Kingswear Castle’s Return to Service Delayed
Work to rebuild Kingswear Castle’s engine with the repaired cylinder is taking longer than expected and her return to service will not be until approximately week commencing 19 June.
Supporting the preservation and operation of paddle steamers Waverley and Kingswear Castle
Work to rebuild Kingswear Castle’s engine with the repaired cylinder is taking longer than expected and her return to service will not be until approximately week commencing 19 June.
Waverley has now returned to Glasgow following her annual dry docking and survey at Garvel Dry Dock in Greenock.
PSPS Vice President Douglas McGowan describes in his own words his visit to Buckingham Palace to receive his MBE.
A tiny crack previously repaired on the casting of Kingswear Castle’s low pressure cylinder re-appeared last season. It was decided to start on a rebuild of KC’s engine.
The Dartmouth Steam Railway and River Boat Company has just published the 2017 timetable for the Society’s coal-fired river paddler, Kingswear Castle.
Warmest congratulations to PSPS Vice President Douglas McGowan on the award of an MBE in the New Year’s Honours List ‘for services to PS Waverley and to charity.’
Brief update on the Annual General Meeting held aboard P.S. Maid of the Loch on 19th November.
The Clyde River Steamer Club’s website features an article by Robin Copland who was astonished by the richness of the ‘Kingswear Castle experience’.
Waverley was launched 70 years ago on Wednesday 2nd October 1946.
Once again Graham Shankland, Finance Director and accountant to Waverley Steam Navigation and Waverley Excursions Ltd, has prepared a summary financial statement for the last financial year.
A river cruise offers an unexpected opportunity to see two German paddlers.
John Megoran, skipper of Kingswear Castle for 27 years, needs no introduction to PSPS members. His new book ‘British Paddle Steamers: The Heyday of Excursions and Day Trips’ is published today.
John Megoran, Captain of the P.S. Kingswear Castle for 27 years, has submitted a few pictures of the Daniel Adamson, which he took back in May whilst in Liverpool.
A new guidebook for Waverley’s Clyde sailings has been produced by the PSPS Scottish Branch. It Is now available for sale on the ship or by post.
With 2015/16 winter maintenance almost complete, Waverley left the Garvel dry dock at Greenock on 10th May.
The engine from Kingswear Castle’s sister Compton Castle has been moved from Blackgang Chine on the Isle of Wight to Kingswear for eventual display.
The PSPS (Scottish Branch) annual charter of Waverley will offer an evening cruise round Bute from Tighnabruaich, Largs and Millport (Keppel Pier) – a cruise which has never been offered before!
At a ceremony at Kingswear on 14 April, a Certificate conferring Honorary Membership of the Society to the Dartmouth Steam Railway and River Boat Company was presented.
The final section covering the Irish Sea was approved by the port authorities in mid-March and the whole season’s timetable may now be downloaded from the Waverley Excursions web site.
The Society is delighted to announce that it has recently acquired a large and significant collection of steamer postcards and photographs.
The Dartmouth Steam Railway and River Boat Company has published the 2016 timetable for the coal-fired paddle steamer Kingswear Castle, owned by the Society.
The branch’s festive cruise to the Kyle of Bute and Tighnabruaich on MV Clyde Clipper proved to be an enjoyable day despite the 24 mph south easterly.
Shop using Amazon and help your Society and our paddle steamers. It will not cost you any more and Amazon will pay the Society a small commission on everything you buy.
A report on Waverley’s final weekend of the 2015 season.
Some of the Society’s historical footage appears in this BBC TV programme. Director/producer Robin Toyne has contributed a couple of paragraphs for us.
John Megoran, PS Kingswear Castle’s skipper from 1985 to 2012 and a PSPS Trustee, was presented with a Transport Trust Lifetime Achievement Award by HRH Prince Michael of Kent.
The Heritage Lottery Fund announced that they are supporting the £5.5 million project to restore Maid of the Loch, Loch Lomond’s Paddle Steamer, to steam operation once more.
On Sunday 16th August the sun helped attracted good passenger loadings for her annual Glasgow to Tarbert Sunday run.
Once again Graham Shankland, accountant to Waverley Steam Navigation and Waverley Excursions Ltd, has prepared a summary financial statement for the last financial year.
Richard Clammer writes:- Dartmouth’s paddle steamer “Kingswear Castle” celebrates a significant anniversary this year. Thirty years ago, on 18 and 19 May 1985, the ship set out on her first full public excursions since she had left the River Dart many years before. The 1924-built paddler operated on the Dart until 1965 when, becoming too…
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