Coasters

Book excerpt: With more than 300 photographs, this pictorial history of steam and diesel coaster ships shows the evolution of these beautiful merchant vessels. The romance of British coasters, immortalized in John Masefield's famous poem “Cargoes”, can be attributed to the ship’s simple, functional beauty and its faithful toil before the advent of universal road haulage. This collection of photographs tells the story of the steam and diesel coasters from their origins in the UK and the Netherlands to the present day. The term 'coaster' includes a range of vessels designed for inland seas, including steam colliers, puffers, packets, steam flats and lighters, as well as the ubiquitous steam coaster itself. Along with the details of the ships themselves, this volume covers cargo handling and stowing, machinery, and coastal trades, as well as the owners, builders and crews.