On Saturday 24th May 1969 Caledonia ran a “Kirk Cruise” from Gourock to Tarbet on charter to Rutherglen West Parish Church.
She had been slipped at Lamonts at Port Glasgow in early February for a refit which included shortening her masts to enable her to pass under the new Kingston Bridge on her way to and from Glasgow.
Her first public sailing of the year was on 12th April from Craigendoran to Tignabruaich and from the 14th to 23rd April she relieved the Lochfyne on the Gourock/Tarbert mail service.
1969 was to be Caledonia’s last season in service. She made her last public sailing on Wednesday 8th October, again relieving on the Gourock/Tarbert run, before being laid up for sale.
Kingswear Castle returned to service in 2023 after the first part of a major rebuild which is designed to set her up for the next 25 years running on the River Dart. The Paddle Steamer Kingswear Castle Trust is now fund raising for the second phase of the rebuild. You can read more about the rebuilds and how you can help if you can here.
John Megoran
This article was first published on 24th May 2021.
