Supporting the preservation and operation of paddle steamers Waverley and Kingswear Castle
We regret to record the passing on 19 December 2023 of John Whittle, the architect of the “Paddler for a Pound” scheme in 1974 and an Honorary Member of the Society. As such, he played a crucial role in enabling the Society and the Waverley companies to keep Waverley sailing on for so many years. …
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The February Pictures of the Month are now up on the Kingswear Castle website. Ever wondered how DEPV Talisman spent her last 13 summers? What was she doing every day? To find out click here: February 2024: Talisman’s Last Summers – Kingswear Castle
PS Embassy was withdrawn in 1966 and not replaced by Cosens. Instead Bolson bought the much smaller Thornwick to take over her services. To find out more check out the January Pictures of the Month on the Kingswear Castle website: January 2024: Embassy Replacement – Kingswear Castle
A picture account of a remarkable year in Waverley’s preservation career – 76 pictures from 2023.
What were the Portsmouth paddle steamers Ryde and Sandown up to 60 years ago in 1964? To find out take a look at the December Pictures of the Month on the Kingswear Castle website: December 2023: Ryde & Sandown 1964 – Kingswear Castle
Paddle Steamer Waverley was operated by Caledonian MacBrayne for the 1973 season. Waverley’s season came to an end after her final day in service on Sunday 30 September. The ship was duly laid up in Greenock’s James Watt Dock, but by November the normal winter refit and maintenance work had stopped. Thankfully PSPS members Douglas…
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The Society is looking for some members who can help maintain our online assets. We use this web site as well as social media and all need care and attention to keep them up to date and looking good. We are looking for many types of people to look after the web site: For the…
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The October Pictures of the Month have now been posted on the KC website. To take a closer look click here: October 2023: Let’s Take a Closer Look – Kingswear Castle
What a welcome from Southwold on Wednesday 27th September for Waverley as she made her annual call at the Suffolk town. Thanks to the owners of Southwold Pier for allowing Waverley to call. Here are some images taken at the pier as passengers boarded for Waverley’s cruise at 10am to London for arrival at Tower…
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KC is currently scheduled to run her last harbour cruises of the season from Dartmouth on Tuesday 26th September. Thank you to all who have sailed on her this year as well as all of you who have donated to our rebuild appeal. This is all greatly appreciated. It has been so good to see…
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Waverley welcomed over 500 passengers aboard for her sailing from Ipswich to London on Saturday 23rd September. This was her first Ipswich to London sailing since 2000. Here are some pics taken along the way: Waverley A/S at Ipswich Passengers coming aboard at Ipswich After sailing under the Orwell Bridge Waverley cruised down the river…
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Waverley is scheduled to make her first trip from Ipswich for 20 years on Saturday 23rd September with a second trip now scheduled for Thursday 5th October. To find out more click here: 20th September 2023: Waverley at Ipswich – Kingswear Castle
Waverley made her first call at Shoreham on Wednesday 13th September 2023. For more details click here: 17th September 2023: Waverley at Shoreham – Kingswear Castle
Waverley is scheduled to sail along the Dorset Coast viewing Anvil Point, St Albans Head, Chapman’s Pool, Worbarrow Bay and on towards Lulworth Cove leaving Swanage at 13.40 back 16.40 on Thursday 14th and Sunday 17th September. In this she follows in the wake of Cosens’s Consul and Embassy. To find out more click here:…
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10th September 2023 is the 63rd anniversary of the first ever PSPS charter, an evening cruise from Weymouth on Saturday 10th September 1960 aboard Cosens’s PS Consul. To find out more click here: 10th September 1960: PSPS Charter Consul – Kingswear Castle
8th September 2023 is the sixtieth anniversary of the last day in service of the paddle steamer Medway Queen. To find out more click here: 8th September 1963: Medway Queen – Kingswear Castle
Two distinguished visitors took the “Steam and Cruise” option for KC on 6th September. To find out more click here: Steam & Cruise on KC – Kingswear Castle
Waverley met up with Shieldhall off Bournemouth on Sunday 3rd September and in the western approaches to the Solent the following day. For more details and pics click here: Waverley Meets Shieldhall – Kingswear Castle
On this first Sunday in September 2023, Waverley called at Swanage at 12.30pm on her way to view the Bournemouth Air Festival and meet up with the steamship Shieldhall having set off from Southampton Docks at 9.30am and made a call on the way at Yarmouth at 10.45am. Here are some pics of this happy…
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Waverley is back on the South Coast offering sailings until Wednesday 20th September. Do take a trip on her while she is here if you can. And to get you in the mood check out a trip from Southampton round the Isle of Wight in 1934 aboard PS Lorna Doone: 26th July 1934: Lorna Doone…
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Latest news update: Check out the September Pictures of the Month on the KC website. And don’t forget. We are still fund raising for the second phase of KC’s major rebuild. Please help if you can: Weymouth Bank Holidays – Kingswear Castle Thank you.
KC ran another fund raising cruise from Dartmouth towards the Rebuild Appeal on Saturday 19th August. To have a look at some pics of the event check out the KC website: 19th August 2023: KC Fund Raising Cruise – Kingswear Castle
To take a look at some pictures of KC sailing on her harbour cruises from Dartmouth on Sunday 13th August check out the KC website: KC Sunday 13th August – Kingswear Castle
KC made her visit to Totnes for some years on Monday 31st July. For more details take a look at the post on the KC website: 31st July 2023: KC to Totnes – Kingswear Castle
Kingswear Castle returned to service on Tuesday 25th July after the first part of her major rebuild. To find out more check out the Kingswear Castle website: 25th July 2023: KC Returns to Service – Kingswear Castle
Ship and boat preservation is usually a battle. The elements are hostile, design life short and officialdom reluctant to support. This latest book looks at the preservation story over 40 years of VIC 56, a wartime built steam coasting lighter based on the Clyde Puffer, which served the Royal Navy in Dockyards and depots around…
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The MCA conducted running trials with KC last week for the revalidation of her Passenger Certificate. For more details and pics check out the KC website: 14th July 2023: KC Running Trials with MCA – Kingswear Castle
With KC afloat once again following the first and major part of her rebuild naval architect Geoff Wilford, accompanied by MCA surveyor Simon Judge, conducted a Heel Test to check the ship’s stability on Thursday 6th July. For more details and pictures of the day check out the KC website: 6th July 2023: KC Heel…
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Six of the seven operational paddle steamers on Lake Geneva were in service in June. To find out what they were all up to and how their business model works check out the June Pictures of the Month on the KC website: June 2023: Lake Geneva Paddle Steamers June 2023 – Kingswear Castle
Waverley arrived at Cardiff Docks on 1st June in readiness for more than two weeks of sailings on the Bristol Channel starting with a cruise from Penarth and Clevedon on Friday 2nd June. Here she is arriving at Clevedon Pier shortly before 11am She had left Penarth at 9.45am. Captain Dominic McCall on the starboard…
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