PS Kingswear Castle, Coal-fired paddle steamer in Dartmouth, Great Britain
PS Kingswear Castle is a coal-fired paddle steamer based at Dartmouth, in Devon, that carries passengers on river cruises along the River Dart. The vessel is around 90 feet (27 meters) long and runs on its original steam engines, which remain in working order today.
The steamer was built in 1924 and served passengers along the River Dart until 1965, when regular service ended. After years out of use, it was restored by a group of volunteers and returned to the river, keeping its original machinery intact.
Traveling aboard this steamer gives visitors a direct sense of how river passengers once experienced a journey, with the sound of the engine and the slow pace of the water setting the mood. The trip itself, rather than any destination, is what draws most people on board.
Cruises run mainly from June to September, departing from Dartmouth Harbour on the River Dart. Seats are limited, so arriving early is a good idea, especially on weekends and during peak summer weeks.
The engines powering the vessel were originally installed in an earlier steamer built in 1904, meaning the machinery itself is over 120 years old. Stokers still shovel coal by hand during every trip, following the same method used when the engines were first put to work.
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