Kingswear Castle Britain's last steam powered river paddle steamer
Sail on
Kingswear Castle
Kingswear Castle sails on the River Dart each summer and is operated on behalf of the Paddle Steamer Kingswear Castle Trust by the Dartmouth Steam Railway and River Boat Company.
For tickets, timetables and sailing information click the button below.
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Built in 1924 for service on the River Dart in Devon between Dartmouth and Totnes, Kingswear Castle was withdrawn in 1965.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
It is now more than thirty-five years since we returned Kingswear Castle to service. Work commenced during winter 2021 and is planned to be undertaken in three phases.
Find out more about the rebuild and how you can help secure her future for the next thirty-five years.
23rd April 2022:
KC Update
As the scale of the necessary work for Phase 1 of KC’s rebuild has unfolded as the aft part of the ship has been dismantled her return to service this
2nd April 2022:
KC Rebuild Presentation
Click on the link below to tune in to John Megoran’s YouTube presentation about rebuilding paddle steamers in general and Kingswear Castle in particular:
28th February 2022:
Rebuild Update
Work continues on Phase 1 of KC’s rebuild at Dartmouth renewing steelwork of the hull and structure of the ship as necessary and all the decks from the aft boiler
May 2022:
Brighton Trips 1910
In late May and early June of 1910 P & A Campbell’s steamer trips from the Sussex Coast piers at Brighton, Eastbourne and Hastings were in the hands of their
April 2022:
North Wales 1938
In the summer season of 1938 either the St Tudno or the St Seiriol was due away from the Liverpool Landing Stage at 10.45am every day up to September 26th
March 2022:
Sussex Coast 1957
With fierce competition from Cosens and what became Red Funnel, P & A Campbell moved their south coast operating base from Southampton to the Sussex Coast shortly after the start
February 2022:
Lake Geneva Paddler Italie
This winter the Lake Geneva paddler Italie is rostered to be in service operating a lunch cruise every Sunday in January, February, March and on up to 10th April leaving
