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Dart Pleasure Craft
River Link
The
River Dart Steamboat Company
ceased services at the end of the the 1974 season, and Dart Pleasure Craft replaced them as the premier River Dart operator. In 1980, Dart Pleasure Craft purchased the
Millbrook Steamboat & Trading Company
at Plymouth, effectively giving them a monopoly in both areas. Aggressive new competition led to their abandonment of the Plymouth area in 1985, and Dart Pleasure Craft have concentrated solely on their River Dart operations since then.
Brief History of Dart Pleasure Craft:-
The Dart Pleasure Craft fleet began with the purchase of three ex-Thames boats, all Dunkirk veterans, the
My Queen
,
Queen Boadicea
and
Queen Boadicea II
. In 1975, Plymouth's
Millbrook Steamboat & Trading Company
bought the large
Dartmouth Castle (3)
from the ailing
River Dart Steamboat Company
. She returned to the Dart when they sold her to Dart Pleasure Craft the following year. From 1st January 1977, Dart Pleasure Craft operated the Dartmouth-Kingswear ferry, using
Queen Boadicea
and
Queen Boadicea II
. This ferry had been run by the Great Western Railway from 1901 until 1947, and then British Railways from 1948 until 1972, when the railway to Kingswear closed (since reopened as a preserved steam railway). The local council took over the operation until passing it to Dart Pleasure Craft.
1977 fleet of Dart Pleasure Craft:-
Dartmouth Castle (3)
,
My Queen
,
Queen Boadicea
,
Queen Boadicea II
and
Totnes Castle (3)
In 1977, the
Millbrook SB Co
bought the laid up
Cardiff Castle
from the
River Dart Steamboat Company
. In 1980, the
Millbrook Steamboat & Trading Company
was sold to Dart Pleasure Craft who then ran both Dart and Plymouth services, and
Cardiff Castle
returned to the Dart in 1985. The Dart and Millbrook fleets were initially run a separate entities, although vessel exchanges were common. In 1978 the ex-British Railways Dartmouth-Kingswear ferry
Adrian Gilbert
was bought and returned to her original route.
1981 fleet of Dart Pleasure Craft:-
Adrian Gilbert
,
Dartmouth Castle (3)
,
My Queen
,
Queen Boadicea
,
Queen Boadicea II
and
Totnes Castle (3)
on the Dart, and with
Cardiff Castle
,
Eastern Belle
,
Edgcumbe Belle
,
Northern Belle
,
Plymouth Belle
,
Southern Belle
and
Western Belle
from the Millbrook fleet at Plymouth.
The
Queen Boadicea
was replaced on the ferry by the
Adrian Gilbert
, and moved to
Plymouth with the
Dartmouth Castle (3)
, whilst
Southern Belle
and
Western Belle
moved to the Dart
.
Former
Millbrook SB Co
director Sidney Mashford designed and built the boat
Plymouth Venturer
for new rival
Plymouth Boat Cruises
, who initiated a fares war with Dart Pleasure Craft in the Plymouth area.
Plymouth Venturer
entered service in 1982, a year after Plymouth Boat Cruises was formed with the
Plymouth Princess
.
Plymouth Venturer
was later sold to Dart Pleasure Craft in 2002 as
Dart Venturer
.
Dart Pleasure Craft pulled out of Plymouth area services in 1985, concentrating on their Dart services. Dart Pleasure Craft retained
Adrian Gilbert
,
Western Belle
,
Cardiff Castle
,
Plymouth Belle
,
Edgcumbe Belle
and
Dartmouth Castle (3)
.
Southern Belle
and
Eastern Belle
went to rivals
Plymouth Boat Cruises
, whilst
Northern Belle
and
Queen Boadicea II
and the Cremyll service went to
Tamar Cruising & Cremyll Ferry Co
(TC&CF), owned by John Knight, a former Cremyll Ferry skipper.
My Queen
and
Eastern Belle
moved to Dart operator
G.H.Ridalls & Sons
, and
Totnes Castle (3)
moved to former rivals
Plymouth Boat Cruises
. In 1989, the
Kingswear Belle
was acquired from Guernsey for the Dartmouth-Kingswear ferry service.
1991-1996 fleet of Dart Pleasure Craft:-
Adrian Gilbert
,
Cardiff Castle
,
Dartmouth Castle (3)
,
Devonair Belle
,
Edgcumbe Belle
,
Kingswear Belle
,
Plymouth Belle
and
Western Belle
.
The impressive new catamaran
Devonair Belle
was delivered in 1991. The fleet remained he same until 1996 when the
Adrian Gilbert
was disposed of.
1997-1999 fleet of Dart Pleasure Craft:-
Cardiff Castle
,
Dartmouth Castle (3)
,
Devonair Belle
,
Edgcumbe Belle
,
Kingswear Belle
,
Plymouth Belle
and
Western Belle
.
In 1999, the company was acquired by The Dart Valley Railway Company. For the 2000 season, the business of
G.H.Riddall
was acquired, along with the
Dartmouth Princess
and the
Dittisham Princess
. The
Western Belle
and
Plymouth Belle
were disposed of. For the 2001 season the
Devonair Belle
was renamed
Dart Explorer
. The
Plymouth Venturer
of Plymouth Boat Cruises was acquired in 2002, and renamed
Dart Venturer
. They also bought the
Baltic Star
which had been operating out of Totnes on charters for Dart River Cruises.
Baltic Star
had previously been the
New Forester
of the
Hythe-Southampton
ferry.
2002-2005 fleet of Dart Pleasure Craft:-
Baltic Star
,
Cardiff Castle
,
Dart Explorer
,
Dart Venturer
,
Dartmouth Princess
,
Dittisham Princess
,
Edgcumbe Belle
and
Kingswear Belle
. In January 2006,
Baltic Star
was sold to
Capital Pleasure Boats
on the Thames, and renamed
Golden Star
.
2007 fleet of Dart Pleasure Craft
(links are to 2007 images):-
Cruise boats:-
Cardiff Castle
,
Dart Explorer
,
Dartmouth Princess
,
Dart Venturer
and
Dittisham Princess
. Ferries:-
Edgcumbe Belle
and
Kingswear Belle
Boats on this Page:-
Adrian Gilbert
(1978-1996)
Baltic Star
(2002-2006)
Cardiff Castle
Dart Explorer
(2001- ) - ex-
Devonair Belle
Dart Venturer
(2002- )
- ex-
Plymouth Venturer
Dartmouth Castle (3)
(1976-1996)
Dartmouth Princess
(2000- )
Devonair Belle
(1991-2001) - later
Dart Explorer
Dittisham Princess
(2000- )
Eastern Belle
(1980-1985)
Edgcumbe Belle
(1980- )
Kingswear Belle
(1989- )
Northern Belle
(1980-1985)
Plymouth Belle
(1980-2001)
My Queen
(1977-1985)
Queen Boadicea
(1976-1982)
Queen Boadicea II
(1976-1985)
Southern Belle
(1980-1985)
Totnes Castle (3)
(1977- )
Western Belle
(1980-2001)
Devon Pages:-
Devon Excursion Ships
- Devon Header Page
Brixham Belle Cruises (Carol & Peter Scott)
Dartmouth Lower Ferry
Dartmouth Higher Ferry
Devon Railway Ferries & Tenders
Devon SS Co
Millbrook SB & Trading Company
Plymouth Boat Cruises
River Dart SB Co
G.H.Ridalls & Sons
Tamar Cruising & Cremyll Ferry Co
Associated Pages:-
Ferry Postcards
Cruise Ship Postcards
Ocean Liner Postcards
Simplon Postcards Home Page
Search This Website:-
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References:-
Estuary & River Ferries of South West England
- Martin Langley & Edwina Small
- Waine Research (1984)
Passenger Steamers of the River Tamar
- Alan Kittridge
- Twelveheads Press 1984
Passenger Steamers of the River Dart
- Richard Clammer & Alan Kittridge
- Twelveheads Press 1987
South Devon Ferries
- Alan Kittridge
- Tempus (2003)
Steamers & Ferries of the River Tamar & Three Towns District
- Alan Kittridge
- Twelveheads Press 2003
Trip Out Guides
- Written and published by G.P.Hamer
- various editions from 1977 to 2007 consulted
Thanks to John Hendy and Graham Thorne for assistence with this page
Table of Ship Histories
Name
Other names
Built
Dartmouth Castle (3)
1948
Southern Belle
Shuttlecock
1925
Western Belle
1935
Dart Pleasure Craft Fleet List
Queen Boadicea
(Built: 1929 - Dart Pleasure Craft: 1976-1984)
Queen Boadicea
was built in 1929, and worked on the Thames for Mrs C.M.Smith from 1929-1941, and then for Jacksons of Hammersmith from 1942-1959, and Thames Pleasure Craft from 1960. She attended the Dunkirk evacuation.
Queen Boadicea
was bought by Dart Pleasure Craft for use on the Dartmouth-Kingswear ferry, which the company ran from 1st January 1977.
Queen Boadicea
was withdrawn from the ferry and moved to Plymouth in 1982 and was scrapped in 1984.
Queen Boadicea
nearing Hampton Court on the River Thames c.1950
Photo: ©
David Lord
Click to open larger image in new window
Postcard of
Queen Boadicea
in Thames service at Westminster Pier.
Vessels behind are probably
Skylark X, Minden Rose
and
Oat
.
Queen Boadicea II
(Built: 1936 - Dart Pleasure Craft: 1976-1985)
Queen Boadicea II
was built in 1936 by Thornycrofts. She worked on the Thames for Mrs C.M.Smith from 1936-1938, and then for
George Wheeler Launches
from 1938-1976, and attended the Dunkirk evacuation.
Queen Boadicea II
was bought by Dart Pleasure Craft for use on the Dartmouth-Kingswear ferry, which the company ran from 1st January 1977. She was sold to the
Tamar Cruising & Cremyll Ferry Co
(TC&CF), when Dart Pleasure Craft pulled out of Plymouth operations in 1985. She passed to the National Waterways Museum in Gloucester before 1993.
Postcard of
Queen Boadicea II
in service with Tamar Cruising.
Postcard of
Queen Boadicea II
in service in Gloucester.
Dartmouth Castle (3)
(Built: 1948 - Dart Pleasure Craft: 1976-1996)
The paddle steamer
Dartmouth Castle (2)
of the
River Dart Steamboat Company
was laid up during the war, and was sold in 1947, being replaced by the motor vessel
Dartmouth Castle (3)
in 1948. She was followed by the similar
Berry Castle (3)
the following year, both from Philip of Dartmouth. In 1975, the
Millbrook Steamboat & Trading Company
bought the large
Dartmouth Castle (3)
from the ailing
River Dart SB Co
.
Millbrook
sold her back to Dart Pleasure Craft the following year, who effectively succeeded the
River Dart SB Co
on River Dart services.
Dartmouth Castle (3)
was replaced in the
Millbrook Steamboat & Trading Company
fleet by the
Cardiff Castle
, also from the
River Dart SB Co
. In 1980, the directors of the
Millbrook Steamboat & Trading Company
(Derek Crawford, Les Worth and Sidney Mashford) sold their shares to Dart Pleasure Craft who then ran both Dart and Plymouth services.
In 2007, Mike Barrow of
Devon Princess Cruises
ran the
Dartmouth Castle
on cruises from Exmouth and Torbay. For cruise details contact:-
www.avocetcruises.co.uk
.
More images of
Dartmouth Castle
River Dart Steamboat Company official postcard of
Dartmouth Castle (3)
.
River Dart Steamboat Company official postcard of
Dartmouth Castle (3)
.
Dartmouth Castle
on the River Dart, on a Totnes-Dartmouth trip.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1997.
Dartmouth Castle
on the River Dart, on a Totnes-Dartmouth trip.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1997.
Dartmouth Castle
on the River Dart, on a Totnes-Dartmouth trip.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1997.
Dartmouth Castle
on the River Dart, on a Totnes-Dartmouth trip.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1997.
Dartmouth Castle
on the River Dart.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1997.
Dartmouth Castle
on the River Dart.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1997.
Dartmouth Castle
on the slip
Click to open larger image in new window
Totnes Castle (3)
(Built: 1949 - Dart Pleasure Craft: 1977-1985)
Totnes Castle (3)
was built as the
Berry Castle (3)
in 1949
.
The first post-war delivery to the
River Dart Steamboat Company
had been the motor vessel
Dartmouth Castle (3)
in 1948, replacing the paddle steamer
Dartmouth Castle (2)
. She was followed by the similar
Berry Castle (3)
the following year, both from Philip of Dartmouth.
RDSBCo
revenues were declining in the late 1960s, and in 1972,
Berry Castle (3)
and
Seymour Castle
were sold, although both eventually returned to the Diver Dart. After periods at Fareham and Rochester (as
Golden Cormorant
),
Berry Castle (3)
returned to the Dart in 1977 as the
Totnes Castle (3)
for
Dart Pleasure Craft
. She was sold to
Plymouth Boat Cruises
in 1985. She is now on Ullswater as
Lady Wakefield
.
Berry Castle (3)
in
River Dart SB Co
service.
N.P.O.Dexter postcard B7113-57368C of
Berry Castle (3)
in
River Dart SB Co
service.
Dennis postcard T.0601 of
Seymour Castle (3)
and
Berry Castle (3)
(right) at Totnes
Click to open larger image in new window
Plastichrome postcard P37821 of
Berry Castle (3)
at Totnes
Click to open larger image in new window
Postcard showing
Totnes Castle (3)
(on the right) when serving with Plymouth Boat Cruises
(
Southern Belle
and
Plymouth Venturer
on the left)
My Queen
(Dart Pleasure Craft: 1977?-1986 - built 1929)
My Queen
was built in 1929 and was a Dunkirk veteran. Between 1962-1970 she served with
George Wheeler Launches
on the Thames. In 1975 she passed to W.Jackson, also on the Thames.
My Queen
was bought by Dart Pleasure Craft in the late 1970s after a spell in Plymouth with
R.J.Elworthy
, and was given a covered cabin in 1982. She was used to take President Mitterand of France on a tour of Dartmouth Harbour in 1984, the 40th Anniversary of D-Day. In 1987 she was in service with
G.H.Ridalls & Sons
, remaining with them until 2000 when the company was bought by Dart Pleasure Craft, although the acquisition did not include
My Queen
. After a period of disuse, she re-entered service with B.R.J.Rackley, who operate the Exmouth-Starcross ferry and local excursions. She remained with successors
J.& M.Rackley (Exe to Sea Cruises)
in 2007, by which time
My Queen
was 76 years old.
My Queen
in
Ridalls
colours on the River Dart, seen from Dartmouth Castle.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1997.
My Queen
in
Ridalls
colours on the River Dart.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1997.
My Queen
in
Ridalls
colours on the River Dart.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1997.