Heritage Steamer Spring 2013 *News Update*

A Day on the Crested Eagle!! Crested Eagle was known as the 'Greyhound of the Thames' and plied the river from London to the coast from 1925 until 1939. She was one of the most distinctive of all of the Thames pleasure steamers with her telescopic funnel and low deck houses. Few souvenirs exist from the 'Eagle Steamers' and it's not known whether many were sold aboard the ships. This lovely and rare calendar was donated to the Paddle Steamer Preservation Society last week and is a rare surviving souvenir from the fleet. The round cartouche at the top was also used on pendants and pocket mirrors. We have examples of these in our collection. Crested Eagle was requisitioned for war service in 1939. As she was prepared for this work, many of her fittings were removed including deckchairs. One cheeky worker decided that a couple of these would be good for his home and he duly took them from the ship. Tragically, just months later, Crested Eagle was lost at Dunkirk with the loss of many lives. Her end was particulalry horrific with her fuel catching fire. Her remains can still be seen today. We now have one of those deck chairs in the PSPS Collection. We're so lucky to have it as its one of the very few items to survive from the Crested Eagle. The chair and the calendar opposite are reminders of the famous 'Greyhound of the Thames'.

Maid of the Loch's Diamond Jubilee 2013 marks the Diamond Jubilee of the Maid of the Loch. It was sixty years ago in 1953 that the famous paddle steamer first plied the waters of Loch Lomond. Maid of the Loch was built at the famous Inglis yard and was the last large paddle steamer to be built in the UK. At the time of her launch, Maid of the Loch was entering a world that was changing and just a few years later, paddle steamers started to be withdrawn at an alarming rate all over the UK. The steamer saw many fluctuations in fortune until she was finally withdrawn in 1981. At the time, she was one of the last paddle steamers in the UK to be operating. Her life since that time has seen many more changes in fortune, but over the past decade or two, her future has started to improve significantly. During this time, a great deal of work has been done to restore her ready for an operational future. The Paddle Steamer Preservation Society Collection has collected a great deal of material on the Maid of the Loch over the past 20 years. This collection includes rare photographs, handbills, ephemera and brochures. This material gives a fascinating insight into the life of a well-loved steamer. If you would like to find out more about the Maid of the Loch or to donate money to help her return to steam, just click on the image.

'Paddle Steamer Kingswear Castle & Steamers of the River Dart' - NEW BOOK!!! 'PADDLE STEAMER KINGSWEAR CASTLE AND STEAMERS OF THE RIVER DART' by Richard Clammer & Alan Kittridge The full story of the Kingswear Castle. Her evolution from the earliest paddle steamers on the river Dart. The history of her first owner - the River Dart Steamboat Co, and her withdrawal in 1965 as the last Dart paddle steamer. First researched by the authors for their 1987 publication Passenger Steamers of the River Dart & Kingsbridge Estuary, the earlier history of the Kingswear Castle has been re-edited and updated, with many new pictures. Additional chapters trace her rescue by the Paddle Steamer Preservation Society in 1967, return to service and operation in the south east on the rivers Medway and Thames, and her triumphant to the River Dart. £14.00. Containing 116 illustrations - old and contemporary photographs, maps, drawings and ephemera - in its 76 pages. This softback book is printed in full colour throughout. Published late April 2013. The book is available from Kingswear Castle Trust as well as aboard Kingswear Castle and outlets on the River Dart. Why not take a cruise on Kingswear Castle and buy the book! To book a cruise click on the Kingswear Castle logo above!! To buy the book from Kingswear Castle Trust click on the book cover!!

Steam Fair at Fawley Hill FAWLEY HILL STEAM and VINTAGE TRANSPORT WEEKEND Friday 17th, Saturday 18th and Sunday 19th May 2013 6.00- 10.00 p.m Friday: 10.00 a.m. – 10.00 p.m. Saturday: 10.00 a.m. – 6.00 p.m. Sunday Click on the image above for full details of the event!!

More Red Funnel Balmoral There have been requests for more colour images of Balmoral in her Red Funnel days. This photograph dates from around the early 1960s and shows the Balmoral cruising along the South Coast. We're hoping to show more material from her Red Funnel career soon.

Red Funnel Balmoral Balmoral has had a colourful past and has been part of the UK coastal excursion scene for well over sixty years. Her career with the famous Red Funnel company of Southampton, gave her an excellent opportunity to operate regular ferry services as well as offering many excursions in the Solent and along the South Coast. Her splendid red and black funnel shown here is certainly eye-catching with its wonderful shine. Very few colour photographs exist of Balmoral during her Red Funnel years. We would love to acquire more for her national archive. If you have any, we would love to hear from you!!

Thanks Chris!! People have always been central to the success of our three ships. One of the key people in the restoration and operation of Kingswear Castle on the Medway was Chris Smith. He joined the work parties a few years before Kingswear Castle started operating again in the mid 1980s. His considerable skills, attention to detail and calm manner soon made him a central figure to the steamer and he became part of her regular crew from the mid 1980s. During the winter, Chris would do 101 jobs to ensure that the steamer looked immaculate for passengers. Here Chris is painting the lettering at Chatham Historic Dockyard dry dock around 1990.

'Doon the Watter' to Rothesay!!! Waverley's 2013 season has just started! Every year, dozens of new postcards are produced all over the UK showing Waverley, Balmoral or Kingswear Castle at various new locations. The PSPS Collection is always keen tp acquire new examples but we need your help! If you see a new postcard or souvenir showing one of the three ships we would love to have a copy of the postcard for the collection. By doing that, we can ensure that their national archive is complete! Please send any postcards to; PSPS Collection, 31 Meadow Road, Gravesend, Kent, DA11 7LR. Thank you!

Would you like to receive regular paddle steamer heritage news? If you would, why not sign up to our Twitter feed?? It's amazing how much is happening with the collection and Twitter is the best way to be alerted to updates to the website. We also need a bit of help from time to time and Twitter provides the best way to get a quick response!! If you would like to sign up, it's really really easy!! Just click on the panel on the left and within seconds, you will be receiving your first 'tweet'!!! Why not join Twitter now!!!

Consul at Greenwich Pier in 1963 The early 1960s saw many paddle steamers head towards the scrapyard. Some were lucky to find careers in new areas away from their traditional areas of operation in a bid to survive. The small Consul was full of character and had been part of the Cosens of Weymouth fleet for several decades before being withdrawn by the company. In September 1963, she spent a short period on the River Thames offering cruises to the well-loved resorts and calling points of the famed General Steam Navigation Company. She is seen here at Greenwich Pier on one of her cruises. The GNSC yard was situated towards the stern of the steamer. Sadly, Consul's Thames season wasn't a success and she eventually ended up at the scrapyard several years after this photograph was taken.

'Paddle Steamer Kingswear Castle & Steamers of the River Dart' - NEW BOOK!!! 'PADDLE STEAMER KINGSWEAR CASTLE AND STEAMERS OF THE RIVER DART' by Richard Clammer & Alan Kittridge The full story of the Kingswear Castle. Her evolution from the earliest paddle steamers on the river Dart. The history of her first owner - the River Dart Steamboat Co, and her withdrawal in 1965 as the last Dart paddle steamer. First researched by the authors for their 1987 publication Passenger Steamers of the River Dart & Kingsbridge Estuary, the earlier history of the Kingswear Castle has been re-edited and updated, with many new pictures. Additional chapters trace her rescue by the Paddle Steamer Preservation Society in 1967, return to service and operation in the south east on the rivers Medway and Thames, and her triumphant to the River Dart. £14.00. Containing 116 illustrations - old and contemporary photographs, maps, drawings and ephemera - in its 76 pages. This softback book is printed in full colour throughout. Published late April 2013. The book is available from Kingswear Castle Trust as well as aboard Kingswear Castle and outlets on the River Dart. Why not take a cruise on Kingswear Castle and buy the book! To book a cruise click on the Kingswear Castle logo above!! To buy the book from Kingswear Castle Trust click on the book cover!!

The Paddle Steamer that Started the PSPS!! This postcard of the Freshwater was taken towards the end of her life at Lymington. The withdrawal of Freshwater prompted the formation of the Paddle Steamer Preservation Society in 1959. The time was a sad period for paddle steamers as one by one they were all withdrawn. Luckily, the plight of this often forgotten little paddle steamer ensured that Waverley, Balmoral and Kingswear Castle are still with us today!

New Humber Paddle Steamer Book!! The paddle steamers of the River Humber were a well-loved part of life at Hull, New Holland and Goole. The three final paddle steamers; Tattershall Castle, Lincoln Castle and Wingfield Castle gallantly performed their daily task until they were withdrawn from service in the 1970s. Once withdrawn, all three steamers were preserved with varying degress of success. Their reliability is now recognised as legendary, their secret war service heroic and their survival into the 21st century unlikely. This is the incredible story of three simple paddle-driven ferries and the river that they called home. Their story is told for the first time from original documents which are only now publicly available. Graham Hand in this important new book brings to life their careers through fascinating new material and wonderful evocative images. To buy a copy of this important new book please send a cheque payable to 'Graham Hand' for £10.95 and sent to: Graham Hand, 55 Conrad Drive, Maltby, Rotherham, South Yorkshire, S66 8RS. All proceeds from the sale of this book will support the ongoing work of the Paddle Steamer Preservation Society.

Balmoral Arrives for Service!! This postcard of the Balmoral has just been donated to the Paddle Steamer Preservation Society Collection. It shows Balmoral arriving in pristine condition at the start of her career as Waverley's escort. A great deal of material relating to her final months of service for P&A Campbell has recently been catalogued by the PSPS. This important archive includes rare and important material showing how the once mighty White Funnel Fleet collapsed and how Balmoral became an integral part of the Waverley story. It's a fascinating insight into a period of great change and shows the important role that Balmoral has played in coastal cruising since the 1970s. To see an online gallery of Balmoral's Silver Jubilee as Waverley's consort just click on the image above.

Waverley's 2013 Season has Started!! Waverley's 2013 season has now started! The Paddle Steamer Preservation Society Collection is keen to collect as much material as possible for her National Archive. If you find a new 2013 postcard of Waverley or have any film, ephemera or local souvenirs showing the famous steamer we would love to hear from you! The image above from the PSPS Collection, shows Waverley at the Town Pier at Gravesend in 2012. 2013 is an important year for Waverley and the Thames as the steamer celebrates 35 years of River Thames cruises! This is a great achievement! If you would like to book a cruise for Waverley just click on the image to access her website!!

Collecting the River Medway Years of Kingswear Castle! The Paddle Steamer Preservation Society Collection undertakes a full programme of contemporary collecting to ensure that the heritage of pleasure steamers in the UK is preserved fully. This includes the usual postcards, handbills and ephemera. The wonderful River Medway years of the Kingswear Castle are currently being recorded to remember the countless volunteers that restored and operated the famous steamer over so many decades. One of the recent items has been a very unique and special sweatshirt with an embroidered logo with special wording to remember some great times 'PS Kingswear Castle - River Medway 1985-2012'. If you have any material such as photos, film, ephemera or souvenirs to record the River Medway years we would love to hear from you!!

Waverley's 2013 Season - 30 Years Ago at Ayr Waverley's 2013 season is just hours away now! This view from Waverley's national archive shows her at Ayr towards the start of her preservation career. The Firth of Clyde provided Waverley with her revenue until 1977 when she ventured south for the first time with cruises on the Mersey and at Llandudno. The www.heritagesteamers.co.uk website will be adding lots of new images and material to mark Waverley's 40th Anniversary of being sold to the PSPS for £1 over coming months. Remember to check the website again soon or why not join Twitter? If you would like to book a cruise for Waverley just click on the image to access her website!!

Waverley's 2013 Season - Almost Here!! Waverley's 2013 season is almost with us! This view from Waverley's national archive shows her parading with Kingswear Castle during the 'Grand Parade of Steam' in 1986. The parade was a popular feature of her timetable for several decades until Kingswear Castle departed from the Medway in 2012. If you would like to book a cruise for Waverley just click on the image to access her website!!

Waverley's Countdown to the 2013 Season!! Waverley is getting closer to her 2013 season which starts on Friday! During the week, we will be showing some images from her amazing National Collection that were taken over the past sixty six years. This view from her early preservation career shows her arriving at one of her most popular embarkation points - Ayr. The familiar Ayr sailings on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays were a very popular feature of her Firth of Clyde timetable for several decades. If you would like to book a cruise for Waverley just click on the image to access her website!!

Countdown to the 2013 Season for Waverley!! Waverley starts her 2013 season this week and it's getting very close now! During the week, we will be showing some images from her amazing National Collection taken over the past sixty six years. This view from the early 1980s shows her disembarking passengers at Lundy. If you would like to book a cruise for Waverley just click on the image to access her website!!

New Humber Paddle Steamer Book!! The paddle steamers of the River Humber were a well-loved part of life at Hull, New Holland and Goole. The three final paddle steamers; Tattershall Castle, Lincoln Castle and Wingfield Castle gallantly performed their daily task until they were withdrawn from service in the 1970s. Once withdrawn, all three steamers were preserved with varying degress of success. Their reliability is now recognised as legendary, their secret war service heroic and their survival into the 21st century unlikely. This is the incredible story of three simple paddle-driven ferries and the river that they called home. Their story is told for the first time from original documents which are only now publicly available. Graham Hand in this important new book brings to life their careers through fascinating new material and wonderful evocative images. To buy a copy of this important new book please send a cheque payable to 'Graham Hand' for £10.95 and sent to: Graham Hand, 55 Conrad Drive, Maltby, Rotherham, South Yorkshire, S66 8RS. All proceeds from the sale of this book will support the ongoing work of the Paddle Steamer Preservation Society.

The Start of Another Season for Waverley!! Waverley starts her 2013 season this week. It's amazing to think that she has now notched up close to seven decades of service on the Firth of Clyde and elsewhere since she entered service in 1947. The 2013 season will bring with it a new range of souvenirs, postcards and publicity material. The PSPS Collection is always eager to collect such material for Waverley's national archive. If you see a new postcard, item of ephemera or have a few 2013 photographs for the PSPS Collection we would be delighted to hear from you!! Please send to; PSPS, 31 Meadow Road, Gravesend, Kent, DA11 7LR.

Happy Birthday Woolwich Ferries!! Passengers aboard Waverley and Balmoral will be familiar with the ferries at Woolwich as they ply across the Thames close to the Dome and Thames Flood Barrier. The ferries that we know celebrate their 50th birthday today! It's amazing to think that they have been quietly plying the Thames for such a long time. Many will remember the lovely old Thames paddle ferries that they replaced such as the Gordon shown above. Today also marks the fact that these lovely old paddle vessels were withdrawn from service 50 years ago.

Balmoral at the D-Day Fleet Review in the Solent One of Balmoral's greatest days in her preservation career was around twenty years ago when she participated in the D-Day Fleet Review at Spithead. On that splendid sunny day, she paraded along with fleetmate Waverley to view a spectacular number of famous warships, liners and ships. Some of these such as the QE2 and Canberra have since disappeared. In this view she looks splendid as she awaited the passing of HM The Queen on Britannia. Balmoral is now unique in that she's the sole operational survivor of the famous 1953 Coronation Fleet Review - quite an achievement!!

Royal Daffodil of the River Thames... The Royal Daffodil must be the most-loved and most-famous pleasure steamer to have ever plied the River Thames. WIthin months of entering service in 1939, she was called-up for wartime service and after an important career during the Second World War she took up her peacetime role in the late 1940s. The following twenty years saw her ply the Thames until her withdrawal at the end of 1966. With her sleek and beautiful lines and outstanding passenger accommodation, Royal Daffodil was simply the most famous Thames pleasure steamer of them all. We have many items of ephemera connected with her in the PSPS Collection but sadly, no fittings or furniture have survived.

Open All Hours! The story of Waverley has been based on people. So many individuals have played their part in the past forty years of her preservation career. Two well-loved individuals with big personalities were Bunty and Reg Collinson (shown above). They were an integral part of Waverley's early preservation career and gave up all of their spare time to sell numerous souvenirs from the famous souvenir shop. They always had a smile for passengers and must have sold thousands of Waverley bobble hats, shopping bags and tea towels over the years! The Souvenir Shop has continued to thrive ever since. If you would like to buy a 2013 souvenir from Waverley click on the photo above!!

Kingswear Castle's Restoration This super image from Kingswear Castle's national archive shows her soon after she arrived on the River Medway at Borstal. It shows just how much she had deteriorated since being withdrawn on the River Dart in 1965. The Paddle Steamer Preservation Society faced a huge problem in restoring her but due to a dedicated group of volunteers, this was achieved when she steamed again for the first time in November 1983. We have an important collection of material relating to her time on the Medway but we are always looking to expand it. If you have any material such as photographs, ephemera, film, souvenirs or memories we would love to hear from you!!

A Glimpse at Kingswear Castle's Past This image of a painting shows Kingswear Castle during her original River Dart career with Kingswear in the distance. It shows the steamer as she was between 1924 and 1965. It's interesting to now look at how she has changed since her restoration. The PSPS Collection holds Kingswear Castle's national archive collection and has some amazing treasures covering the years from 1924. We have particularly good material covering the years since 1965 when she was purchased by the Paddle Steamer Preservation Society. We're always on the look out for new material! If you would like to donate material and to help us make her heritage accessible then email heritagesteamers@yahoo.co.uk

A Celebration of 40 Years of Waverley!! Forty years ago in 1973, two young men were doing all that they could to promote the uniqueness of Waverley on the Firth of Clyde. In November 1973, Douglas McGowan was summoned to the offices of Caledonian MacBrayne and was told of the fate of Waverley. The story of Waverley since she was sold for a £1 to the Paddle Steamer Preservation Society has become the greatest success story of maritime heritage in the UK! Over the next two years, the Paddle Steamer Preservation Society Collection will be celebrating the saving of Waverley by Douglas and Terry as well as the story of her restoration in 1974 and 1975 and will culminate by looking at her triumphant re-entry into service in May 1975. It's quite a story and this website will be showing some unique material over the next two years to give an insight into those special early years! Remember to visit the News page again soon!!

'Paddle Steamer Kingswear Castle & Steamers of the River Dart' - NEW BOOK!!! 'PADDLE STEAMER KINGSWEAR CASTLE AND STEAMERS OF THE RIVER DART' by Richard Clammer & Alan Kittridge The full story of the Kingswear Castle. Her evolution from the earliest paddle steamers on the river Dart. The history of her first owner - the River Dart Steamboat Co, and her withdrawal in 1965 as the last Dart paddle steamer. First researched by the authors for their 1987 publication Passenger Steamers of the River Dart & Kingsbridge Estuary, the earlier history of the Kingswear Castle has been re-edited and updated, with many new pictures. Additional chapters trace her rescue by the Paddle Steamer Preservation Society in 1967, return to service and operation in the south east on the rivers Medway and Thames, and her triumphant to the River Dart. £14.00. Containing 116 illustrations - old and contemporary photographs, maps, drawings and ephemera - in its 76 pages. This softback book is printed in full colour throughout. Published late April 2013. The book is available from Kingswear Castle Trust as well as aboard Kingswear Castle and outlets on the River Dart. Why not take a cruise on Kingswear Castle and buy the book! To book a cruise click on the Kingswear Castle logo above!! To buy the book from Kingswear Castle Trust click on the book cover!!

Margaret Thatcher & Kingswear Castle During her time on the River Medway, Kingswear Castle had the pleasure and honour of welcoming many famous people aboard her including royalty, politicians and entertainers. In June 1987, Premier Margaret Thatcher enjoyed a cruise from Chatham to Gillingham during the election campaign. This photograph from the PSPS Collection shows her on Kingswear Castle's flying bridge alongside Sir Robin Steuart Pringle.

Mersey & Blackpool Steamship Company The PSPS Collection is huge with over 45,000 items. It does though have some gaps and it's often challenging to acquire material to fill the inevitable holes. The sugar shaker shown above was used aboard the Jubilee Queen during the mid 1930s when she operated between Liverpool, New Brighton and Blackpool. Her career was very brief so few souvenirs and items of ephemera survive of the service. Within a week of the sugar shaker being donated, a super handbill was donated from the Jubilee Queen. This will be shown on the website soon!

Medway Queen - 50 Years of Change Its hard to believe that this year marks the 50th anniversary of the withdrawal of the Medway Queen from service on the Medway and Thames. The fine shot shown above was taken as she approached Chatham Sun Pier just a few days before she was withdrawn from service. The PSPS Collection is currently cataloguing the largest and most important archive of material relating to that event and the preservation attempts that followed. We would love to include material on the Medway Queen in special features this year. If you would like to preserve your memories or material please email heritagesteamers@yahoo.co.uk .

One Week to the River Dart!! The PSPS Collection has recently been lucky enough to have acquired many superb new images and material relating to the River Dart steamers and in particular Kingswear Castle. A great deal of interest is being shown in the cruises between Dartmouth and Totnes in 2013 by Kingswear Castle. All of this wonderful material like the postcard shown above, is being used to publicise the heritage of Kingswear Castle. We look forward to collecting new 2013 versions of the card later in the year to add to our thriving collection!!

Majestic Waverley!! The Paddle Steamer Preservation Society Collection deals with over 500 enquiries a year from researchers, enthusiasts, authors and the media all over the world! All of this interest comes from this Heritagesteamers website!! The most common request for help comes from authors that are writing books on pleasure steamers. The PSPS has over 23,000 rare and interesting photos in its ever growing collection. We always have something to make a book special. Added to this, we have the UK's largest and most important collection of pleasure steamer handbills and ephemera! This includes virtually every handbill of every steamer from every pier in the UK from 1900 to 1980 - its a wonderful resource!! We also deal extensively with national and local newspapers as well as broadcast bodies such as the BBC, ITV and Channel 4. We regularly provide rare and fascinating material for broadcast so that people all over the world can appreciate the heritage of UK pleasure steamers!! The photo shown opposite shows the world-famous Waverley and was photographed from a rarely available viewpoint - that of the waterline. It really sums up the power and beauty of Waverley! If you would like to use material for a book, need model plans or just need a question answered, just email us at heritagesteamers@yahoo.co.uk!!

Would you like to receive regular paddle steamer heritage news? If you would, why not sign up to our Twitter feed?? It's amazing how much is happening with the collection and Twitter is the best way to be alerted to updates to the website. We also need a bit of help from time to time and Twitter provides the best way to get a quick response!! If you would like to sign up, it's really really easy!! Just click on the panel on the left and within seconds, you will be receiving your first 'tweet'!!! Why not join Twitter now!!!

Sunny Days at Ilfracombe with Balmoral!! Winter is well and truly with us at the moment and we all need a bit of sun and warm weather! What better way to think of sunnier times than to see this wonderful view of the splendid Balmoral departing from Ilfracombe during the mid 1980s. Balmoral was photographed for this postcard by the late Joe McKendrick. Joe did so much to help Balmoral and Waverley and it's good to remember happy days of coastal cruising through his wonderful evocative photographs.

Kingswear Castle - One Hundred Years Ago!! There can't be many people that remember the first Kingswear Castle! The photograph shown above show's a pleasant scene at Totnes 100 years ago when the Kingswear Castle of 1904 plied the River Dart. She had a relatively short life of just 20 years before the present Kingswear Castle was built in 1924. The above view will be recreated this summer when Kingswear Castle visits Totnes once again. One 'steamy' reminder of the above scene will be recreated as the steam engine of the 1904 Kingswear Castle was placed on the present Kingswear Castle - in 2013 it will operate as it did in the image above once again!!

2013....A Year of Anniversaries!! 2012 was an excellent year for the PSPS Collection. We managed to save a huge amount of pleasure steamer heritage for future generations to enjoy! Thanks to all of those that helped us in this important job! 2013 brings with it a host of important anniversaries. It will be 40 years since the famous Waverley was offered to the PSPS. Its also 65 years since the famous Balmoral was designed and fifty years since the Medway Queen was withdrawn. We would love to record any event connected with these anniversaries plus of course the new cruises of Kingswear Castle on the River Dart! Thanks to all of thoese that helped the PSPS Collection in 2012 and let's look forward to an ever better year of saving pleasure steamer heritage in 2013! Happy New Year!!!

Balmoral's Early Career for Red Funnel It's hard to believe that Balmoral career started way back in 1949. Built primarily for service between Southampton and Cowes, she soon became a firm favourite of the Red Funnel fleet. This image was recently acquired by the PSPS Collection and shows her around 1950 at Cowes. We would love to collect any material from her Red Funnel career. If you have anything, let us know!!

Waverley at Gravesend's Town Pier - Autumn 2012! Waverley had a highly successful season on the River Thames. The highlight of her fortnight of cruises were the special events surrounding the opening of Gravesend Town Pier to pleasure steamers. Waverley is shown above on her departure for London from the pier on Friday 12 October. This followed a civic reception hosted by the Mayor of Gravesham. More photographs showing Waverley's Thames season will be posted soon!!

News Archive!!! If you would like to see more fascinating heritage news on latest acquisitions, new books, important items from the collection or paddle steamer heritage news in general then why not look at our News archive?? The News archive shows hundreds of items from the start of the heritagesteamers website in 2008 to the present day. Its full of surprises!!! Why not have a look at it today!! Click to view our NEWS Archive!!! >

Would you like to receive regular paddle steamer heritage news? If you would, why not sign up to our Twitter feed?? It's amazing how much is happening with the collection and Twitter is the best way to be alerted to updates to the website. We also need a bit of help from time to time and Twitter provides the best way to get a quick response!! If you would like to sign up, it's really really easy!! Just click on the panel on the left and within seconds, you will be receiving your first 'tweet'!!! Why not join Twitter now!!!

Heritagesteamers News Archive Have a look at some of our past articles. Click on the image to see our latest acquisitions and paddle steamer heritage news since 2008.

WE NEED YOUR DONATIONS!

We have a great collection but with your help we can make it even greater! Donations are always welcome!

The PSPS is a registered charity (No 298328) with a core aim of preserving historic material relating to paddle steamers and educating the public on their heritage. Its collection is managed under UK Museum Association guidelines. Any material donated would therefore find a safe and permanent home where future generations will be able to enjoy and use it.

If you would like to donate material to the Paddle Steamer Preservation Society Collection please direct your enquiry to:

PSPS, 31 Meadow Road, Gravesend, Kent, DA11 7LR
or email: heritagesteamers@yahoo.co.uk