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Built in 1924 for service on the River Dart in Devon between Dartmouth and Totnes, Kingswear Castle was withdrawn in 1965.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.
6th August 2022:
KC Rebuild Fund Raising Cruise
There are still some tickets available for the KC Rebuild Fund Raising Cruise aboard Dart Explorer leaving Dartmouth at 6.15pm due back 8pm on Saturday 13th August priced at Adult
31st July 2022:
First Lady Paddle Steamer Captain
The SGV Company has this season appointed Captain Rebecca Benz to be the first lady in the company’s history to command a paddle steamer on Lake Lucerne. She joined the
14th July 2022:
Recording for Times Radio aboard KC
Railway historian Tim Dunn was aboard KC in the shipyard on Thursday 14th July to record a piece called Stormy Weather about paddle steamers for Michael Portillo’s slot on Times
August 2022:
Consul’s 1960 Season
Consul started her 1960 season on Saturday June 4th by running a shuttle service to Portland Navy Days from the Weymouth Pleasure Pier with departures on the hour every hour
July 2022:
Embassy’s Catering 1960s
Embassy had her galley positioned on the port side sponson abaft the paddle box. The porthole closest to the camera in this picture was for the pantry which contained a
June 2022:
Thames & Sussex Coast Revival 1969
Although the excursion trade initially boomed in the aftermath of the Second World War, by the middle of the 1950s it was in steep decline. By the second half of
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
