P & A Campbell did not resume sailings on the Sussex Coast until 1923 so, seeing a gap in the market, two other organisations fielded one steamer each in 1922 to take advantage of the opportunity.

Channel Excursions Ltd. purchased the Woolwich Belle (built 1891) and renamed her Queen of the South for their Sussex coast sailings.

The Cinque Ports Steam Navigation Company chartered Cosens’ Emperor of India (built 1906) and put her to work on coastal trips between the piers and longer day excursions to the Isle of Wight.

In the steamer notice I have here with me for Monday 4th to Sunday 10th September 1922 Emperor of India was scheduled to run between Brighton, Worthing and Beachy Head on the Monday; from Brighton and Worthing to Cowes on the Tuesday; between Brighton and Eastbourne on the Wednesday; from Brighton and Worthing to Sandown with a cruise round “the Mystery Tower” on the Thursday; between Brighton, Worthing and Beachy Head on the Friday; between Brighton and Eastbourne on the Saturday; and from Brighton and Worthing to Ryde on the Sunday.

For 1923 P & A Campbell came back to claim their position on the Sussex Coast.

Emperor of India was returned to Cosens. Queen of the South continued in competition with Campbells for one more season but after that was bought by the New Medway Steam Packet Company for whom she sailed until 1931. She was scrapped in 1932.

Emperor of India had a complete rebuild after the Second World War altering her look almost beyond all recognition and continued to operate on her old routes in the Weymouth, Swanage and Bournemouth arena until 1956.

After a glorious summer in 1955 with seemingly endless sunshine and flat calms 1956 was a different story. The weather was poor. There was loads of wind and rain. There was uncertainty in the minds of many with the Suez crisis and Britain’s invasion of Egypt making people wonder if World War 3 was about to break out. Emperor’s passengers loadings were weak.

Emperor was towed away from Weymouth to be scrapped in Belgium in January 1957 after only nine seasons running in her rebuilt and greatly enhanced style thirty five years after her one off adventure on the Sussex Coast in 1922.
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