Originally Posted By ssWEDguy The Liberty Belle is back on the Rivers of America! Looking better than ever. The last date I saw for it's return was Sept 21. But there she was today, Sept 9. My only question -- somebody will have to help me with this -- didn't the Liberty Belle used to have TWO forward smoke stacks? I don't remember for sure. >> PICTURES COMING <<
Originally Posted By MPierce MY old pictures show two stacks. It just shows you how much you miss no matter how many times you go. I had to go into an old photo album, because I couldn't honestly remember. I just love the Liberty Belle, and really miss seeing it on the water. Thanks for pointing out the number of smoke stacks.
Originally Posted By ssWEDguy >> MY old pictures show two stacks. << Thanks for confirming what I was remembering on this. I have pictures going back a ways too, but it's not the easiest thing to find specific images when you want to. I wonder why they had to go with a single smokestack instead of a double? And is it possible that the second one might still come back after some needed repair work?
Originally Posted By TDLFAN The old Fowler ship used to have the 2 stacks and was destroyed in that accident backstage. The Richard Irvine had only one stack and is the one now called Liberty Belle... that is at least what I thought was the story behind that mystery. Someone correct me. G-Fan and I saw the riverboat at the dock in Liberty Square yesterday and wondered why it was closed to guests.
Originally Posted By ssWEDguy >> The Richard Irvine had only one stack and is the one now called Liberty Belle << Ah, this makes sense. I guess now I'll have to check my pictures files to see if I can find a picture of the ship that was running just last year. It's got to be the one-stacker though. I can't believe they'd convert two to one as part of a refurb.
Originally Posted By TDLFAN It was the one with the one stack. I remember that much from my visits to the MK.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 The Fowler was destroyed in an accident sometime in the early 1980s.
Originally Posted By seanyoda <a href="http://waltdatedworld.bravepages.com/id141.htm" target="_blank">http://waltdatedworld.bravepag es.com/id141.htm</a> << In 1980, The Admiral Joe Fowler was taken to dry dock for routine rehab. While the boat was being lifted by crane, it slipped and the hull was completely destroyed. The boat was then retired due to "mechanical problems". The broken boat was taken to the backstage "bone yard" for awhile before being buried somewhere on the property. >>
Originally Posted By -em I saw the Belle going around the river yesterday and wished I had time to go take a trip alas work was calling my name- I may need to head back to MK Tues after my conference -em
Originally Posted By kpwdwfan Glad to hear she's back where she belongs. Long time coming if you ask me.
Originally Posted By MPierce Thanks Spirit of 74, and seanyoda. That sure was an old picture that I had.
Originally Posted By gaston lives They buried the old boat? Man, if WDW ever goes belly up, you could excavate that land and get lots of treasures!
Originally Posted By dresswhites maybe it just growing up with Disneyland's two stacked mark twain, but when i saw the liberty bell in person with it just one stack, i wasn't impressed. The Mark twain just seems much more impressive.
Originally Posted By TDLFAN I have to admit I do not recall ever seen both the Fowler and Irvine running at the same time on the river at WDW, but I remember the two stacks were on the Fowler's and Irvine's has always had one. That is how you could tell them apart. Or else, I imagined the whole thing and TDL has never existed.
Originally Posted By trekkeruss <<The broken boat was taken to the backstage "bone yard" for awhile before being buried somewhere on the property>> Sailors get buried at sea, but this boat gets buried in the ground. LOL.
Originally Posted By brotherdave I'm so glad to hear that the Liberty Belle is back on the Rivers of America. The river never looked so empty, especially at dusk when the Tom Sawyer Rafts were docked. WAY too quiet and still! By the way, during the summer of 1975, I remember seeing both the Richard Irvine (Liberty Belle) and Admiral Joe Fowler running at the same time. The MK was PACKED during that July since all of Tomorrowland was finally completed, including their new headliner attraction, Space Mountain! There was actually a LINE for the Riverboats, as well as the Hall of Presidents. In fact, there was a line just about EVERYWHERE. So, as much as we grumble about Fastpass and how long the lines are now, back then, you could find yourself waiting almost 2 HOURS to see the Hall of Presidents! Can you imagine? Of course, this was during the pre-bicentennial days, and the park still was using the A-E ticket system. Hall of Presidents, usually an E-Ticket, was FREE during the bicentennial years of 1975 & 1976 to honor it. Probably why the line was SOOOO long. If you ever wondered why that colonial wooden structure leading to the Hall of Presidents is there (where I think portrait artists reside now), now you know. It served as the queue line for the HoP and often extended well beyond it!!! And whenever a performance let out, almost everyone seemed to head right for the Riverboats! So, now you know why they actually ran two steamships during the early years of the Magic Kingdom. They actually NEEDED to!
