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 2016:
Paddle Steamer Embassy Model
Chris Wood (pictured above left at the helm of the Fairmile B Poole Belle (2) with Neil “Smiler” Purdy, right) has not only enjoyed two highly successful professional careers simultaneously
November 2016:
Paddle Steamer Waverley 1966
1966 was the year that a new livery was adopted for the British Railways fleet with greenish-blue hulls and funnels in orangey-red with a black top adorned with the new
October 2016:
The Four British Paddlers Withdrawn 50 Years Ago in 1966
After the Second World War around sixty ferry and excursion paddle steamers were operational on the rivers, estuaries and coast of the UK. Although five were built for service after
September 2016:
Last Trips of the 1932 Portsmouth Paddle Steamer Excursion Season
The last excursions of the summer season 1932 for the Southern Railway Portsmouth based paddlers Whippingham (pictured) and Southsea were on Sunday 25th and Monday 26th September. On the Sunday
August 2016:
Paddle Steamer Italie Trials 21st July 2016
Italie being restored in the shipyard at Ouchy in 2015. For a video of Italie leaving the shipyard for its first test run click here.
July 2016:
Paddle Steamer Queen of the South Summer 1966
Under the leadership of Capt Stanley Woods, seen here on the bridge of the Princess Elizabeth in 1965, the former Clyde paddle steamer Jeanie Deans was transformed into the Queen
June 2016:
Paddle Steamer Embassy Starts Her Last Season 1966
Half a century ago, 1966 was the Embassy’s last season in service. Cosens had a busy winter in 1965/66 re-fitting not only the railway ships at Weymouth but also converting
May 2016:
Paddle Steamer Princess Elizabeth 1962
After two poor seasons running from Torquay, which culminated in her being banned by the Local Authority, Princess Elizabeth retreated to Weymouth Harbour in September 1961 to lay up for
April 2016:
Paddle Steamer Compton Castle Engine Bought by PSKC Trust
Built in 1914 Kingswear Castle’s sister Compton Castle ran up and down the Dart until 1962. For some years after that she was a static tea-shop at Kingsbridge during which
March 2016:
Paddle Steamer Company Brings Electrical Expertise to Weymouth
Cosens & Co was a dominant force in Weymouth from the middle of the nineteenth century for a hundred years. The business is remembered largely as the operators of elderly
February 2016:
Paddle Steamer Manager Charles Kaile
In December 1958 Charles Henry James Kaile (left) retired as secretary and general manager of Cosens after a career of 56 years with the company and was presented with an
January 2016:
Paddle Steamer Monarch to the Rescue
The paddle steamer Monarch, seen here approaching Bournemouth Pier on the 28th August 1954, spent most of her decade in Cosens’s fleet from 1951 to 1960 running backwards and forwards
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