The Dartmouth Passenger Ferry, also known as the Dartmouth Steam Railway and Riverboat Company, is a passenger ferry that crosses the River Dart in the English county of Devon. It is one of three ferries that cross the tidal river from Dartmouth to Kingswear, the others being the Higher Ferry and the Lower Ferry. The 630-mile (1,010 km) long South West Coast Path crosses the Dart on either the Lower or Passenger ferries.
The passenger ferry is operated by Dart Pleasure Craft Limited, which is owned by Dart Valley Railway plc, the owner of the Heritage Dartmouth Steam Railway. The ferry connects the Dartmouth water front to the steam railway's terminus at Kingswear railway station. At one time adjacent to the Dartmouth landing of the ferry was the unique "Dartmouth railway station", but this has been converted into a restaurant and the ferry now shares an adjacent landing stage with cruise boats also operated by Dart Pleasure Craft. [1] [2]
There are records of a "Kingswear Ferry" as early as 1365. [3] By the 18th century, a second ferry was sailing from Hoodown on the Kingswear side, upstream from Waterhead Creek, which had an easier approach than the steep slipway in the village square.
The Dartmouth and Torbay Railway was authorised by its act of Parliament, the Dartmouth and Torbay Railway Act 1857 (20 & 21 Vict. c. ciii) to establish a steam ferry across the Dart from its station and agreed to purchase the ferries, although this was not completed until 18 November 1873, by which time the railway was a part of the South Devon Railway. Within three years it had become part of the Great Western Railway who continued to operate the Steam Ferry up until nationalisation into British Railways on 1 January 1948.
The operation was leased to the Dartmouth Steam Packet Company until 1872. The company's first steam ferry was the paddle steamer Perseverance that took up duties on 1 October 1864, and so it had operated with their cruising steamers Louisa (built 1856) and Newcomin (built 1864). The latter was named after local pioneer steam engineer Thomas Newcomen. The Perseverance was not successful and was replaced by a new paddle steamer, the PS Dolphin, in 1869. The railway took over the operation in 1872 and continued to operate the Dolphin.
A new twin-screw steamer The Mew replaced the paddle steamer on 31 May 1908. She was altered in 1924 to be able to carry the Great Western Railway's road vehicles so as to avoid the heavy payments made for the use of the Lower Ferry. In 1940 she steamed to Dover to take part in the Dunkirk evacuation but was deemed unsuitable for the task and sent back to Dartmouth. She was finally withdrawn on 8 October 1954.
A temporary ferry, the Lady Elizabeth, was on station until the two replacement ferries, the Adrian Gilbert and Humphrey Gilbert, were ready to enter service on 18 March 1957. In 1972 the ferry was sold to Dartmouth Borough Council. After a short time being operated by its successor, the South Hams District Council, it was sold to Dart Pleasure Craft Limited, who now trade as River Link.
The River Dart is a river in Devon, England, that rises high on Dartmoor and flows for 75 kilometres (47 mi) to the sea at Dartmouth.
PS Kingswear Castle is a steamship. She is a coal-fired river paddle steamer, dating from 1924 with engines from 1904. After running summer excursions on the River Medway and the Thames for many years she returned to the River Dart in Devon in December 2012 to run excursions from 2013 onwards on the river she was built on and for. Kingswear Castle is listed as part of the National Historic Fleet of ships of "Pre-eminent National Significance".
The Dartmouth Steam Railway, formerly known as the Paignton and Dartmouth Steam Railway, is a 6.7-mile (10.8 km) heritage railway on the former Great Western Railway branch line between Paignton and Kingswear in Devon, England. Much of the railway's business is from summer tourists from the resorts of Torbay, who travel to Kingswear, where the Dartmouth Passenger Ferry takes them across the River Dart to Dartmouth.
Kingswear is a village and civil parish in the South Hams area of the English county of Devon. The village is located on the east bank of the tidal River Dart, close to the river's mouth and opposite the small town of Dartmouth. It lies within the South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and has a population of 1,332, reducing to 1,217 at the 2011 census.
Paignton railway station serves the town and seaside resort of Paignton in Devon, England. It is 222 miles 12 chains (358 km) from London Paddington, via Box. It opened in 1859 and is now the terminus of Riviera Line services from Exeter and heritage services on the Dartmouth Steam Railway from Kingswear.
Kingswear railway station is the terminus of the Dartmouth Steam Railway, a heritage railway in Devon, England. It is situated in the centre of Kingswear, on the shores of the River Dart opposite Dartmouth.
The Dartmouth and Torbay Railway was a broad gauge railway linking the South Devon Railway branch at Torquay with Kingswear in Devon, England. It was operated from the outset by the South Devon Railway.
The Dartmouth Higher Ferry, also known as the Dartmouth–Kingswear Floating Bridge, is a vehicular and passenger cable ferry, which crosses the River Dart in the English county of Devon. It is one of three ferries that cross the tidal river from Dartmouth to Kingswear, the others being the Lower Ferry and the Passenger Ferry.
Dartmouth railway station was a booking office for train tickets located on the quayside of Dartmouth in the English county of Devon. While there has never been a railway line at the site, it was possible to book through tickets to and from Dartmouth via the office, accessing trains by travelling on Dartmouth Passenger Ferry to or from Kingswear railway station on the opposite bank of the River Dart. Accordingly, the office was classed as a "railway station" for ticketing purposes if purchasing an integrated ticket combining rail and ferry travel.
The Dartmouth Lower Ferry is a vehicular and passenger ferry which crosses the River Dart in the English county of Devon. It is one of three ferries that cross the tidal river from Dartmouth to Kingswear, the others being the Higher Ferry and the Passenger Ferry. The 630-mile (1,010 km) long South West Coast Path crosses the Dart on either the Lower or Passenger ferries.
River Link is a ferry, cruise boat, and bus operator, based in Devon, England. The company is owned by Dart Valley Railway plc, who also own and operate the Dartmouth Steam Railway.
The MV Cardiff Castle is a twin screw passenger vessel, operating on the River Dart in South Devon, UK, mainly on the cruise / ferry route between Dartmouth and Totnes, but also on circular cruises from Dartmouth, for Dart Pleasure Craft Ltd.
G.H. Riddalls and Sons was a passenger boat operator on the River Dart, in South Devon, England. It operated on the route from Dartmouth to Totnes, on circular cruises from Dartmouth and also ran the ferry service from Dartmouth to Dittisham. The boats were painted with red hulls and white superstructures, and were marketed as the "Red Cruisers".
The MV Dartmouth Princess is a single screw passenger vessel, operating on the River Dart in South Devon, United Kingdom. She is mainly used on the Dartmouth Passenger Ferry service from Dartmouth to Kingswear, where she runs year-round as the main vessel.
The MV Plymouth Belle is a single screw passenger vessel, operating from Plymouth, Devon on Dockyard and Warships cruises from the new town pier, adjacent to Mayflower Steps.
The MV Edgecumbe Belle is a single screw passenger vessel, operating from Dartmouth, Devon, UK to Kingswear for Dart Pleasure Craft Limited.
The MV Western Belle is a twin screw passenger vessel. She is owned by Ullswater 'Steamers', who refitted her and launched her on Ullswater in the autumn of 2010.
The River Dart Steamboat Co Ltd (RDSC) and its predecessors, the Dartmouth Steam Packet Company and the Dartmouth and Torbay Steam Packet Company, were the major ferry and excursion boat operators on the River Dart in South Devon for 120 years, until the company's demise in 1976. The company was famous for its distinctive paddle steamers, which were a familiar sight on the river until the late 1960s.
MV Dartmouth Castle was a passenger ship operating on the River Dart for the Dartmouth Steam Railway. She is listed on the National Register of Historic Ships.
Greenway Halt railway station is a small railway station on the Dartmouth Steam Railway, a heritage railway in Devon, England. It is situated near the northern end of the 495-yard long Greenway Tunnel and convenient for visitors to the Greenway Estate, the historic home of Agatha Christie.