Kingswear Castle Britain's last steam powered river paddle steamer
1924 - 2024
Sail on
Kingswear Castle
Kingswear Castle has finished her 2025 season. She will return in 2026 for her 102nd year of service.
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Built in 1924 for service on the River Dart in Devon between Dartmouth and Totnes, Kingswear Castle was withdrawn in 1965.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.
31st March 2026:
Don’t miss KC’s only planned trip to Totnes in 2026
Join Kingswear Castle on Tuesday 8th September 2026 for her only planned sailing to Totnes this year. Kingswear Castle will depart Dartmouth at 3.30pm, call at Totnes 5.15pm, due back
27th March 2026:
Uri Out on Trials
Uri was in steam and running trials on Lake Lucerne on Wednesday 25th March. As you can see in the pic the deck seats are still wrapped up for her
19th March 2026:
KC Rebuild Phase 2 Update
Members of the Paddle Steamer Kingswear Castle Trust board, along with PSPS Chairman John Allen, visited KC in the Dartmouth shipyard on Thursday 19th March to see how the work
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.
1st April 2026:
Emperor of India Bell Found
The bell from Cosens’ paddle steamer Emperor of India has turned up in a house clearance in Southbourne of a property owned by the estate of the granddaughter of a
31st March 1957:
Cdr Johnston DSC RN (Rtd)
Following the departure of Captain Baker at the end of the 1956 season, Cosens appointed Cdr T Johnston to become their Bournemouth manager in March 1957 to take his place.
30th March 1949:
Duchess of Cornwall
The operational career of Red Funnel’s Duchess of Cornwall finished at the end of March 1949. She had been built in 1896 by Barclay Curle on the Clyde as Duchess of
29th March 1955:
Cosens’s AGM
Cosens & Co Limited held their Annual General Meeting at 12.15pm on Tuesday 29th March 1955 in the company’s board room in their office in Weymouth at which they presented
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 2026:
Other Weymouth Mariners
Looking through copies of the Dorset Echo from days gone by provides a fascinating insight into the ups, downs and other titbits about Weymouth and its nautical community. Take the
March 2026:
Paddle Steamer Captain Pensions
To some extent there has been some sort of support for the elderly since Medieval times through family, charity, guilds or the church but it was not until the 19C
February 2026:
Three Sandsfoot Captains
After the First World War a London builder named Edwin Denton set himself up in Weymouth. He bought the land overlooking Portland Harbour between Sandsfoot Castle and the beach in
January 2026:
Three Men in a Boat
Note the eau de nil green paint. This was around the time that surgeons started to wear green gowns in operating theatres allegedly because it was a more soothing colour
