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The Radio Forts of the Thames Estuary

A sailing from Queenborough, Sheerness on the Isle-of-Sheppey on 22nd September 2019

A copy free feature of a 'Grand Forts Tours' on the 'X-Pilot' from her home port

Queenborough All Tide Landing

Queenborough at dawn

All Tide Landing

Queenborough All Tide Landing

X-Pilot X-Pilot

'X-Pilot' on Queenborough All Tide Landing

Crew Chat

Crew chat with Alan

Helmsman

Helmsman

Jetsed

Van Oord 'Jetsed' water injection dredger moored off Sheerness

Monty

Wreck of 'SS Richard Montgomery' beyond Warden's Point

Monty

Wreck of 'SS Richard Montgomery' beyond Minster

Monty

Wreck of 'SS Richard Montgomery' beyond Sheerness

Monty

Wreck of 'SS Richard Montgomery' beyond Sheerness

Guest onboard X-Pilot

Guests aboard 'X-Pilot'

Neptune

Coaster 'MV Neptune' moored off Sheerness

Neptune

A regular cross channel ship running from Kent to Calais

Neptune

Locally most often transporting aggregates to small ports on the Kent coast such as Ridham on the Swale and Whitstable

Neptune

A general cargo ship built in 1992 of 2386 DWT IMO 9030474 Call Sign MCHJ6 with a gross capacity of 1512 tons 74.86 x 11.4 metres registered in Faversham

Note the stern anchor showing she once worked the rivers of Germany

Frenchman

French pleasure boat making for the Medway

Shivering Sands

Coaster passing South of Shivering Sands making for Alexandra then Princes Channels

On Deck

Skipper Alan talking to Guests

Knock John

Circular cruise around Knock John

Knock John

Other than a slight list the legs are in fair shape

Knock John

Knock John

Knock John

Through the legs of Knock John

Knock John

Knock John looking South East

Knock John

Leaving Knock John

Knock John Channel

Cruising the Knock John Channel

South East Mouse

South East Mouse Buoy

Shivering Sands

Knob Buoy, Shivering Sands and left North Cardinal Buoy

Knob Buoy

Knob Buoy and Kentish Flats Wind Farm

Knob

Knob Buoy on edge of restricted area between Knock John Channel and Shivering Sands Towers

Shivering Sands

Shivering Sands looking North


Audio

Phil Jay 'Discomania Show (Mid-day 20th August 1966)

Radio City's last summer on-air Phil Jay's 'Discomania' programme was recorded at home in Orpington, Kent from April 1965 only stepping aboard the Fort once


Dorothy Calvert

Dorothy Calvert in the makings of a small box studio

Southern Gun Tower

Shivering Sands Southern Gun Tower 1, looking very sad Radio Sutch and City Studio window open top left

Coaster

Leaving Shivering Sands steaming past the chemical carrier 'Sishem Beijing'

Built in 2007 registered in Burmuda Draft 8.71 m DWT 13068, GRT 8627, IMO 9397042

Wind Farm

Vattenfall's 'Tornado'

Wind Farm

Damaged Turbine blade

Wind Farm

Sunshine over the Wind Farm

Red Sands

Ro-Ro Car Transporter approaching the Red Sand Towers

French Sailing Vessel

French Sailing Vessel

A pair of French Sailing Vessels

A pair of French Sailing Vessels

Red Sands Overview

Red Sands Gun Towers looking North East

Searchlight Tower

West side of Red Sands Fort Searchlight Tower

Searchlight Tower

West side of Red Sands Fort detail of Searchlight Tower

Britain At War May 2019

Britain at War Magazine 'Sea Defences' May 2019

Full Size Image: Page 1 : Page 2 : Page 3

Britain At War May 2019 X-Pilot Advert

X-Pilot Logo

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