Supporting the preservation and operation of paddle steamers Waverley and Kingswear Castle
Waverley has taken her first voyage of 2023 where she made the journey from her Winter berth in Glasgow to the Garvel Dry Dock in Greenock. Waverley’s boilers were first fired up on Friday (10th March) and tested up to pressure on Tuesday (14th March). The following day her engine and paddles were turned for…
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Fancy a trip aboard Princess Elizabeth around the Isle of Wight just after the war?
Waverley’s Dry Dock 2023 Appeal reaches £150,000 as the first of the 2023 timetables are released.
Ever wondered how long a paddle steamer galley flue lasts before disintegrating? To find out take a look at the February Pictures of the Month on the KC website: Galley Flues – Kingswear Castle
An appeal has been launched to urgently raise the funds needed to afford Waverley’s upcoming dry dock in March and the start-up costs before she enters service. Paul Semple, Waverley’s General Manager, has made the following statement explaining the current situation: “Each year before Waverley can enter passenger service, she must be taken out the…
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We are delighted to announce that this week the Paddle Steamer Kingswear Castle Trust has signed an extended contract with the Dartmouth Steam Railway and River Boat Company ensuring that Kingswear Castle will be operating from her base at Dartmouth on the River Dart for a further 25 years. A spokesperson for the Paddle Steamer…
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Kingswear Castle ran on the Medway and Thames from 1985 to 2012 from her then base at the Historic Dockyard Chatham. To see how we did it and attracted passengers up the gangway click here: 12th January 1989: SEETB Excursions Fair – Kingswear Castle
Guy Hundy, who has died aged 79, was a long standing PSPS member, a trustee of the Paddle Steamer Kingswear Castle Trust and a regular contributor to Paddle Wheels. For an obituary on the KC website click here: Guy Hundy 1943 – 2022 – Kingswear Castle
Fancy two trips down the Thames in the summer of 1949 aboard Royal Daffodil and the then brand new Queen of the Channel? Check out the January Pictures of the Month on the Kingswear Castle website: January 2023: Two Thames Trips 1949 – Kingswear Castle
Check out progress on KC’s major rebuild by clicking here: 24th December 2022: KC Rebuild Update – Kingswear Castle
On Sunday 17th December 1989 KC ran a Santa Special on the River Medway. To find out more click here: 17th December 1989: Kingswear Castle – Kingswear Castle
The Lake Geneva paddle steamer Rhone is set to continue with her Sunday lunch cruises from Lausanne into the New Year and beyond. And the Italie is scheduled to replace Vevey on the lunch cruises from Geneva from 18th December. To have a look aboard and see more click here: 11th December 2022: PS Rhone…
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Take a trip back in time with us to 16th December 1989 when KC ran a Christmas buffet lunch cruise on the River Medway from Strood. To see how the day panned out click here: 16th December 1989: Kingswear Castle – Kingswear Castle
The Lake Geneva diesel electric paddler Helvetie was towed from Lausanne to Geneva by the Leman on 7th November 2022 to free up a berth in the Ouchy shipyard for the newly built Navibus which is nearing completion in the yard. After relatively little use in the previous decade, and in need of a major…
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It is with great sadness and regret that we announce the death of Myra Allen on 2 December 2022, after a long battle with Motor Neurone Disease.
KC and Waverley as well as other vessels featured in recent episodes of the Stormy Weather series on Times Radio. To tune in and hear the programme again click here: https://shows.acast.com/belle-books-and-stories/episodes/stormy-weather-kingswear-castle
Lewis and Celia Wood took a “day” trip from London to Oban and round Mull on King Geoge V, with time ashore at Staffa and Iona along the way, out overnight on Friday 10th July 1936, back overnight the following day. To follow their adventure and see how they got on check out the December…
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Take a look at the December Pictures of the Month about the Lake Lucerne paddle steamer Gallia on the KC website:
Paul Semple, Waverley’s General Manager, drew the winning tickets from the drum at the Scottish Branch Meeting on Thursday 10 November 2022. The winners were: 1st Prize £1000 cash Alistair McDonald of Dunoon 2nd Prize Waverley British Sailing Pass for 2 Charlie Barbour of Inverness 3rd Prize Waverley Area Sailing Pass for 2 Peter Hyndman…
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Derek Gawn has sent in some more fascinating and unique pics of KC in her Isle of Wight years when she was in company with Medway Queen and Ryde. Take a look: 11th November 2022: KC 1969/70 Update – Kingswear Castle
Pining for a paddle steamer trip? Suffering from withdrawal symptoms as the long winter nights draw in because you can’t get aboard a paddle steamer? Can’t wait ’till next summer? Then help is at hand. Take yourself off to Dr Switzerland where no less than two paddlers are scheduled to be in service on Lake…
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Tune in on Friday 4th November from 8.30pm for a feature about KC on the Michael Portillo Show on Times Radio
Derek Gawn has sent in some fascinating pictures he took as a schoolboy in 1969 of KC making one of her very few trips under her own steam during her time on the Isle of Wight. For more pictures and other details check out the Kingswear Castle website: 11th November 2022: KC 1969/70 Update –…
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For an update on KC’s rebuild and to see all the excellent work being done in Dartmouth to give our ship an extended life check out the latest news on the KC website October 2022: KC Rebuild Update – Kingswear Castle
The late Stafford Ellerman left meticulous records of his extensive travels both in this country and abroad. In this he followed the example his Uncle Lewis Wood. He was a civil servant by day at the Royal Arsenal at Woolwich but in his time away from work, and maybe at work too sometimes, he dreamed…
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On Monday 29th October Stadt Luzern’s outgoing Captain Kuno Stein and her new master Roger Maurer spent the day clearing the ship’s bridge and office.
We have just received some very good news from the M.V. Balmoral Fund. “Balmoral”, which has recently used in the making of a feature film, is being allowed to remain at her current berth outside the M Shed Museum on Princes Wharf until the spring. This means that she will not be moored at The…
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Chris Smith, who has died of a heart attack aged 60, played a central role in the return to service of KC in the 1980s and her subsequent operation and continued restoration on the Medway during the ensuing years for more than a quarter of a century. For more details check out the KC website:…
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When did the seasons end for the paddle steamers still in service in 1960? To find out take a look at the October Pictures of the Month on the KC website: October 2022: End of the 1960 Season – Kingswear Castle
The society’s activities in and the financial results for 2021 are now available to download. These will be considered by our AGM on 22 October 2022, details of which may be found here. We apologise that the link published in Paddle Wheels is incorrect. Review of the Year2021 was severely disrupted by the Coronavirus pandemic,…
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