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.
Routes
The diagram on the right illustrates the network of routes operated by the company and its predecessors.
Dartmouth–Totnes The premier route of the company, this route operated year-round until 1929, thereafter being a summer only service. This route was around 10 miles long, and the journey time was an average of 75 minutes, though journey times of less than an hour were possible before the introduction of a 6 knot speed limit. Calls were made en route at Dittisham Pier, and off Duncannon, where passengers for Stoke Gabriel and Cornworthy embarked by small rowing boat. Totnes is tidal, and so the ferry could only run at high tide. In its early years the service was a true ferry, connecting Dartmouth with the markets and main line station at Totnes, and carried mail until 1929. As the years went by, it became more of a tourist cruise service.
Other routes
From time to time the company experimented with operating other ferry services. These either closed, or were taken over by other operators.
Dartmouth–Greenway
For the brief period between the Dartmouth and Torbay Railway reaching Brixham Road Station in 1861 and Kingswear in 1864, a regular connecting ferry service was run four times per day between Dartmouth and Greenway Quay, where the steamers were met with a horse-drawn omnibus to the station at Brixham Road.
Dartmouth–Kingswear
On 16 August 1864 the Dartmouth and Torbay Railway reached Kingswear, across the river from Dartmouth. The Act of Parliament incorporating the railway gave the railway company the right to operate the ferry to Dartmouth. The route was a short 5 minute crossing; from the pontoon adjacent to Kingswear station, to Dartmouth Pontoon, where an unusual station was built, with ticket office and porters, but no track. Initially the ferry was leased to the Dartmouth Steam Packet Company, who built the PS Newcomin and the doubled ended PS Dolphin for the route. In 1901, the Great Western Railway (GWR) took over the running of the Kingswear Ferry, and purchased the Dolphin. As the GWR only owned one passenger vessel on the Dart, relief steamers continued to be provided by the River Dart Steamboat Company until 1957
Dittisham–Greenway This short route across the Dart was operated by local boatmen for most of it history, but the River Dart Steamboat Company operated it during the Second World War.
Coastal and cross-channel routes In the early years of the company, attempts were made to run long distance excursions from Dartmouth, to the Channel Islands, St Malo, Weymouth, Plymouth and other ports of the south coast using the PS Pilot. On the arrival of the railway, the PS Eclair was purpose-built for a weekly cross-channel service, departing from Dartmouth each Monday night, and calling at Guernsey and Jersey en route to St Malo, arriving on Tuesday. The following day she would return, again via Jersey and Guernsey, arriving at Dartmouth on Saturday. These sailings were unsuccessful and ended with the sale of the Eclair in 1868.
History
Dartmouth Steam Packet Co Ltd
In 1856 John Moody and Charles Seale Hayne established a Dartmouth–Totnes steamboat service. The first vessel in the fleet was the purpose-built PS Louisa, a 90-foot paddle steamer built at Deptford on the River Thames in 1856. Two years later, two additional paddle steamers were acquired second hand – the PS Mary for the Totnes run, and PS Pilot for towage work in Dartmouth harbour. In 1859 the company was incorporated under the name the Dartmouth Steam Packet Company. The new company bought all of the shares of the Louisa and a majority of the shares in the Pilot in 1859; with the Mary returning to South Shields. For the next few years, the Pilot, having been refitted as a full-time passenger boat, ran coastal and cross-channel trips, in addition to the normal services.
Seale Hayne's primary commercial interest was the establishment of the Dartmouth and Torbay railway, so when this railway reached Brixham Road, the company operated the connecting ferry service to Greenway. This service was changed to run to Kingswear in 1864, when the railway reached its terminus, and a new steamer was built for the route: the PS Newcomin. In 1865 the company took delivery of the largest ever Dartmouth-based passenger steamer – the 180-foot-long PS Eclair, This steamer was purpose-built for cross-channel services to the channel islands, which were operated in connection with the railway, but the service was unsuccessful, and the Eclair was sold in 1868.
The Louisa was broken up in 1868, when only 12 years old. Her replacement in 1869 was the double ended paddle steamer Dolphin, designed for the short Kingswear route, with the Newcomin now being used on the Totnes route. Also built in the same year was PS Guide, a wooden-hulled tug. In 1871 the formerly competing steamer PS Dartmouth was acquired, giving the Dartmouth Steam Packet Company a monopoly of all of the river's passenger services. From 1872, therefore, the Dartmouth-Totnes service was run by the Newcomin, Dartmouth and Pilot, with the Dolphin on the Kingswear ferry and the Guide chartered out to the West Cornwall Steam Ship Company, as a replacement for their wrecked SS Little Western. She returned to the Dart in 1876.
Dartmouth and Torbay Steam Packet Company
In 1877 a new syndicate, the Dartmouth and Torbay Steam Packet Company, took over the fleet from Seale Hayne's company. The Guide was immediately sold, followed by the Pilot two years later. In their place came two small screw steamers – the SS Hauley and SS Nimble. In 1879 the Dartmouth was replaced by the trend-setting paddle steamer Berry Castle whose basic design was followed for the next 44 years. In 1883 a further screw-steamer, the SS Dart, was purchased, and in the following year the Newcomin was replaced by the first PS Dartmouth Castle.
Following this period of fleet modernisation were ten years of stability, with the two 'castles' on the Dartmouth–Totnes run, the Dolphin on the Kingswear ferry, and the three screw steamers assisting. At this time the single fare to Totnes was one shilling in the saloon, or ninepence in the forecabin. In 1893 the Dart was sold, and a new paddle steamer: the first PS Totnes Castle entered service. Designed for the winter run, this vessel was smaller than the other paddle steamers, and was flush-decked. The Hauley was sold in 1898.
The Edwardian years In 1901 the Kingswear ferry lease was due for renewal, and the Great Western Railway decided to operate the service themselves, purchasing the Dolphin for the purpose. The 'Torbay' element in the company's name was therefore no longer relevant, and in 1904, the company was renamed the River Dart Steamboat Company. At the same time another paddle steamer was added to the fleet: the first Kingswear Castle. In 1906 the company was incorporated. It appears that the Nimble was not transferred to the incorporated company, so its fleet consisted of the four 'castle' class paddle steamers.
In 1907 the first PS Dartmouth Castle was replaced by a similar vessel of the same name. In 1912 the Totnes Castle was sold, two years later her replacement the PS Compton Castle entered service. This steamer was the first to have her deck extended out over her paddle sponsons, in the style which would become typical of the Dart paddlers.
World War One Initially there was little effect on the company services following the declaration of war, though later the service was reduced and the company's oldest steamer, PS Berry Castle, was laid up, and broken up in 1917. It is worth noting that the Dartmouth–Totnes service was still a ferry route, and a Royal Mail service at this stage.
Between the wars In 1922, the company introduced their first motor vessel, the first MV Berry Castle, a 60-foot-long, twin paraffin engined vessel. The small MV Dittisham Castle was introduced in the same year, to operate a shuttle service from Dartmouth to her namesake village. The following year, two new paddle steamers: the second Totnes Castle and second PS Kingswear Castle were ordered to the same design as the Compton Castle. The second Kingswear Castle inherited the engines from the first, which became an isolation hospital ship at Dartmouth, before being burnt at Fleet Mill Quay to avoid contamination. In 1926, a third motor vessel entered service – the MV Clifton Castle.
There then followed a long period of stability, with the PS Dartmouth Castle, PS Compton Castle, PS Totnes Castle and PS Kingswear Castle running the main Totnes service, MV Dittisham Castle on the Dittisham shuttle. The MV Berry Castle and MV Clifton Castle operated the winter services, and additional services in the summer.
In 1938 a new vessel, the MV Greenway Castle, was built, but went to the Thames shortly afterwards. A further new vessel, MV Seymour Castle, entered service in the following year.
World War Two Unlike the First World War, all excursion traffic stopped immediately following the declaration of war. The Totnes Castle was used briefly as a Liberty boat at Devonport Dockyard, and during 1941 operated a limited summer service to Totnes in full peacetime colouring. She also, along with the Kingswear Castle, occasionally relieved on the Kingswear Ferry. Compton Castle was used by the Admiralty as an ammunition carrier. The Seymour Castle was requisitioned by the Admiralty, and used for marking swept channels at Ramsgate. She also took part in the Operation Dynamo to Dunkirk. The Clifton Castle was also sold to the Crown, whilst the MV Dittisham Castle was sold to the Dartmouth Coaling Company. The Berry Castle and Dartmouth Castle were laid up in Old Mill Creek for the duration of the war, by the end of the War Dartmouth Castle was in such poor condition that she never sailed again, and her remains are still in the creek.
The postwar years After the war the company was left with only the three paddle steamers and the MV Seymour Castle. The work of rebuilding the fleet commenced with the construction of the MV Dartmouth Castle in 1948, and the MV Berry Castle the following year.
In 1952, following the death of the managing director: John Tolman two years earlier, the company was taken over by Evans & Reid Investment Co Ltd of Cardiff. The new company valued the three motor vessels at a collective £17,311, whilst the three steamers were valued at a scrap value of just £797. Nevertheless, the service ran unchanged until 1961, when a controlling interest was bought in the Devon Star Shipping Co Ltd, operators of the MV Torbay Prince from Torquay. This interest was sold three years later.
After the 1962 season the PS Compton Castle was refused a passenger certificate, and was replaced with a new motor vessel: the MV Conway Castle. The following year the PS Totnes Castle also required major work, and was replaced with a sister to the Conway Castle, the MV Cardiff Castle. The final steamer PS Kingswear Castle remained in service until the end of the 1965 season, when she was sold to the Paddle Steamer Preservation Society.
Decline