periods on its old route while the motor ferry was instead in reserve. On 31/7 1970 line 5 ceased. FERRY 4 became redundant and was laid up at the Port's wharf on Ringön.
Everyone in Sällskapet Ångbåten works entirely voluntarily!
| Building yard | Motala workshop, Motala |
| Launched | 1920 |
| Length | 20,55 meter |
| Width, draught | 5,35 meter, 2,35 meter |
| Draught | 2,35 meter |
| Gross gestation | 48 |
| Net gestation | 20 |
| Machine | Two-cylinder compound steam machine from Motala workshop 51 kW or 70 indicated hp, as well as steam turbine generator |
| Speed | 7 knots |
| Power source | Coal fired Scottish sea steam boiler |
Ferry 4 will become a museum ferry
On 1/1 1972, the Port Authority's ferry traffic was discontinued and the remaining line Haket - Hisingstad was handed over to Styrsöbolaget. On 29/6 1972, the Port Authority handed over FERRY 4 as a gift to the Maritime Museum in Gothenburg. The aim was to preserve the ferry for the future. However, the Maritime Museum had no means of preserving the ferry in roadworthy condition. Faced with the threat that the ferry would just lie there as a dead museum ship, the interest of the non-profit association Sällskapet Ångbåten was aroused.
On 5/2 1973, an agreement was reached in which the Steamboat Society was allowed to dispose of the ferry in exchange for an undertaking to preserve it in a roadworthy condition. All work with both driving and maintenance of the 4 is carried out on a voluntary basis by the members of the Steamship Society. The ferry's formal owner, the Gothenburg Maritime Museum Foundation, has financial responsibility for the ferry. Repair and maintenance work is carried out with historical aspects in mind, while the ferry must meet today's safety requirements in order to be used in passenger traffic.
In October 2016, a leak occurred in the steam boiler's flame furnace. The ferry's trips had to be canceled pending repairs. However, it proved difficult to find a company that could undertake the repair of the boiler. As an alternative, tenders were accepted for a completely new steam boiler. As expected, the cost was very high. Finally, the company VEÅ in Sävsjö showed an interest in repairing the boiler. However, the ferry's owner did not have the money for repairs. The steamboat society therefore sought funding for the repair for several years.
By the summer of 2019, contributions totaling SEK 1.6 million had been received from the National Antiquities Office, the Statens Maritime Museums, the Gustaf VI Adolf Foundation for Swedish Culture and members. In December 2019, the ferry's owner ordered the repair by VEÅ, who worked on the boiler during the winter and spring of 2020. Then, during the summer, there was a lot of restoration work before the boiler could be tested to be approved for continued operation. The four-year arrangement also meant that the ferry had to be largely repainted.
On September 10, 2020, the ferry went on a test ride with the Swedish Transport Agency's inspector and was then approved for continued passenger traffic. On October 10, the ferry's 100th anniversary was celebrated at the Residensbronn ferry terminal, which ended with a trip on its old line. On the three remaining Saturdays in October, the historic harbor tours resumed in collaboration with the Maritime Museum Akvariet. After the winter break, the ferry is expected to be in traffic again in May 2021.
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