KC Returns to Service
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
Supporting the preservation and operation of paddle steamers Waverley and 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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To take a look at more rebuild pics of KC click here: 23rd May 2023: More KC Rebuild Pics – Kingswear Castle
The Dartmouth Steam Railway and River Boat Company, which has just signed an extended agreement to take KC on charter for a further 25 years, celebrated its 50th Anniversary on Friday 19th May with a special excursion for invited guests on the train from Paignton to Kingswear followed by a trip on the river. For…
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John Megoran, Chairman of the Paddle Steamer Kingswear Castle Trust, presents an update on Kingswear Castle’s rebuild and the plans for her return to service on Wednesday 10 May 2023 at 19.30 hours.
The shipyard which maintains, refurbishes and rebuilds the Dresden paddle steamers held an open day on Saturday 15th April. To find out how the day went click here: May 2023: Dresden Shipyard Visit – Kingswear Castle
It is with great regret that we report the death of “Jimmy Tickets” who served as Waverley’s purser from 1988 until 2010. He was a great asset to the ship and the Waverley company, always willing to go the extra mile.
KC was in steam for trials last week. To find out more and see how you can help us complete her rebuild take a look at our latest Rebuild Update: http://www.kingswearcastle.org/news/9th-april-2023-kc-rebuild-appeal-update/
The 2023 Audio Award of the Independent Publishers Guild Awards has been won by the Scottish-based publishing group Belle Media for their 2022 radio series Stormy Weather which was recorded aboard Kingswear Castle, Waverley, Medway Queen, Balmoral and TS Queen Mary and included interviews with key figures from the ships. To find out more check out…
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The shipyard at Dresden will be open to the public for tours on Saturday 15th April. The trips will start from Dresden at either 9.30am or 2pm aboard one of the paddle steamer fleet which will take people on the 10km trip southwards to Laubergast. There will then be a guided tour of the shipyard…
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Waverley has taken her first voyage of 2023 where she made the journey from her Winter berth in Glasgow to the Garvel Dry Dock in Greenock. Waverley’s boilers were first fired up on Friday (10th March) and tested up to pressure on Tuesday (14th March). The following day her engine and paddles were turned for…
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Waverley’s Dry Dock 2023 Appeal reaches £150,000 as the first of the 2023 timetables are released.
An appeal has been launched to urgently raise the funds needed to afford Waverley’s upcoming dry dock in March and the start-up costs before she enters service. Paul Semple, Waverley’s General Manager, has made the following statement explaining the current situation: “Each year before Waverley can enter passenger service, she must be taken out the…
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We are delighted to announce that this week the Paddle Steamer Kingswear Castle Trust has signed an extended contract with the Dartmouth Steam Railway and River Boat Company ensuring that Kingswear Castle will be operating from her base at Dartmouth on the River Dart for a further 25 years. A spokesperson for the Paddle Steamer…
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Guy Hundy, who has died aged 79, was a long standing PSPS member, a trustee of the Paddle Steamer Kingswear Castle Trust and a regular contributor to Paddle Wheels. For an obituary on the KC website click here: Guy Hundy 1943 – 2022 – Kingswear Castle
Check out progress on KC’s major rebuild by clicking here: 24th December 2022: KC Rebuild Update – Kingswear Castle
The Lake Geneva paddle steamer Rhone is set to continue with her Sunday lunch cruises from Lausanne into the New Year and beyond. And the Italie is scheduled to replace Vevey on the lunch cruises from Geneva from 18th December. To have a look aboard and see more click here: 11th December 2022: PS Rhone…
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The Lake Geneva diesel electric paddler Helvetie was towed from Lausanne to Geneva by the Leman on 7th November 2022 to free up a berth in the Ouchy shipyard for the newly built Navibus which is nearing completion in the yard. After relatively little use in the previous decade, and in need of a major…
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It is with great sadness and regret that we announce the death of Myra Allen on 2 December 2022, after a long battle with Motor Neurone Disease.
KC and Waverley as well as other vessels featured in recent episodes of the Stormy Weather series on Times Radio. To tune in and hear the programme again click here: https://shows.acast.com/belle-books-and-stories/episodes/stormy-weather-kingswear-castle
Derek Gawn has sent in some more fascinating and unique pics of KC in her Isle of Wight years when she was in company with Medway Queen and Ryde. Take a look: 11th November 2022: KC 1969/70 Update – Kingswear Castle
Pining for a paddle steamer trip? Suffering from withdrawal symptoms as the long winter nights draw in because you can’t get aboard a paddle steamer? Can’t wait ’till next summer? Then help is at hand. Take yourself off to Dr Switzerland where no less than two paddlers are scheduled to be in service on Lake…
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Tune in on Friday 4th November from 8.30pm for a feature about KC on the Michael Portillo Show on Times Radio
Derek Gawn has sent in some fascinating pictures he took as a schoolboy in 1969 of KC making one of her very few trips under her own steam during her time on the Isle of Wight. For more pictures and other details check out the Kingswear Castle website: 11th November 2022: KC 1969/70 Update –…
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For an update on KC’s rebuild and to see all the excellent work being done in Dartmouth to give our ship an extended life check out the latest news on the KC website October 2022: KC Rebuild Update – Kingswear Castle
Chris Smith, who has died of a heart attack aged 60, played a central role in the return to service of KC in the 1980s and her subsequent operation and continued restoration on the Medway during the ensuing years for more than a quarter of a century. For more details check out the KC website:…
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