From Paddle Wheels No. 84
The last quarter has been an active one on Kingswear Castle and working parties have been strong and enthusiastic in spite of winter weather and short days. Inspection of the rudder showed severe wear in the bottom bearing. A new pin was made and fitted to the rudder and necessitated drilling a 1¾ inch hole in the rudder shaft. This job was carried out by hand at the ship. The corresponding cast iron bush in the keel has also been renewed and the rudder is now re-fitted. At long last a Worthington Simpson circulating pump in reasonable condition has been located and purchase has been negotiated. This was good news in the Engine Room because the original circulating pump was one of the few pieces of equipment which had to be scrapped.
The following sequence of pictures by Margaret Scroggs provide an indication of the activities on and around the ship, making best use of the remaining time on the slipway.
Christmas Party
This event was held on the ship December 6th, and was attended by about 25 people. This was not the ‘close of play’ for 1980 because working parties continued a weekends until December 20th.