Kingswear Castle Britain's last steam powered river paddle steamer
1924 - 2024
Sail on
Kingswear Castle
Kingswear Castle completed her 2023 season at the end of September. Thank you to all who have sailed on her during 2023 as well as those who have donated to our ongoing rebuild appeal.
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.
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Built in 1924 for service on the River Dart in Devon between Dartmouth and Totnes, Kingswear Castle was withdrawn in 1965.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.
19th April 2024:
2nd June Totnes Trip Update
Due to an overrun of work on other vessels at the Dartmouth Shipyard and the unplanned need for emergency repairs on another vessel Kingswear Castle’s annual refit and survey have
16th March 2024:
Online Tickets Now Available
Due to an overrun of work on other vessels at the Dartmouth Shipyard and the unplanned need for emergency repairs on another vessel Kingswear Castle’s annual refit and survey have
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
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.
24th April 1960:
Princess Elizabeth
On Sunday 24th April 1960 Princess Elizabeth was raising steam alongside at the John I Thornycroft shipyard in Northam, Southampton in preparation for running trials in Southampton Water and the Solent
23rd April 1977:
Waverley
On Saturday 23rd April 1977 Waverley ran her first trip of the season leaving Glasgow at 10am for a day trip to Greenock, Kilcreggan, Dunoon, Largs, Rothesay and Tighnabruaich where she
22nd April 1920:
Queen
On Thursday 22nd April 1920 Cosens’s paddle steamer Queen was sold to the Ardrossan Harbour Board. She had been built new for Cosens in 1883 with the hull constructed in Rotterdam
21st April 1962:
Cardiff Queen
On Easter Saturday 21st April 1962 P & A Campbell’s Cardiff Queen, under the command of Captain Leo Virgo, was rostered to pack in a variety of trip options to
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.
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
January 2024:
Embassy Replacement
Capt H F “Harry” Defrates was a keen exponent of paddle steamer preservation in the 1960s and was in the forefront of trying to find new lives for both Princess
