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 2014:
Paddle Steamer Balmoral Breakdown
Built in 1900, the Balmoral was the crack long distance excursion paddle steamer of what came to be called Red Funnel emerging from her winter slumbers for only the peak
November 2014:
Paddle Steamer Loss
Wars are pretty unpleasant for all who get caught up in their trail of killing, blowing up and destruction. But there are those for whom wars are seriously good news.
October 2014:
End of South Coast Paddle Steamer Season 1960
In 1960 there were still eleven paddle steamers offering trips along the South Coast of England between Hastings in the east and Plymouth in the west. With the exception of
September 2014:
Sea-Going Paddle Steamer Weather and Other Issues
Weather was ever a problem for large sea-going excursion paddle steamer operators. If it was dull or rainy passengers did not want to sail. If it was too windy, the
August 2014:
New Book on River Conwy Paddle Steamers
With the blossoming of Victorian tourism in the 1840s, the beautiful Conwy Valley in North Wales, with its healthy climate and picturesque scenery, became immensely popular. The rediscovery of an
July 2014:
Paddle Steamer Lorna Doone at War
Amongst the many news stories in the May 2nd 1941 edition of “The War Illustrated” including “In Bombed, Blasted and Burnt London the Doctor Stands By”, “Belgrade: Tragic Capital of
June 2014:
Paddle Steamers at Eastbourne June 1927
June 1927 saw three paddle steamers from the P & A Campbell fleet based at Newhaven and offering a wide range of trips along the Sussex Coast. According to this
May 2014:
Paddle Steamer Medway Queen Then and Now
The Medway Queen Preservation Society held open days for their members and for the general public on Saturday 26th and Sunday 27th April at their base in Gillingham, Kent. Here
April 2014:
Paddle Steamer “Stop That Thief”
The October 1948 edition of the Southern Region Magazine of the newly formed British Railways has on its cover a picture of Lady Missenden, wife of Sir Eustace Missenden, Chairman
March 2014:
Paddle Steamer Passenger Prosecuted
Peter Lamb has sent in an interesting press cutting of a court case involving the non-payment of a pier toll for Bournemouth Pier, shown above with Cosens’s paddle steamer Victoria
February 2014:
Last Clyde Season of the Jeanie Deans
Fifty summers ago, in 1964, there were still four paddle steamers operating on the Clyde, the Jeanie Deans, (pictured above) Waverley, Caledonia and Talisman. Built in 1931, the Jeanie Deans
January 2014:
Paddle Steamer Bilsdale
The paddle steamer Bilsdale started life as the Lord Roberts built by W Allsup and Son of Preston in 1900 for the Great Yarmouth Steam Tug Company’s excursion services along
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