The Dartmouth Steam Railway celebrated its 50th anniversary with a special trip for invited guests on Friday 19th May on the train from Paignton to Kingswear and then aboard one of the company’s boats for a trip on the river complete with buffet lunch.
Managing director of Dartmouth Steam Railway & Riverboat Company John Jones said the anniversary was a lovely opportunity to thank everyone involved in the business over the years and said that the journey was the most picturesque in the country.
For the celebrations, people who worked for the business when it first opened under the Dart Valley Railway in 1973 joined other guests for this special private charter of the train from Paignton to Kingswear.
There were about 95 guests in attendance for the celebration with the steam train giving five short whistles one for every 10 years.
The railway line was taken over from British Rail in 1973 under the banner of the Dart Valley Railway thereby preventing the threatened closure of the line.
In 2010 the railway also took over operating the boats on the river becoming the Dartmouth Steam Railway & River Boat Company.
The Paddle Steamer Kingswear Castle Trust recently signed an extended 25 year contract to run sailings on the River Dart with Kingswear Castle on charter to the Dartmouth Steam railway and River Boat Company.
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
