SS Bjoren

History
Norway
NameSS Bjoren
OwnerBygland municipality[1]
OperatorBjoren AS[1]
RouteBygland-Byglandsfjord – Bygland – Bygland-Ose; Kilefjorden (Evje to Hægeland) (1866-1896)[2][3]
BuilderAkers Mekaniske Verksted[2][3][1]
Yard number35
Laid down1866[2][3]
Maiden voyage8 June 1867[2][3]
In service1867-1957, since 1994[2][3]
Out of service1957-1994[2][3]
Refit1897; 1914; 1970s until 1994 (Drammen Skibsreparasjoner A/S)[1]
HomeportByglandsfjord
Honours and
awards
Olavsrose June 25, 2013[1]
Statusactive
General characteristics
Tonnage26 long tons,[1] 29 short tons
Length20,8 m (since 1914); 17,8 m (1897-1914); 16 m[3]
Decks1
Installed power42 bhp (since 1914); 14 bhp
Propulsion1 steam engine, 1 wood-fired boiler, 1 propeller
Capacity55 people (since 1994), 92 people[2][3]
SS Bjoren as she steams away from the old water locks at Storestraum in the northern part of the lake Byglandsfjorden.

SS Bjoren is a wood-fuelled steamboat that travels the route between Bygland-Byglandsfjord, Bygland and Bygland-Ose on the lake Byglandsfjorden in the municipality of Bygland in the Setesdal valley. She runs on Sundays in July.[4]

Using wood as fuel is a natural choice as there was, and still is, good local access to it. Using wood to fuel the steam engine contributes to make Bjoren a unique part of Norway's cultural heritage and a floating technical museum.

  1. ^ a b c d e f "Reiselivsnytt - Bjoren vart tildelt Olavsrosa frå Norsk Kulturarv" (in Norwegian). 2013-06-28. Retrieved 2 July 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Gaute Christian Molaug. "Dampskipene i Setesdalen". avtrykk.no (in Norwegian). Retrieved 2 July 2021.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h Leonhard Jansen (15 December 2017). "Dampbåttrafikk på Byglandsfjorden i 150 år" (in Norwegian). Agderposten. Retrieved 2021-07-02.
  4. ^ Store norske leksikon. "Bygland" (in Norwegian). Retrieved 2010-04-20.