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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Articles to enjoy
77 years ago

28th September 1945:
Empress

Just three weeks after the surrender of Japan brought the Second World war to a close, Cosens’s paddle steamer Empress set off from Weymouth for the Medway on 26th September

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59 years ago

27th September 1963:
Embassy

Embassy’s last trips of the 1963 season were scheduled for Thursday 26th September for a departure from Poole Quay at 9am for Bournemouth from where she was due to leave

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66 years ago

26th September 1956:
Britannia

Wednesday 26th September 1956 was the last day in service of P & A Campbell’s one time flagship paddle steamer Britannia. This was later than had been planned. Indeed Britannia

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59 years ago

25th September 1963:
Consul

On Wednesday 25th September 1963 Consul was due back in Weymouth after a pretty disastrous season trying to run from Brighton, Eastbourne and Hastings followed by a somewhat difficult week

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57 years ago

24th September 1965:
Vecta

At the end of the 1965 season P & A Campbell bought Red Funnel’s Isle of Wight excursion vessel and Southampton/Cowes ferry Vecta to join their Bristol Channel fleet. She

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67 years ago

23rd September 1955:
Consul

Friday 23rd September was the last scheduled day of the 1955 season for Consul with an “Afternoon Tea Cruise to the Bill of Portland” advertised in the steamer notice for

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64 years ago

22nd September 1958:
Glen Usk

On Monday 22nd September 1958 Glen Usk was withdrawn from service earlier in the season than had been planned and was replaced by Cardiff Queen. The previous day, Sunday 21st

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37 years ago

21st September 1985:
Kingswear Castle

After having been returned to operational condition with full passenger certificates in May 1985, Kingswear Castle ran a trip from Strood and the Historic Dockyard Chatham on 21st September through

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81 years ago

20th September 1941:
Portsdown

The Southern Railway paddle steamer Portsdown hit a recently laid German mine and sank while on passage between Portsmouth and Ryde on the 4am mail run on Saturday 20th September

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64 years ago

17th September 1958:
Bristol Queen

On Wednesday 17th September 1958 Bristol Queen was de-stored and prepared for her winter lay-up having finished her summer season the previous day. For her last day in service on

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58 years ago

16th September 1964:
Cardiff Queen

Cardiff Queen’s schedule on the Cardiff/Weston ferry service on Wednesday 16th September 1964 was interrupted by the wind which by the afternoon was gusting up to gale force 8 She

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88 years ago

15th September 1934:
Brighton Belle

Around 9am on Saturday 15th September 1934 whilst leaving Newhaven Harbour Brighton Belle’s high pressure cylinder cracked. In his excellent book “The Story of Campbell’s Steamers Volume 2” Chris Collard

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59 years ago

13th September 1963:
Consul

On Friday 13th September 1963 Consul was on the way from the Sussex Coast to London to undertake a charter for “A Week’s Frolic” to the paddle steamer loving Don

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58 years ago

12th September 1964:
Waverley

On Saturday 12th September 1964 the large turbine steamer Duchess of Hamilton was on charter so her usual roster from Gourock (9.20am) Dunoon (9.40am), Rothesay (10.15am) and Largs (10.50am) to

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60 years ago

10th September 1962:
Consul

1962 was not a good summer for weather. Mr Lloyd-Worth, who had the contract for providing the catering aboard Consul alongside his other role as a publican in Easton on

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85 years ago

10th September 1937:
Eastbourne

On Friday 10th September 1937 there were nine trip options offered from Eastbourne Pier by two paddle steamers. In 1936 P & A Campbell had based four paddle steamers on

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72 years ago

9th September 1950:
Royal Eagle

Saturday 9th September 1950 was scheduled to be the penultimate day in service of the 1950 season for Royal Eagle with a roster to leave Tower Pier (8.30am) for Greenwich

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59 years ago

8th September 1963:
Medway Queen

Sunday 8th September 1963 was Medway Queen’s last day in service. She left Strood Pier at 9.15am, sailed down the Medway and across the Thames Estuary to Southend for 11am

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62 years ago

7th September 1960:
Monarch

Wednesday 7th September 1960 was Monarch’s penultimate day in service. She was due away from Poole (9.15am) for Bournemouth (10.15am – 10.45am), Swanage (11.30am), Bournemouth (12.15pm – 2.30pm), Swanage (3.15pm),

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108 years ago

5th September 1914:
Monarch & Majestic

On Saturday 5th September 1914 Monarch was advertised for a trip leaving Bournemouth at 10.25am, Boscombe 10.40am and Swanage 11.25am for Weymouth where three hours ashore were offered with a

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