Kingswear Castle
Britain's last steam powered river paddle steamer

100th Anniversary
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Built in 1924 for service on the River Dart in Devon between Dartmouth and Totnes, Kingswear Castle was withdrawn in 1965.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.

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.

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Articles to enjoy
On this day 22 years ago

19th March 2001:
Kingswear Castle

On 19th March 2001 Kingswear Castle was at the Acorn Shipyard at Strood undergoing major works. It was a busy time for renewals. Not only was a new boiler built for

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73 years ago

17th March 1950:
Waverley

Given her subsequent career trajectory it is easy to think of Waverley as having been built primarily as an excursion paddle steamer which of course to some extent she was.

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64 years ago

16th March 1959:
Consul

On Monday 16th March 1959 Consul was up on Cosens’s own slipway in Weymouth for underwater survey and hull painting. She had been towed from her layup berth in Weymouth just

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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.

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Articles to enjoy

December 2023:
Ryde & Sandown 1964

By 1964 British Railways still needed two paddle steamers Sandown and Ryde to provide extra capacity on busy summer Saturdays for their Portsmouth/Ryde route augmenting the capacity of their three

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