Salters Steamers

The company runs passenger services in summer along the length of the River Thames between Oxford and Staines.

They were the country's leading racing-boat-builder in the 1860s[1] (distributing craft around the world) and they built many of the beautiful Oxford University barges at Christ Church Meadow, used over many years as a base for the various colleges for the sport of rowing.

Alaska was built in 1883 as a private vessel but was purchased in 1886 by Salters who used her from 1888 to start their Oxford to Kingston return service.

By the turn of the century the firm was the largest passenger boat operator on the non-tidal Thames, helped by its close association with the Great Western Railway with which it ran numerous circular tours.

It is still owned and run by family members (the fifth and sixth generation), but the parent company is now primarily concerned with property management.