The PS Duke of Sutherland was a paddle steamer cargo vessel operated by the London and North Western Railway between 1868 and 1886. Measuring 244 feet in length with a beam of 30 feet 1 inch and a draught of 14 feet 3 inches, she was assessed at 860 gross register tons (GRT). Her propulsion was supplied by a 2-cylinder oscillating steam engine, built by R. Stephenson & Co. of Newcastle upon Tyne. The engine featured cylinders 63 inches in diameter with a 66-inch stroke, rated at 270 nominal horsepower (nhp), and drove two paddle wheels, enabling the vessel to reach speeds of up to 15 knots (approximately 28 km/h). Constructed as yard number 96 by A. Leslie and Company in Hebburn on Tyne, she was launched on 26 March 1868 and completed by May of the same year. Her official number was 58402, and her port of registry was London. The vessel was likely named after the third Duke of Sutherland, who was a director of the railway, possibly under his courtesy title, Marquess of Stafford. The Duke of Sutherland provided accommodation for up to 90 passengers, highlighting her dual role as both a cargo and passenger vessel. Notable events in her service history include a collision on 20 February 1877, when she collided with the steamship Stanley and was driven ashore at Holyhead, Anglesey. Fortunately, all on board were rescued. She was primarily engaged in routes between Dublin and Holyhead. After nearly two decades of service, she was withdrawn from operation in 1888 and subsequently sold for breaking up. Her operational history and design reflect the maritime engineering and cross-channel commerce of the late 19th century, serving as a notable example of railway-operated paddle steamers of her era.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.