Good day all ye tug enthusiasts. A gauntlet has been tossed at me with the challenge to make a model of an historical tug built bu Money Wigram for South African harbour service. All I have to go on is the following. Anyone with suggestions where I might find some details - drawings perhaps - or even pics of similar vesels? In 1871, a steam tug was needed for the developing port on the Buffalo River, East London. Tenders were called for and on the 8th April 1872 the contract to build a steam side-paddle tug was entered into between the Crown Agent for the Colonies and Money Wigram and Sons of Blackwell, London. On 13th June 1872, a further contract was signed between the Crown Agents and John Penn and Son of Greenwich, for the two oscillating steam engines – each of 15 horse power – which would give the vessel a speed of 9 knots.
On 14th December1872, the completed vessel was given her certificate of tonnage by the Surveyor General of Tonnage. “Buffalo” was of 49.76 tons nett with a length of 24.4 metres (80ft) and a beam of 5.2 metres (17ft) and moulded depth of 2.2 metres (5ft). “Buffalo” sailed from Southampton on26th march1873 bound for Cape Town and East London. At 2.45pm on the 15th July 1873, she steamed into Cape Town where she spent some six months undergoing minor repairs and alterations.
"Buffalo" had a very mixed career - losing more ships than she berthed - in East London and the then developing harbour of Port Alfred on the Kowie River, finally settling into the mud of the Kowie on 19th July 1889. All that can be seen at low water springs today is part of a paddle wheel and ?? boiler. Unfortunately this is the only picture I have been able to find - and it doesn't show very much!
TIA
ps. Model is for the Port Alfred Publicity Office - a non-working model!