The Radio Forts of the Thames Estuary

A copy free 'Grand Forts Tours' from the All Tide Landing Queenborough, Sheerness, Isle-of-Sheppey aboard the 'X-Pilot' on 1st May 2023

Click on image for large version if available

Red Sands Radio Productions Logo

Re-Publishing or Sharing please credit Bob Le-Roi (Red Sands Radio Productions)

Baltic Bright

'Baltic Bright' (Mariehamn)

Ro-Ro Container/Carrier (Vehicle carrier) formerly 'Balti',then 'Baltic Brghyt' IMO 1929263 built by Karlskronavarevet, Karlskrona, Sweden in 1996 owned by Charterfrakt Baltic Carrier, Gothenburg, Sweden sailing under flag of Finland

Baltrader Cemsky

'Baltrader Cemsky'

General carrier built in 1990 IMO 9000211 sailing under flag of Cyprus

With cargos of Scandinavian wood pulp it was planed she'd unload on the Thames but due to resident protests the ship berths at Sheerness with the cargo being transported to London by truck

Svitzer Tugs

Svitzer Tugs at Garrison Point, Sheerness

Sheerness Docks

Sheerness Dock Buildings at head of redundant Docks on Slipway Road

Sheerness Docks

Decaying historic dock

Garrison Point Fort

Garrison Point Fort

Crane Grabs at Garrison Point Fort

Crane Grabs at Garrison Point Fort

Botnia Seaways

'Botnia Seaways'

Botnia Seaways

Ro-Ro Carrier built in 1990 at Jinling Shipyard, Nanjing, China IMO 9192129

Botnia Seaways

Lithuanian Flagged on the 6 hour 41 minute Sheerness - Calais route transporting unaccompanied HGV trailers

Grain Fort

Grain Fort

Maran Gas Agamemnon

'Maran Gas Agamemnon'

Built in 2016 Flagged by Greece IMO 9682590 capacity of 174000 cubic meters of Liquid gas

Lady Ann

'Lady Ann' day fisher off Minster

SS Richard Montgomery Wreck

Wreck of SS 'Richard Montgomery' from Medway Dredged Channel

SS Richard Montgomery Wreck

Starboard Channel Buoy at Wreck of SS 'Richard Montgomery'

SS Richard Montgomery Wreck Buoy

SS 'Richard Montgomery' West wreck Buoy

SS Richard Montgomery Wreck

SS 'Richard Montgomery' with Sheerness coast beyond Edit

SS Richard Montgomery Wreck

Wreck of SS 'Richard Montgomery' with Grain Container Port beyond

SS Richard Montgomery Wreck
SS 'Richard Montgomery' towards Southend

SS Richard Montgomery Wreck

Wreck of 'SS Montgomery' with Mulberry Harbour wreck between Thorpe bay & Shoeburyness

SS Richard Montgomery Wreck
SS 'Richard Montgomery' warning notice

Mass Van Oord
'Mass' Van Oord Hybrid Water Injection Dredging Vessel in Medway Channel

Built in Rotterdam she was named by former Company Chair Karien van Oord in 2021

Red Sands Army Fort

Red Sands Army Fort from the South West

West Oaze Buoy
West Oaze Buoy

Red Sands Fort

Red Sands Fort looking from North East

Fehn Cape

'Fehn Cape'

Built in 2012 IMO 9556820 General cargo Ship operated by EMS Germany

Osaka Express

'Osaka Express'

Container Cargo Ship built in 2007 sailing under German flag IMO 9320697

Osaka Express

'Osaka Express' making for Felixtowe

Osaka Express

'Osaka Express' with Shivering sands Army Forts astern

Alectro

'Alectro'

Built in 2007 IMO 9373278 fly flag of Antigula & Burmuda

Group at Knock John

Phil, Jerry & Rebekah at Knock John

Knock John Naval Fort

Knock John Naval Fort looking West

Knock John Naval Fort

Knock John looking North East

Knock John Naval Fort

Knock John looking East

Knock John Naval Fort

Knock John's inhabitants

Knock John Naval Fort

The Forts make relativley safe nesting sites ...

Knock John Naval Fort

... suffice for the odd Pereguine Falcon

Knock John Naval Fort

Passing through the legs of Knock John

Knock John Naval Fort

Knock John wings ...

Knock John Naval Fort

... when built from which were slung Lifeboats

Knock John Naval Fort

Knock John Southern leg

Knock John Naval Fort

Between Knock John's legs looking towards Red Sands

Knock John Naval Fort

Knock John looking North West

Knock John Naval Fort

Knock John looking West

Knock John Naval Fort

Knock John looking South East

Shivering Sands Army Fort

Shivering Sands Army Fort with distant Red Sands

Shivering Sands Army Fort Shivering Sands Army Fort Shivering Sands Army Fort

Shivering Sands: Searchlight Tower, Gun Tower 3, Bofors Tower

Shivering Sands Army Fort

Shivering Sands: Bofors, Control & Gun Tower 3 looking West towards Red Sands

Shivering Sands Army Fort

Shivering Sands Gun Tower #4 Shell Holes

Shivering Sands Army Fort

Shivering Sands Gun Tower #2 leg remains

Shivering Sands Army Fort

Shivering Sands overview with South Cardinal Buoy

Shivering Sands Army Fort

Shivering Sands as the sun dips

Shivering Sands & Knock John

Shivering Sands and Knock John

Kentish Flats Windfarm

Kentish Flats Windfarm 1

Kent Coastline

Kent Coastline

Kentish Flats Windfarm

Kentish Flats Windfarm 2

Kentish Flats Windfarm Kentish Flats Windfarm

Kentish Flats Windfarm 3 & 4

Kentish Flats Windfarm

Kentish Flats Windfarm 5

Kentish Flats Windfarm

Kentish Flats Windfarm 6

Kentish Flats Windfarm

Kentish Flats Windfarm 7

Herne Bay

Herne Bay

Red Sands Army Forts

Red Sands Army Forts looking North East

MSC Adonis

'MSC Adonis'

Built in 2007 Liberian Flagged Container Ship IMO 9706310

passing the North Red Sands Buoy, sometimes a little closer which is disconcerting when aboard the Fort

Red Sands Army Forts Red Sands Army Forts North Port Buoy Red Sands Army Forts

Red Sands: Gun Tower #3, Red Sands North Buoy, Gun Tower #3

Red Sands Army Forts

Red Sands: Gun #4, Gun #1 Bofors & Control Towers

Red Sands Army Forts

Red Sands: Overview looking South East

Red Sands Army Forts

Red Sands: Looking East

Red Sands Army Forts

Red Sands: Gun #1, Bofors Towers with remnants of Red Sands Radio antenna

Red Sands Army Forts

Red Sands: Sunset looking East

Red Sands Army Forts

Red Sands: Looking East

X-Pilot Engine Detail

X-Pilot Engine Checks

X-Pilot Builder

The 'Pilot' was built by James W Cook & Co in 1967

The former James Husk Yard had been taken over by the MoD for Vospers, no longer needed Coaster and Lighterage firm Cook's were looking for a site for constructing steel vessels, in 1947 they acquired the site, first off the slipway were a pair of war replacement tugs and thirty lighters

The Pilot was constructed when Cooks became a subsidiary of William Cory & Son Limited

X-Pilot Engine Detail

X-Pilot Engine is an 8 cylinder 240HP Bergius-Kelvin

X-Pilot Engine Detail

From 1904 Bergius-Kelvin built vehicle engines turning to Maritime from 1907

X-Pilot Engine Detail

their first diesel dates from 1931 variants of which continued until the 1970's

Botnia Seaways

'Botnia Seaways'

(ships detail earlier)

X-Pilot

Another day's cruise 'X-Pilot' readies for mooring mid-river ...

X-Pilot

... securely berthed at Queenborough Harbour

Sunset over All Tide Landing Queenborough

Tide falls at the All Tide Landing

'Pluto' passes All Tide Landing Queenborough

'Pluto' formerly 'Union Pluto' makes her way cautiously up river

Built in 1984 IMO 8415665 General Cargo Ship now an aggregate Coaster

Sunset over All Tide Landing Queenborough

Another fine sunset concludes this feature

X-Pilot Logo

For Thames Estuary & Medway Cruises X-Pilot Sailings