Volume Six - Pre-Victorian to the Present Day - Select Aspects - Crossing the River Ely . .

Finally, the 'Kate' (the second 'Kate') was launched from the Paisley yard of Messrs. J. Mc Arthur & Co. on the 23rd August 1893 and she was another double ended paddle steamer of 90 gross tons, built to the order and specification of the Cardiff & Penarth Steam Ferry Co. Lim. of 51, Mount Stuart street, Cardiff where Mr. Henry J. Velacott was Manager :

1893 - "The Kate has been built under Board of Trade supervision for passenger certificate, and has a full outfit of life saving appliances. She has deck solons forward and aft, full promenade deck, and the usual side-houses, all of which are to be furnished in a comfortable and tasteful manner. Engines to propel the steamer at a high rate of speed are now being fitted on board by Messrs. Bow, McLachlan & Co., of Paisley."

1893 - "Trial Trip - A New Passenger Boat Between Cardiff and Penarth - The 'Kate', which has for nearly 30 years been the means of communication between Cardiff and Penarth, has been superseded by a steamer built on the lines of the 'Iona', belonging to the same company, but with the addition of deck saloons and a commodious promenade above.

The new 'Kate' has been constructed by Messrs. Bow and M'Lachlan, of Paisley, who have fitted her with compound surface-condensing diagonal engines, which will bear a pressure of 120 lbs. The certificates granted by the Board of Trade enable 'Kate' to carry 288 passengers to Penarth, but so well constructed is she that the same authority will allow her to carry 180 passengers to any point eastward of a line drawn from Lavernock to Brean Down. This means that she may run to Weston, Newport, Bristol, and up the Severn River. She is provided with two lifeboats and a full complement of life-saving apparatus for the passengers carried.

Her trail trip took place on Friday, when there were on board, Messrs. Valentine Trayes (chairman), Thomas Morel, Alfred Holman, and G. S. Stowe (directors), and Mr. H. J. Vellacott (manager) of the company. Two or three friends of the directors were also present.

The 'Kate' made a trip as far as the Flat Holm and behaved splendidly, her guaranteed speed of ten knots per hour being fully verified. As she is so well equipped for accommodation for rough weather she will run on the Penarth ferry boat service during the winter." Evening Express [157] 23rd September 1893.