Supporting the preservation and operation of paddle steamers Waverley and Kingswear Castle
Living in London Saturday 1 August 1936? Fancy a trip on one of the new electric trains to Brighton, then on to Shanklin IOW by paddle steamer and home again for supper? Here’s how it was done: 1st August 1936: London to Shanklin via Brighton – Kingswear Castle
In 1939 the newly arrived Vecta displaced Princess Elizabeth on the Southampton/Cowes ferry which was sent to Bournemouth for the summer displacing PS Corfe Castle. Then Bournemouth Queen had boiler trouble so by Monday 31st July it was all change again: 31st July 1939: Bournemouth – Kingswear Castle
On Monday 30 July 1962 my 10 year old self took my Auntie Mary on a morning cruise from Weymouth to Lulworth Cove on Consul. This is what happened: 30th July 1962: Consul – Kingswear Castle
In the peak days of the 1962 season Consul ran seven days a week, the only respite for her crew being on days trips were cancelled due to the weather. On Sunday 29 July she offered two afternoon cruises and an evening Jazz Cruise. To find out more: 29th July 1962: Consul – Kingswear Castle
On Thursday 28 July 1960 you could have enjoyed a day trip from Torquay to Plymouth aboard PS Princess Elizabeth and got back almost an hour late. For more about this very long day: 28th July 1960: Princess Elizabeth – Kingswear Castle
If we had been in Bournemouth on Thursday 27th July 1899 we could have bought a ticket to join PS Brodick Castle for a day trip to Totland Bay, Cowes or Portsmouth. For more details: 27th July 1899: Brodick Castle – Kingswear Castle
As paddle steamers pitch and roll in a seaway water is forced up into the paddle boxes one after the other choking and impeding the rotation of the paddle wheels. How did P & A Campbell try to solve this paddle steamer problem: August 2026: Paddle Box Freeing Ports – Kingswear Castle
Fancy a trip around the IOW on Thursday 26th July 1934 from Southampton aboard PS Lorna Doone with calls along the way at Ryde, Southsea, Sandown, Shanklin and Ventnor? This is how the day panned out with pics: 26th July 1934: Lorna Doone – Kingswear Castle
King George V conducted an inspection of over 200 warships, airships and seaplanes in the Solent during the weekend 25- 27 July 1924. This brought a bonanza for local paddle steamer operators: 25th-27th July 1924: The King’s Spithead Inspection – Kingswar Castle
68 years ago on Thursday 24th July 1958 we could have boarded P & A Campbell’s Cardiff Queen in Swansea for a day trip to Ilfracombe, Clovelly or on to land on Lundy Island. To find out more: 24th July 1958: Cardiff Queen – Kingswear Castle
Had you found yourself at a loose end in Grimsby on the afternoon of Tuesday 23rd July 1935 you could have bought a ticket for the 2 hour afternoon cruise towards Spurn Head aboard the paddle steamer Killingholme: 23rd July 1935: Killingholme – Kingswear Castle
Some paddle steamers ran exciting long day trips to far flung and distant destinations many miles away. Some didn’t. One of the the latter was Ryde. So how did she fill her days pottering about during the peak weeks of her summer season in 1968: 21st July 1968: Ryde – Kingswear Castle
On a wet and windy Monday 21st July 1947 Red Funnel’s paddle steamer Bournemouth Queen returned to service at Bournemouth following a major rebuild after the war. To find out more: 21st July 1947: Bournemouth Queen – 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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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
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
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
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
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
Last month we looked at what KC was up to 40 years ago in July 1985. This month we continue the story with her sailings in September and October 1985: September 2025: KC’s Log September/October 1985 – Kingswear Castle
In 1930 the Southern Railway built two giant paddle steamers for their services from Portsmouth. To find out more, including about their calls at Bournemouth, check out the Pictures of the Month on the KC website: August 2025: Whippingham at Bournemouth – Kingswear Castle
In her first season back in service in July 1985 KC ran on 26 operating days from her base at The Historic Dockyard Chatham. Take a look at her log for that month all those years ago and find out what she was up to: July 2025: KC’s Log July 1985 – Kingswear Castle
To take a look at some rare pics of PS Consul laid up at Weymouth check out the Pictures of the Month on the KC website: July 2025: Consul Laid Up at Weymouth – Kingswear Castle
What paddle steamers were running from Weymouth in 1934 and what trips did they offer? To find out more click here: June 2025: Weymouth Paddle Steamers 1934 – Kingswear Castle
VE Day on 8th May 1945 started to unlock the doors and focus minds on a return to peace time excursions. To find out more check out the post on the KC website: VE Day Unlocks Doors – Kingswear Castle
