The new etched glass for Kingswear Castle's windows has arrived and fitting has commenced. Each depicts the castle on the River Dart from which Kingswear Castle derives her name. The glass has been etched by Goddard and Gibbs and has been funded with sponsorship from the London Branch of the Paddle Steamer Preservation Society from the proceeds of raffles run aboard Kingswear Castle in 2005.

Kingswear Castle was originally scheduled to go up the Acorn slipway at Strood on Tuesday 7th March 2006 but delay followed delay as more and more problems were discovered on the vessel that she was following. Eventually the slipway became clear on Tuesday 28th March and Kingswear Castle was hauled out of the water. With the crew and shipyard working flat out, the life-rafts were craned off, the hull and paddle wheels where cleaned and painted, the ship was surveyed and re-launched less than a week later on Monday 3rd April. Even the life-rafts made it back from their annual opening up and inspection in record time arriving at the shipyard just before Kingswear Castle slid back into the water. Now KC is back at Thunderbolt Pier and work is continuing apace to get her ready for the first sailings during the Easter weekend.

The aft saloon full of tins of paint and various boiler mountings.

The new stainless steel boiler water feed tank recently installed in the engine room.

Refit work has been continuing aboard Kingswear Castle since November. The valve chest with connections for various bilge and fire pump suctions etc. has been ashore to the workshop and stripped down for a major refurbishment.

The steam end of the circulating pump has also been ashore and given a thorough overhaul.

New decks and lino have been laid in the forward saloon loos.

Since early January, Chris and Daniel Smith have been at work renewing the raised deck aft.