Kingswear Castle Britain's last steam powered river paddle steamer
Sail on
Kingswear Castle
Kingswear Castle is operated on behalf of the Paddle Steamer Kingswear Castle Trust by the Dartmouth Steam Railway and River Boat Company.
Kingswear Castle will not be sailing during 2022 while she undergoes a year-long major rebuild. She will return to service in 2023.
Meantime you can still enjoy summer sails on the River Dart by the Dartmouth Steam Railway and River Boat Company.
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Built in 1924 for service on the River Dart in Devon between Dartmouth and Totnes, Kingswear Castle was withdrawn in 1965.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. A year-long major rebuild commenced in winter 2021 that will see her return to service again in 2023.
Find out more about the rebuild and how you can help secure her future for the next thirty-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.
24th May 2023:
John Megoran talk about KC Rebuild
To listen to the talk by Paddle Steamer Kingswear Castle Trust chairman John Megoran about why KC’s rebuild was necessary and the progress so far click here:
23rd May 2023:
More KC Rebuild Pics
Work is progressing with completion of Phase 1 of KC’s major rebuild with a view to her returning to service on the River Dart sometime in July. A big thank
19th May 2023:
Dartmouth Steam Railway 50th Anniversary
The Dartmouth Steam Railway celebrated its 50th anniversary with a special trip for invited guests on Friday 19th May on the train from Paignton to Kingswear and then aboard one
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.
8th June 1954:
Marchioness of Lorne
Tuesday 8th June 1954 was the last day in service of the paddle steamer Marchioness of Lorne. She had already been displaced the previous summer from her old run between
7th June 1911:
Princess Mary
On Tuesday 7th June 1911 work was continuing on putting the finishing touches to the Southampton, Isle of Wight and South of England Royal Mail Steam Packet Company’s (later rebranded
6th June 1960:
Sussex Queen
Whit Monday June 6th 1960 was scheduled to be the Sussex Queen’s second operating day of her first season sailing on the Sussex Coast. Steamer notices had been produced and
4th June 1919:
Duchess of Devonshire
Duchess of Devonshire made her first trips of the 1919 season on P & A Campbells’s Cardiff to Weston ferry service on Wednesday 4th June under the command of Capt
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.
June 2023:
June 1953 Bournemouth
By the middle of May 1953 Embassy was back in service running predominantly from Bournemouth to Totland Bay and Yarmouth Isle of Wight. Monarch was on the Bournemouth/Swanage service. They
May 2023:
Dresden Shipyard Visit
On Saturday 15th April 2023 two tours of the Laubergast Shipyard near Dresden were offered with the first setting off from Dresden aboard the PS Pillnitz shortly before 10am. A
April 2023:
London Belle
The late Stafford Ellerman’s Uncle Lewis Wood drew a number of pictures of ships of all sizes including a handful of the paddle steamers he had sailed on in his
March 2023:
Princess Elizabeth Around the IOW
The late Stafford Ellerman’s Uncle Lewis and Auntie Celia were inveterate travellers on liners and coastal excursion steamers. Lewis kept meticulous diaries of their voyages complete with pictures he took
