Category: Megoran’s Musings

Supporting the preservation and operation of paddle steamers Waverley and Kingswear Castle

4th April 1946 Bristol Queen

Launch of Bristol Queen.

3rd April 1941 Lorna Doone

The Admiralty announced that Lorna Doone made direct hits with her guns on two of the three German Dornier Bombers which had been attacking her.

2nd April 1921 Coal Strike Stops Steamers

National strike of coal miners causes coal shortage for steamers.

1st April 2021 PE: April Fool!

Boiler and engine of Princess Elizabeth found in lockup just outside Basingstoke.

31st March 1957 Cdr Johnston DSC RN (Rtd)

Cosens appoints Cdr Johnston as their new Bournemouth manager.

30th March 1949 Duchess of Cornwall

Duchess of Cornwall’s operational career comes to an end.

29th March 1955 Cosens’s AGM

Cosens held their Annual General Meeting on Tuesday 29th March 1955 in the company’s board room in the office at Weymouth.

28th March 1948 Embassy

Easter 1948 at Bournemouth.

27th March 1960 Princess Elizabeth

Princess Elizabeth being refitted at Southampton by her new owners Torbay Steamers Ltd.

26th March 1951 Pride of Devon

Pride of Devon in the scrapyard at Grays in Essex.

25th March 1967 Caledonia

Caledonia damaged at Rothesay.

24th March 1970 Eppleton Hall

Eppleton Hall arrives in San Francisco.

23rd March 1954 Arran

The Clyde’s new car ferry Arran carries her 2,000th passenger and causes a change of roster for the paddle steamers.

22nd March 1968 Bristol Queen

Bristol Queen had rounded Lands End under tow and was on her way to the breaker’s yard in Belgium.

21st March 1947 Farringford

Farringford was launched on Friday 21st March 1947.

20th March 1961 Monarch

Dorset Echo reports progress on the demolition of Monarch in the scrapyard in Cork.

19th March 2001 Kingswear Castle

Work progressing on renewing Kingswear Castle’s starboard sponson.

18th March 1961 London & Home Counties Branch

London & Home Counties Branch of the PSPS formed.

17th March 1950 Waverley

Waverley running on the winter ferry service

16th March 1959 Consul

Consul up the slipway at Weymouth.

15th March 1948 Brading and Southsea

Brading and Southsea in the fitting out basin at Denny’s Clyde shipyard.

14th March 1974 Wingfield Castle

Wingfield Castle made her last voyage in steam on Thursday 14th March 1974.

13th March 1915 Golden Eagle

Golden Eagle brings German prisoners of war back to England.

12th March 1934 Brighton Belle

Brighton Belle arrives in Barrow-in-Furness to have a new boiler fitted.

11th March 1953 Maid of Ashton

Maid of Ashton in the fitting out basin at Yarrow’s Clyde shipyard.

10th March 1911 Rhein

Lake Lucerne’s latest paddle steamer Rhein ran trials.

9th March 1963 St Trillo

St Trillo leaves Birkenhead for Menai Bridge.

8th March 1961 Monarch’s Bell

The first Monarch’s bell presented to the PSPS.

7th March 1972 Humber Paddle Steamers

Why were all the Hull/New Holland paddle steamer ferries withdrawn from service for much of February and on into early March 1972?

6th March 2001 Kingswear Castle

Kingswear Castle’s new boiler arrives.