| Name | No | Yard No | Builder | Laid down | Launched | Comp | Fate |
| Driver | Portsmouth DYd | 6.1840 | 24.12.1840 | 5.11.1841 | wrecked 3.8.1861 | ||
| Styx | Sheerness DYd | 22.6.1940 | 26.1.1841 | 4.10.1841 | BU 4.1866 | ||
| Vixen | Pembroke DYd | 6.1840 | 4.2.1841 | 28.12.1841 | sold 11.1862 | ||
| Devastation | Woolwich DYd | 27.7.1840 | 3.7.1841 | 30.11.1841 | BU 9.1866 | ||
| Geyser | Pembroke DYd | 8.1840 | 6.4.1841 | 8.3.1842 | BU 1866 | ||
| Growler | Chatham DYd | 1.1841 | 20.7.1841 | 9.3.1842 | BU 1.1854 | ||
| Thunderbolt | Portsmouth DYd | 4.1841 | 13.1.1842 | 8.2.1843 | wrecked 3.2.1847 | ||
| Cormorant | Sheerness DYd | 17.5.1841 | 29.3.1842 | 28.6.1843 | BU 8.1853 | ||
| Spiteful | Pembroke DYd | 8.1841 | 24.3.1842 | 24.3.1843 | sold 9.1883 | ||
| Eclair (ex-Infernal), 10.1846- Rosamund | Woolwich DYd | 8.1841 | 31.5.1843 | 9.9.1844 | floating factory 1863 | ||
| Virago | Chatham DYd | 15.11.1841 | 25.7.1842 | 29.7.1843 | BU 11.1876 | ||
| Sphinx | Woolwich DYd | 5.1844 | 17.2.1846 | 3.11.1846 | BU 9.1881 |
|
Displacement normal, t |
1590 |
|
Displacement full, t |
|
|
Length, m |
54.9 pp |
|
Breadth, m |
11.0 |
|
Draught, m |
2.53 |
|
No of shafts |
2 side wheels |
|
Machinery |
Driver, Styx, Vixen, Geyser, Growler, Thunderbolt, Cormorant, Eclair, Virago: sails + boilers, 1 2-cyl SE, direct action Devastation: sails + boilers, 1 4-cyl SE direct action 'Siamese' type Spiteful: sails + boilers, 1 2-cyl SE side-lever engine Sphinx: sails + boilers, 1 2-cyl SE oscillating engine |
|
Power, h. p. |
Driver, Styx, Vixen, Geyser, Growler, Cormorant, Spiteful, Eclair: 280nhp Devastation: 400nhp 785ihp Thunderbolt, Virago: 300nhp Sphinx: 500nhp 1169ihp |
|
Max speed, kts |
Devastation: 10 Sphinx: 12 |
|
Fuel, t |
coal |
|
Endurance, nm(kts) |
|
|
Armament |
2 x 1 - 254/11 10'' 84cwt shell SBML, 2 x 1 - 204/13 68pdr 64cwt shell SBML, 2 x 1 - 175/8 42pdr 22cwt SBML |
|
Complement |
149 |
Project history: 2nd rate steam vessels, since 1844 1st class sloops. Sir William Symonds design of 1840. First six were ordered in 1840. Ten more were ordered in 1841 but only six were built to this design. Rattler, initially amended to Alecto class, was reordered as screw sloop. Bulldog, Inflexible and Scourge were reordered to new lengthened design. Five more ships were ordered in 1847 but Furious, Magicienne, Tiger and Valorous were reordered as paddle frigates and Resolute was cancelled.
Modernizations: 1856, all: - 1 x 1 - 254/11, 2 x 1 - 204/13, 2 x 1 - 175/8; + 1 x 1 - 206/15 68pdr 95cwt shell SBML, 4 x 1 - 161/15 32pdr 42cwt SBML
1860s, all survived: - 1 x 1 - 206/15; + 1 x 1 - 183/14 110pdr 82cwt BL
Naval service: Driver wrecked on Mayaguana Island in West Indies 3.8.1861. Thunderbolt wrecked on Cape Recife, Algoa Bay, South Africa, 3.2.1847.
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