September 2024:
Manning a Swiss Paddle Steamer
How are the Swiss paddle steamers manned and what is the route to becoming a captain? Each lake operates its own training scheme and structure but all require basically the
11th August 2024:
100th Birthday Flags
Two 100th birthday flags representing KC’s two previous commercial lives one on the River Dart, the other on the Rivers Medway and Thames. From 1924 up to 1965 KC flew
August 2024:
A Bournemouth Idyll
A lovely shot of Monarch alongside Bournemouth Pier. We know that Cosens bought her in time for the 1951 season and by 1954 she had acquired a crane on the
July 2024:
The Weymouth Paddle Steamer War
In 1964 just as overseas travel became a viable option for many, and widespread car ownership opened up opportunities previously only within the province of the better off, Weymouth suddenly
June 2024:
Boilers
Why did some paddle steamer boilers last longer than others? How come some elderly paddle steamers with careers way beyond their design lives took the same boiler with which they
May 2024:
Embassy 21st August 1958
Here is a lovely picture of Cosens’s Embassy coming into Totland Bay Pier on the Isle of Wight taken about 11.30am on Thursday 21st August 1958. Captain Rawle is on
April 2024:
Kingswear Castle 1988
For this month here is a short reminder of KC’s happy days on the Medway. It is difficult to believe now just how much the world has changed since those
March 2024:
Sirius Crosses the Atlantic
The paddle steamer Sirius is credited as being the first ship to cross the Atlantic under continuous steam power in 1838 the voyage taking fifteen days and ten hours. The
February 2024:
Talisman’s Last Summers
Between 1954 and 1966 Talisman spent her summers primarily running the ferry connections between Millport, Largs, Wemyss Bay and Rothesay. Yes she occasionally filled in for other steamers elsewhere sometimes
January 2024:
Embassy Replacement
Capt H F “Harry” Defrates was a keen exponent of paddle steamer preservation in the 1960s and was in the forefront of trying to find new lives for both Princess
December 2023:
Ryde & Sandown 1964
By 1964 British Railways still needed two paddle steamers Sandown and Ryde to provide extra capacity on busy summer Saturdays for their Portsmouth/Ryde route augmenting the capacity of their three
November 2023:
Balmoral 1968
Balmoral’s last season with Red Funnel was 1968 during which she operated the company’s excursion programme from June to September Sundays to Thursdays and provided additional sailings on the Southampton/West
October 2023:
Let’s Take a Closer Look
I have here with me a very large box stuffed full of hundreds of photographs of Chinese, Burmese and other Junks plus other disparate Far Eastern Craft including the ship
20th September 2023:
Waverley at Ipswich
Waverley is scheduled to make her first trip from Ipswich for 20 years on Saturday 23rd September with a second trip now scheduled for Thursday 5th October. Sailing down the
17th September 2023:
Waverley at Shoreham
There was a buzz of excitement at Shoreham Port on Wednesday 13th September as Waverley arrived for her inaugural cruise from the Port. Around 650 passengers joined the ship for
14th September 2023:
Waverley to Lulworth Cove
Waverley is scheduled to sail along the Dorset Coast viewing Anvil Point, St Albans Head, Chapman’s Pool, Worbarrow Bay and on towards Lulworth Cove leaving Swanage at 13.40 back 16.40
8th September 2023:
New Sandstone Steam Railway Book
The Sandstone Heritage Trust has just published a second book on the world famous Sandstone Steam Railway and Heritage collection in South Africa. “The Sandstone Steam Railway… the story continues”.
7th September 2023:
“Steam & Cruise” on KC
Retired Weymouth Harbourmaster and former Port of London Authority Director Peter Mole and Dave Richardson, who has spent forty years involved with steam trains in South Africa, took a “Steam
7th September 2023:
Waverley Meets Shieldhall
Waverley met up with Shieldhall off Bournemouth on Sunday 3rd September and in the western approaches to the Solent the following day. The Southampton based steamship Shieldhall had been staying
September 2023:
Weymouth Bank Holidays
From the mid eighteenth century Weymouth became the favoured holiday destination for the moneyed and aristocratic elites buoyed up by King George III’s decision to spend much of sixteen summers
