Supporting the preservation and operation of paddle steamers Waverley and Kingswear Castle
The Humber Bridge opened on 24th June 1981 making the Hull – New Holland ferry service redundant. Amazingly, nearly fifty years later much of the Minerva Pier, the Hull paddle steamer terminal, remains albeit in rather derelict condition: Minerva Pier Hull – Kingswear Castle
At a loose end during the week 22 – 29 July 1934 and fancy a trip on a huge Cross Channel paddle steamer? Check out what was on offer by Balmoral this week back then: 22nd-29th July 1934: A Week in the Life of Balmoral – Kingswear Castle
In 1898 P & A Campbell sent their Cambria to compete with the paddle steamers running from Southampton and Bournemouth. The Southampton Company (later Red Funnel) responded by building the even larger Balmoral to fight back. She ran her first cruise for invited guests on 17th July 1900: 17th July 1900: Balmoral – Kingswear Castle
Jump in the time-machine and travel back nearly 80 years to 16th July 1947 to Bournemouth. What paddle steamer opportunities were on offer that day?: 16th July 1947: Embassy, Monarch and Princess Elizabeth – Kingswear Castle
On 15th July 1960, Cosens paddle steamer Consul ran the first of four day trips that season from Weymouth to Totland Bay IOW. To find out how she did it that day and how the tide massively affected this trip check out: 15th July 1960: Consul – Kingswear Castle
Rather surprisingly, given that it happened at the opposite end of the country, the Dorset Echo of 10 January 1934 reported that the Clyde paddle steamer Lucy Ashton had run into a shoal of herring off Kilcreggan, with hundreds of fish spun into the air by her paddle wheels. It was such a bizarre little…
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2026 is the 60th anniversary of the withdrawal of Cosens’ South Coast paddle steamer Embassy in 1966. She is remembered 60 years on in the July Pictures of the Month on the KC website: July 2026: 60 Years Since Embassy – Kingswear Castle
KC returned to service in sparkling form on Monday 15th June 2026 after completion of Phase 2 of her major rebuild. Once again she is running one hour harbour cruises from Dartmouth this season in connection with the steam train from Paignton on a regular basis. However she does not run every day. To check…
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Half a century ago, Capt Arthur Escudier (right) carried hundreds of thousands of passengers between Weymouth, the Channel Islands and France. His quiet competence — and the man himself — are remembered in the June Pictures of the Month on the KC website: June 2026: Capt Arthur Escudier – Kingswear Castle
The CGN’s Ouchy shipyard opened its gates to the public on 18–19 April 2026, offering a rare chance to see the engineering, craftsmanship and behind‑the‑scenes work that keeps the Léman paddle steamers and other ships in the fleet running. For a tour of the yard in pictures click here: May 2026: Ouchy Shipyard Open Days…
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The first steamship trip of the season on Lake Lucerne was taken by Stadt Luzern on Saturday 18th April sailing away from Lucerne at 11.12 to Fluelen 14.00 and back to Lucerne at 16.47. To take a look at some pics click here: 18th April 2026: Stadt Luzern Starts Season – Kingswear Castle
Tickets are now available online for KC’s only planned trip to Totnes this season on 8th September. You can book either for the round trip leaving Dartmouth at 3.30pm or as singles each way. All the ticket revenue will go to the KC Rebuild Appeal. To buy tickets click here: Shop – Kingswear Castle
The CGN is opening their Lausanne Ouchy Shipyard to the public on Saturday 18th and Sunday 19th April from 10.00 to 17.00. Visitors will be able to explore the various workshops and other under cover facilities at the yard. Admission is free but there is a charge of 15 francs for adults and 5 francs…
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Uri was in steam running trials on Lake Lucerne on Wednesday March 25. For more details of when she and other Swiss paddle steamers are due back in service click here: Uri Out on Trials – Kingswear Castle
On Friday 20th March Waverley entered Garvel Dry Dock for her annual out-of-the-water inspection and refit.
Members of the Paddle Steamer Kingswear Castle Trust Board, along with PSPS Chairman John Allen, visited KC in the Dartmouth Shipyard on 19th March to see how work on Phase 2 of her rebuild is progressing. All were very impressed with what they saw. For some pics click here: 19th March 2026: KC Rebuild Phase…
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Ever wondered if paddle steamer captains received pensions? To find out more check out the March Pictures of the Month on the KC website: March 2026: Paddle Steamer Captain Pensions – Kingswear Castle
Peter Walker, who looked after Kingswear Castle’s accounts for more than thirty five years, has died. For his obituary on the Kingswear Castle website click here: 4th February 2026: Peter Walker Obituary – Kingswear Castle
Three captains all living in the same road in Weymouth overlooking Portland Harbour with two of them in the same house? To find out more check out the Pictures of the Month on the Kingswear Castle website: February 2026: Three Sandsfoot Captains – Kingswear Castle
Illustrated progress report
KC was taken out of the water on the Old Mill covered slipway on Thursday 8th January. Work is continuing apace on Phase 2 of her major rebuild. This will include renewing the steelwork strake of the hull just below the deck forward of the paddle box both sides and renewing all the decking from…
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The results of the Waverley Grand Draw 2025.
Is Bognor Regis maybe one of the more forgotten UK paddle steamer piers? To find out more check out the November Pictures of the Month on the KC website: November 2025: Paddle Steamers at Bognor – Kingswear Castle
It was with great sadness that we heard earlier this week about the passing of our joint Patron, Prunella Scales at the age of 93. It was particularly poignant as it was less than a year ago since her husband Timothy West, our other joint Patron passed away. Prunella was an outstanding English actress, best…
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The Waverley Autumn Draw 2025 was organised by the London & home Counties Branch. The draw took place on 25 October at the Society’s National Annual General Meeting held in the Princess Royal Gallery at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard. The winning tickets were drawn by our President, Douglas McGowan MBE. The winners have all been notified…
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2025 was not a good summer season for the CGN paddle steamers on Lake Geneva with only the diesel electric Italie and Vevey in service during the peak weeks out of a total of eight paddlers on the lake. To find out more click here: Season 2025 Lake Geneva – Kingswear Castle
Don’t forget that a post pops up on the Paddle Steamer Kingswear Castle website every day of the year about what some paddle steamer or other was doing somewhere, sometime in the past on this day. At present there are 410 of them to be enjoyed: Megoran’s Musings – Kingswear Castle
The Dampferzeitung magazine has asked the managements of paddle steamers on a number of the Swiss lakes for their assessments of how the 2025 season has panned out for them. To find out more: 2025 Season in Switzerland – Kingswear Castle
Three cruises are planned this summer season to raise funds for Phase 2 of KC’s major Rebuild Appeal. For more details click here: 19th March 2024: KC 2025 Fundraising Cruises – Kingswear Castle
The weather has not been kind to Waverley for her visit to the South West this year. But she did make it to Dartmouth to meet KC on Saturday 30th September and on Monday 1st September was able to run from Dartmouth at 10.45 with a call at Torquay at 12.15 to Weymouth where she…
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