Although primarily engaged on the Hull/New Holland ferry service the three Humber paddle steamers Lincoln Caste, Tattershall Castle and Wingfield Castle also undertook some excursions. For example, on Sundays from 17th May to 6th September 1959 one of the three picked up passengers at Hull at 11am for a day trip down the Humber to arrive at the Royal Dock Basin in Grimsby at 12.30pm where those who wanted could make an easy connection to the beach at Cleethorpes.
Monday 29th June 1959 was the first weekday of the season when this trip was also offered.
Whilst at Grimsby the opportunity was taken to offer a two hour afternoon cruise leaving at 2.30pm to view the Spurn Peninsula and Spurn Head on the north shore of the Humber with the steamer notice making very clear that “Landing facilities will not be afforded at Spurn.”
After that the morning passengers came back aboard for a 6pm departure from Grimsby back up the Humber in the cool of the evening to arrive in Hull at 7.30pm.
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 29th June 2021.
