Key Dates

1904: Kingswear Castle's engine built by Cox & Co. of Falmouth for the previous vessel of that name and transferred to the present vessel in 1924.

1924: Kingswear Castle built and enters service on the River Dart in Devon.

1939-45: Kingswear Castle requisitioned by the Navy and initially used as a stores depot at Dittisham pier but later used by the US Navy for use as a harbour tender.

1961-62: Reboilered and extensively replated below thw waterline.

1964: Kingswear Castle becomes the last River Dart paddle steamer.

1965: Kingswear Castle withdrawn from service at the end of the season.

1967: Kingswear Castle purchased by the Paddle Steamer Preservation Society for £600 for preservation.

1967: Kingswear Castle was slipped, surveyed and battened down and towed to the Isle of Wight where she arrived on 28th August to join the Medway Queen.

1969: First sailings under PSPS ownership when she was steamed to be filmed for a TV programme 'Bird's Eye View'.

1970: On 6th October, Kingswear Castle was towed down the River Medina to East Cowes ready to be towed to the River Medway.

1971: On 16th June, Kingswear Castle departed from Cowes to the River Medway towed by the Daggar. After an overnight stop at Newhaven she arrived on the Medway on 18th June just before force 6-8 gales struck!

1971: Kingswear Castle arrives at her new home at Medway Bridge Marina to undergo restoration.

1970s: Restoration continues at a very slow pace.

1979: Restoration begins in earnest after many years of inactivity.

1982: On 20th November, the boiler is steamed for the first time.

1983: On the weekend of 4-6th November, Kingswear Castle sails out into the Medway to undertake steaming and manoeuvring trials.

1984: Operated for 20 days with a volunteer crew and a limit of 12 passengers. Kingswear Castle ventured as far as Gravesend on the River Thames.

1984: First meeting with the Waverley on 16 September 1984 at Chatham Reach on the River Medway.

1984: Kingswear Castle slipped for the first time since leaving the River Dart to receive attention to her hull in readiness for entering full passenger service once again.

1985: Kingswear Castle re-enters service on the River Medway as well as undertakinga number of cruises on the River Thames.

1986: Kingswear Castle won the National Steam Heritage Award.

1987: In June, Kingswear Castle carries Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher during the General Election campaign.

1995: Kingswear Castle became overall winner in the Scania Transport Trust Awards.