The Radio Forts of the Thames Estuary

A sailing from Queenborough, Sheerness on the Isle-of-Sheppey on 22nd April 2018

A copy free feature of one of many 'Grand Forts Tours' undertaken by the X-Pilot from her home port

Issue: 2 Dated: 9th January 2021

Leaving Queenborough All Tide Landing

Motor Boat 'Who Knows' making for the landing

Jet Skiers at Queenborough Leisure Launch Ramp

Car Transport RoRo ship 'Malacca Highway', Container ship 'Star Service 1

and a SCA lines vessel at Sheerness Port

Port Crew Bus leaves 'Malacca Highway'

Switzer Tugs and Medway VTS (Vessel Traffic Services) at Garrison Point

Sheerness Dock entrance

Abandoned Dock Buildings

Switzer Tug 'Intrepid'

Old Olau Ferry Line Foot Passenger Bridge and Car Ramp

Olau Passenger Ferry Foot Bridge with Garrison Fort

'Flashback' The Ferry Service Poster (1930's)

'Flashback' Olau West ran from 1975-1977

Ran from Queenborough (Sheernes) to Flushing (Vlissingen) 1875 - 1939 then to the Hook-of-Holland 1945 - 1994

More on the Queenborough - Holland Ferry Service

SS 'Richard Montgomery' Wreck Buoy

SS 'Richard Montgomery' Masts with bridge hatch

SS 'Richard Montgomery' Masts with Sheerness Esplanade

Clearly shows the proximity of the wreck to the shore

SS 'Richard Montgomery' Masts looking back towards Sheeness Docks

Note the WWII buidings centre, a closer view later in this article

For Photographs and the history of SS 'Richard Montgomery'

Switzer Tug 'Ganges' motors out of Sheerness

Inbound 'Finnbreeze'

'Finnbreeze' close by

'Finnbreeze' passes Sea Reach Buoy 1

Norient Line Oil Tanker 'Nord Hummock' moored with Southend beyond

Skipper Alan edges the X-Pilot closer to the Naval Tower

Knock John Fort

The Fort is still dry below deck, see how the concrete has fallen away exposing the steel reinforcement

Seagull leaves the Fort

Photograph shows the open end of the Fort

Echoes and shadow of an earlier time, post WWII activities of Radio Essex

Underside of Bridge Wing

Underside of Knock John

Air Duct outlet remains

The Naval Forts had a huge Boxer type fan to circulate air around the Fort

Underside of Knock John showing heavily rusted deck

Crewman Bob Vine

Bob is on the preservation team of the historic Tug 'Kent' that's moored in Chatham Pleasure Dock

The Tug 'Kent'

No stranger to Offshore Radio she provisioned Tower Radio on the Sunk Head Fort

Shivering Sands Army Forts through X-Pilots spotlight

Shivering Sands looking South West towards Whitstable

Shivering Sands looking South West towards Hampton, Herne Bay

Gun Tower 2 leg stumps, Bofors Tower with 'Malacca Highway'

Gun Tower #3

Gun Tower #3

Notice the shell damage around the door

Gun Tower #3

Shell damage above walkway

Gun Tower #3

Close view of shell damage above walkway, never noticed before perhaps the Navy in the end used the old Radio Sutch Fort for target practice!

Gun Tower #2 leg stumps

Gun Tower #4

Control Tower

Note collapsed PLA (Port of London Authority) ladders

Bofors Gun Tower

Note cable remains of Jungle Walk between Southern Gun Tower #1 and the Control Tower

Bofors Gun Tower, Gun Tower #4, glimpes of Gun Tower #2 Legs, Searchlight Tower, Gun Tower #3

Control Tower with a closer view of a Radio City antenna insulator

Note the Arrow and Radio City fading after 53 years!

Shivering Sands Army Fort overview

Dredger the 'City of Westminster' heading back to London

Dredger the 'City of Westminster'

Reputedly the noisiest and dirtiest Dredger on the River Thames

Red Sands Army Forts from the North West

North Buoy Redsand Towers

The sounds of the distinctive'clanging' bell, Seagulls on the Fort and waves lapping around the Fort legs were used in Red Sands Radio branding

Container Ship 'Marja' and an Oil Tanker

The replacement Platform Landing Stage was built in sections at Whitstable Harbour

Red Sands Army Forts from the South East

Switzer Tug 'Ganges' sailing alongside 'Star Service 1' will take off Pilot once outside the Medway sea lane

'Star Service 1' passing

WWII observation Towers at Sheerness

A good number of HHAA Gun Emplacements are located on the banks of the Medway and Thames

Medway VTS (Vessel Traffic Services) above Garrison Fort, Sheerness

Today the Medway operations centre in Liverpool!

Garrison Fort, Sheerness

Garrison Fort, Sheerness

With no Vessel Services or Ferries what's the future for the historic Garrison Fort?

For Thames Estuary, Medway and Thames Cruises X-Pilot Sailings