History
From paddle-steamers to V-boats
1849 the company Djurgårds-Ångbåts-Aktie-Bolaget for steamboats in Stockholms nearest surroundings were founded. In popular parlance the company was called "Djurgårdsbolaget". During the 1850's first years the paddle-steamers "Ran" and "Aegir" were built to traffic Stockholm-Vaxholm and Stockholm-Dalarö.
1869 "Djurgårdsbolaget" were reorganized into "Waxholms Ångfartygs Aktiebolag" or "Waxholmsbolaget" that is was called. Enough stock was signed so that the company could order the new steamer "Fredriksborg". The ship was the first run by a propeller.
1878 Carl Herman Backert was elected as Waxholmsbolaget's new chairman of the board, he stayed in that post until he died in 1912.
1881 the ships that was going to be the typical "Waxholmsboat" was delivered. It was named "Waxholm" even if she had had precursors with the same name.
1899 "Waxholms Ångfartyg Aktiebolag" and the for a short period of time competing company "Stockholm-Vaxholm Rederi AB" were joint and formed the new, Waxholms Nya Ångfartygs Aktiebolag. During the same year the classical archipelago ships "Express I" and "Norrtelje", "Waxholm I", "Waxholm II" and "Prins Gustaf" were built. They made out the body of the company.
1913 representatives from Enskilda Banken took over the financial responsibility for Waxholmsbolaget. Their intention was to develop the company and traffic all of Stockholm's archipelago. It was during these years that Waxholmsbolaget got it's typical blue and yellow chimney with the big black W, that was painted by the famous marine painter Jakob Hägg.
1946 The shipping company Svea took over the majority of stocks in Waxholmsbolaget.
1964 the government demanded that also the archipelago should be incorporated in the countys overall traffic politics. The boat traffic was planned as a part of the public transportation system and the city of Vaxholm took over large parts of the archipelago traffic. It was by this time the opinion grew stronger to try to save the last steamboats "Norrskär", "Storskär", "Västan" and "Saxaren".
1967 Stockholms Läns Landsting took over the company and the operation of it to save the summer traffic during that year. A new organisation within Waxholmsbolaget were formed in a co-operation with SL and the rest of the public transportation system. This was to progress and to be able to be compared to any of the other modern traffic within Stockholm on a standard that was equal.
During the 1990's a new archipelago fleet saw the light of day. Five new lightmetal boats, the so called V-boats has made the traffic even more efficient and fast. The old steamboats are treated like the companys real treasures. Waxholmsbolaget's operation is still today one of the outmost important conditions for us to be able to call our unique and beautiful archipelago a live one, in the words right meaning.