One of the saddest events witnessed during the 1960s was the withdrawal and scrapping of the Consul. She had been built in 1896 and was operated for many years by Cosens of Weymouth. The PSPS noted and tried to assist the preservation of this fine steamer in its early years. After being withdrawn from service in 1963, she ran a service for a few weeks out of south coast resorts as well as on the River Thames as seen here on 22 September 1963. She spent a further period on the South coast before becoming an accommodation vessel on the River Dart. Sadly, she finally arrived at the breakers at Southampton in October 1968.

The story of the Consul is pretty typical of the difficulties that faced the PSPS during the 1960s when steamers sometimes found a new but unsuccessful and short-lived new life only to end up at breakers. Luckily, the telegraphs, name pennant and lifebelt of the Consul were saved by the PSPS.