Kingswear Castle
Britain's last steam powered river paddle steamer

100th Anniversary
1924 - 2024

Sail on
Kingswear Castle

Kingswear Castle has finished her 2024 season. She will return for her 101st year in the Spring of 2025. 

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Built in 1924 for service on the River Dart in Devon between Dartmouth and Totnes, Kingswear Castle was withdrawn in 1965.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.

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.

Articles to enjoy
0
On this day 89 years ago

19th June 1935:
Royal Eagle

On Wednesday 19th June 1935 Royal Eagle was scheduled to sail from London Tower Pier at 9.20am down the Thames with calls at Greenwich, North Woolwich, Tilbury, Southend and Margate

Read More
64 years ago

18th June 1960:
Monarch

On Saturday 18th June 1960 Monarch departed from her usual Saturday schedule in June on the Swanage service to run a special trip to view the Royal Yacht Britannia with

Read More
68 years ago

17th June 1956:
Bournemouth Queen

On Sunday 17th June 1956 Red Funnel’s paddle steamer Bournemouth Queen ran down and sliced in half a sailing dinghy off Fawley in Southampton Water on her scheduled run on

Read More
71 years ago

16th June 1953:
Bristol Queen

Bristol Queen arrived back in Southampton at 1.10am on Tuesday 16th June 1953 after spending the previous day on charter for the Spithead Naval Review to Thomas Cook which included

Read More

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.

Articles to enjoy
0

May 2025:
Red Funnel 1936/39

The steamer notice from July 5th to September 27th 1936 for Red Funnel’s “Daily Steam Packet Service from Southampton to Cowes, Ryde and Southsea” lists the paddle steamers taking sailings

Read More

April 2025:
Yarmouth Pier IOW

Before Yarmouth Pier was opened in 1876 paddle steamers called inside Yarmouth Harbour on various Solent connections from Lymington, Southampton, Cowes and Portsmouth with the Solent Steamship Company becoming the

Read More

March 2025:
Audrey

Capt Shippick’s Audrey has a significant place in Medway and Thames excursion steamer history in providing one of the earliest links in the chain of expansion which culminated in the

Read More