Monthly paddle steamer articles written by John Megoran, author, manager and principal captain of Kingswear Castle for nearly 30 years on the Medway and the Thames as well as the River Dart.
You can read more of John’s paddle steamer reminiscences in his regular Megoran’s Musings features on the Paddle Steamer Preservation Society website here.
Choose a year to see more Pictures of the Month:
December 2001:
Kingswear Castle Website Wins Award
We are delighted to be able to announce that the Kingswear Castle website was Commended in the South East England Tourism Awards Best Website Category 2000. Minister for Tourism, Film
November 2001:
Lake Neutchatel Paddle Steamer Neuchatel
Perhaps the most forgotten of all the wonderful paddle steamers in Switzerland (apart from amongst the residents of Neuchatel that is) is the little paddler Neuchatel which enjoys a static
October 2001:
Lake Lucerne Paddle Steamer Gallia
Capt Jorg Andrist takes the Lake Lucerne paddle steamer Gallia away from the pier at Brunnen on Wednesday the 19th September 2001, five days before the steamer’s withdrawal from service
September 2001:
Danish Paddle Steamer Hjejlen
The Danish paddle steamer Hjejlen was built in 1861 at the Baumgarten and Burmeister shipyard in Copenhagen and is still in service today on the Silkeborg Lakes one hundred and
August 2001:
Red Funnel Paddle Steamer Gracie Fields with Prams
Disposition of prams on top of the paddle box aboard the Red Funnel paddle steamer Gracie Fields in the late 1930s. An enhanced version of the Princess Elizabeth of 1927,
July 2001:
Lake Geneva Paddle Steamer Montreux
One of the great paddle steamer events of 2001 has been the return to service of the Montreux, dating from 1904, after a complete rebuild which included the installation of
June 2001:
Paddle Steamer Monarch 1924 – 1961
Forty years ago this summer, the beautiful paddle steamer Monarch was scrapped in Cork. Built as the Shanklin for the Southern Railway service from Portsmouth, Southsea and Stokes Bay to
May 2001:
Lake Brienz Paddle Steamer Lotschberg
The Lake Brienz paddle steamer Lotschberg was built in 1914 by Escher Wyss for service from Interlaken on Lake Brienz. She is 182ft long, has a breadth of 42ft and
April 2001:
Cosens’ Paddle Steamer Victoria
The paddle steamer Victoria was built for Cosens & Co in 1884. At one time or another she ran on pretty well all their routes but was mostly based at
March 2001:
Lake Maggiore Paddle Steamer Lombardia
Built by N Odero in 1908 for service on Lake Maggiore, the paddle steamer Lombardia was withdrawn in 1958, becoming a restaurant at Baveno. She was moved to Arona in
February 2001:
Lunch Aboard the Paddle Steamer Majestic
The menu for a trip aboard Cosens’ paddle steamer Majestic in 1914. This was an auspicious year for European paddlers with work proceeding on the construction of no less than
January 2001:
PSPS (Almost) Paddle Steamer Alumchine
In 1963 the paddle steamer Alumchine was the first paddler to be considered for purchase by the Paddle Steamer Preservation Society, four years before the Kingswear Castle was bought and
potm-footer