▁ 1 8 7 5 . ▁On ▁arrival , ▁it ▁sust ained ▁damage ▁to ▁a ▁p addle - w heel ▁when ▁it ▁hit ▁the ▁pier ▁at ▁Cal ais , ▁due ▁to ▁its ▁failure ▁to ▁answer ▁to ▁the ▁hel m ▁at ▁slow ▁speed . ▁The ▁first ▁and ▁only ▁public ▁voyage ▁took ▁place ▁on ▁ 8 ▁May ▁ 1 8 7 5 , ▁the ▁ship ▁sail ing ▁with ▁the ▁swing ing ▁cabin ▁locked ▁( some ▁obser vers ▁suggested ▁due ▁to ▁its ▁serious ▁inst ability ., ▁although ▁B ess emer ▁as cribed ▁it ▁to ▁ins u fficient ▁time ▁to ▁fix ▁the ▁previous ▁damage ). ▁The ▁ship ▁was ▁operated ▁by ▁the ▁London , ▁Ch ath am ▁and ▁D over ▁Railway . ▁After ▁two ▁attempts ▁to ▁enter ▁the ▁har bour , ▁it ▁crash ed ▁into ▁the ▁Cal ais ▁pier ▁again , ▁this ▁time ▁demol ishing ▁part ▁of ▁it . ▁▁ ▁The ▁poor ▁performance ▁lost ▁the ▁confidence ▁of ▁invest ors , ▁leading ▁to ▁the ▁w inding - up ▁of ▁the ▁Sal oon ▁Sh ip ▁Company ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 6 . ▁The ▁ship ▁remained ▁in ▁dock ▁at ▁D over ▁until ▁being ▁sold ▁for ▁sc rap ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 9 . ▁When ▁the ▁ship ▁was ▁broken ▁up , ▁its ▁designer ▁Re ed ▁had ▁the ▁Sal oon ▁cabin ▁moved ▁to ▁his ▁home , ▁He xt able ▁House , ▁Sw an ley , ▁where ▁it ▁was ▁used ▁as ▁a ▁bill i ard ▁room . ▁When ▁the ▁house ▁later ▁became ▁a ▁women ' s ▁college , ▁Sw an ley ▁Agricult