Kingswear Castle Britain's last steam powered river paddle steamer
1924 - 2024
Sail on
Kingswear Castle
Kingswear Castle will celebrate her 100th anniversary year with sailings between mid June and September 2024.
Kingswear Castle is operated on behalf of the Paddle Steamer Kingswear Castle Trust by the Dartmouth Steam Railway and River Boat Company.
Click on the button below to visit the operator’s website for timetable and ticketing information.
History of
Kingswear Castle
Built in 1924 for service on the River Dart in Devon between Dartmouth and Totnes, Kingswear Castle was withdrawn in 1965.
Purchased by volunteers in 1967 who painstakingly restored her to operating condition over ten years, entering service on the Medway and the Thames in 1985.
In 2012 she returned home to the Dart.
Support
Kingswear Castle
Kingswear Castle returned to service in 2023 after the first part of a major rebuild. We are continuing to fund raise for the second phase.
Find out how you can help with this to secure her future for the next twenty five years.
For information and enquiries regarding tickets, timetables and sailing updates please visit the Dartmouth Steam Railway & River Boat Company website www.dartmouthrailriver.co.uk or call 01803 555 872.
16th March 2024:
Online Tickets Now Available
Two special trips have been organised during 2024 to raise funds for the Kingswear Castle Rebuild Appeal during KC’s Centenary Season. All proceeds of these sailings go directly to the
20th September 2023:
Waverley at Ipswich
Waverley is scheduled to make her first trip from Ipswich for 20 years on Saturday 23rd September with a second trip now scheduled for Thursday 5th October. Sailing down the
17th September 2023:
Waverley at Shoreham
There was a buzz of excitement at Shoreham Port on Wednesday 13th September as Waverley arrived for her inaugural cruise from the Port. Around 650 passengers joined the ship for
John Megoran recalls the heyday and decline paddle steamers, particularly the Weymouth based paddle steamers that he grew up with. He did not know then that he would go on to help restore, manage and be principal captain of Kingswear Castle for nearly 30 years.
18th May 1961:
Princess Elizabeth
Princess Elizabeth left Plymouth, where she had arrived for dry-docking from Dartmouth on Thursday 20th April, at 8.50am on Thursday 18th May 1961 bound for Torquay where she arrived at
17th May 1923:
Devonia
On Thursday 17th 1923 P & A Campbell’s Devonia arrived at Brighton having left Bristol at 8am and Cardiff at 9.45am the previous day for the positioning run round Lands
16th May 1949:
Lorna Doone
Red Funnel’s second Lorna Doone made her inaugural trip from Bournemouth on Monday 16th May 1949 with a party of distinguished guests entertained to lunch aboard including senior representatives from
15th May 1964:
Consul and Princess Elizabeth
On Friday 15th May 1964 both Consul and Princess Elizabeth were undergoing the final preparations for starting their seasons running in competition with each from the Weymouth Pleasure Pier the following day.
The latest threefour of 0 paddle steamer orientated articles produced monthly by John Megoran, author, manager and principal captain of Kingswear Castle for nearly 30 years on both the Medway and Thames as well as the River Dart.
May 2024:
Embassy 21st August 1958
Here is a lovely picture of Cosens’s Embassy coming into Totland Bay Pier on the Isle of Wight taken about 11.30am on Thursday 21st August 1958. Captain Rawle is on
April 2024:
Kingswear Castle 1988
For this month here is a short reminder of KC’s happy days on the Medway. It is difficult to believe now just how much the world has changed since those
March 2024:
Sirius Crosses the Atlantic
The paddle steamer Sirius is credited as being the first ship to cross the Atlantic under continuous steam power in 1838 the voyage taking fifteen days and ten hours. The
February 2024:
Talisman’s Last Summers
Between 1954 and 1966 Talisman spent her summers primarily running the ferry connections between Millport, Largs, Wemyss Bay and Rothesay. Yes she occasionally filled in for other steamers elsewhere sometimes
