Megoran’s Musings

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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72 years ago

5th May 1953:
Monarch

On Tuesday 5th May 1953 Cosens’s paddle steamers Monarch and Embassy left Weymouth at the crack of dawn for Southampton where they entered the same drydock shortly after mid-day. This

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63 years ago

5th May 1962:
Cardiff Queen

On Saturday 5th May 1962 Cardiff Queen, under the command of Captain Leo Virgo, was rostered to run on the Cardiff/Weston ferry. Having started the day before Good Friday on

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72 years ago

4th May 1953:
Maid of the Loch

On Monday 4th May 1953 Maid of the Loch ran trials on Loch Lomond under the command of Captain Donald MacDonald. Ordered from the Clyde shipyard of A & J Inglis

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91 years ago

2nd May 1934:
Sandown

On Wednesday 2nd May 1934 Sandown was in the fitting out basin at Denny’s yard at Dumbarton having been launched the day before. She had been ordered on 30th November

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6 years ago

1st May 2019:
Dresden

On 1st May 2019 there was a paddle steamer parade on the River Elbe setting off from Dresden and sailing up river in consort. There was much blowing of whistles,

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89 years ago

30th April 1936:
Kenilworth

At her annual dry-docking in the run up to the 1936 season the Board of Trade started to make noises about the amount of work which would be needed to

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64 years ago

29th April 1961:
Medway Queen

On Saturday 29th April 1961 members of the London and Home Counties Branch of the PSPS visited Medway Queen on the grid at the Acorn Shipyard at Strood. They were greeted

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124 years ago

28th April 1901:
Majestic

On Sunday 28th April 1901 the freshly built Majestic was lying alongside at the shipyard of A & J Inglis (which 46 years later would build our own Waverley) with

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61 years ago

27th April 1964:
Consul

On 27th April 1964 Consul left Weymouth under the command of Capt Cyril “Chum” Holleyoak, formerly of Consul (1961), Embassy (1962) and Princess Elizabeth (1963), for slipping at Poole but

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98 years ago

26th April 1927:
Waverley

On Tuesday 26th April 1927 P & A Campbell’s paddle steamer Waverley was scheduled to start the day at Newhaven before picking up at Brighton at 9.20am, Eastbourne at 10.50am

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62 years ago

25th April 1963:
Bristol Queen

Having finally completed her overhaul by Cosens, Bristol Queen was moved out from the Weymouth Backwater and through the Town Bridge on Thursday 25th April 1963 with Capt John Iliffe

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65 years ago

24th April 1960:
Princess Elizabeth

On Sunday 24th April 1960 Princess Elizabeth was raising steam alongside at the John I Thornycroft shipyard in Northam, Southampton in preparation for running trials in Southampton Water and the Solent

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48 years ago

23rd April 1977:
Waverley

On Saturday 23rd April 1977 Waverley ran her first trip of the season leaving Glasgow at 10am for a day trip to Greenock, Kilcreggan, Dunoon, Largs, Rothesay and Tighnabruaich where she

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105 years ago

22nd April 1920:
Queen

On Thursday 22nd April 1920 Cosens’s paddle steamer Queen was sold to the Ardrossan Harbour Board. She had been built new for Cosens in 1883 with the hull constructed in Rotterdam

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