The Walton Belle

Extract from the Eastern Daily Press July 1901
Breakdown of the Walton Belle
The Walton Belle on her outward journey on Saturday to Walton had a little mishap to one of her boilers that caused her to bring up off covehithe Ness. An intimation was sent to Southwold whence Mr R. R. SPENCE, the managing director of the Coast Development Company, sent the new tug and pleasure steamer, the King Edward VII - that had just arrived from Yarmouth on her inaugural trip- and she was chartered to take the Belle boat into Harwich Harbour. An hour after she had left the Pier at Southwold the screw tug Lowestoft, the property of the GNR arrived from that port on the same quest, but the arrangements had been already made. The Belle Steamers Company have a spare boat for an emergency and the Southend Belle was promptly requisitioned to perform the service of the Walton Belle. She arrived late on Saturday night with about 400 passengers from London and left yesterday for Walton. The Walton Belle was expected at Yarmouth last evening and will resume her place on the station at the earliest opportunity. The King Edward VII returned to the Harbour yesterday afternoon. A Lloyds telegram from Harwich last night said:- “The steamer Walton Belle, Yarmouth for London anchored off Sizewell about 11am on Saturday with engines disabled. She was towed into Harwich early [Sunday] morning and the passengers, numbering about three hundred sent to London by Train.

The Walton Belle on her outward journey on Saturday to Walton had a little mishap to one of her boilers that caused her to bring up off covehithe Ness. An intimation was sent to Southwold whence Mr R. R. SPENCE, the managing director of the Coast Development Company, sent the new tug and pleasure steamer, the King Edward VII - that had just arrived from Yarmouth on her inaugural trip- and she was chartered to take the Belle boat into Harwich Harbour. An hour after she had left the Pier at Southwold the screw tug Lowestoft, the property of the GNR arrived from that port on the same quest, but the arrangements had been already made. The Belle Steamers Company have a spare boat for an emergency and the Southend Belle was promptly requisitioned to perform the service of the Walton Belle. She arrived late on Saturday night with about 400 passengers from London and left yesterday for Walton.

The Walton Belle was expected at Yarmouth last evening and will resume her place on the station at the earliest opportunity. The King Edward VII returned to the Harbour yesterday afternoon. A Lloyds telegram from Harwich last night said:- “The steamer Walton Belle, Yarmouth for London anchored off Sizewell about 11am on Saturday with engines disabled. She was towed into Harwich early [Sunday] morning and the passengers, numbering about three hundred sent to London by Train.