The Society helps keep the only operational historic paddle steamers in Great Britain sailing; PS Waverley and PS Kingswear Castle. Both paddle steamers are listed in the National Historic Fleet as being of pre-eminent national significance.
The Society also supports other paddle steamer projects including PS Maid of the Loch and PS Medway Queen.
You can read about Waverley's former consort MV Balmoral here.
Paddle Steamer Waverley
Paddle Steamer Waverley on the River Clyde.
Paddle Steamer Waverley has been withdrawn from service and needs immediate support to ensure she sails again
Waverley's 2019 season was cancelled in May following the discovery of major problems with the ship’s 20-year old boilers. An appeal to raise £2.3 million was launched on Saturday 15th June 2019 to return the Waverley to service in 2020, ensuring that a unique piece of Britain's maritime heritage stays alive. Read more here.
Flagship of our fleet, Paddle Steamer Waverley is the last sea-going paddle steamer in the world. Built on the Clyde in 1947 for the London and North Eastern Railway, she is named after Sir Walter Scott’s first novel and indeed carries a portrait of Edward Waverley on her paddle boxes. Waverley is powered by a triple-expansion marine steam engine. In 1974 she was gifted to the Society for the token sum of £1. She sails between April and October each year in the waters of Scotland, England and Wales.
Waverley is operated on behalf of the Society by Waverley Excursions Limited.
Paddle Steamer Kingswear Castle
Coal-fired Kingswear Castle on the Medway.
Paddle Steamer Kingswear Castle, known affectionately as KC, is Britain's last coal burning river paddle steamer. She was built by Philip & Son of Dartmouth in Devon in 1924 for the River Dart Steamboat Company Limited for service on the River Dart. The Society purchased her in 1967 and over a number of years restored her to her present day condition.
From 1985 until 2012 she operated on the rivers Medway and Thames, based at Chatham. In December 2012 Kingswear Castle returned to her home waters on the River Dart after an absence of 45 years.
Kingswear Castle sails from Dartmouth and Totnes. Her main sailings are 90 minute Dartmouth Harbour cruises but on selected days (subject to tidal conditions) she steams up the beautiful River Dart to Totnes and back. She is owned on behalf of the Society by the Paddle Steamer Kingswear Castle Trust. She is on long term charter to the Dartmouth Steam Railway and Riverboat Company who operate her each summer.
