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 at dawn

Queenborough All Tide Landing

'X-Pilot' on Queenborough All Tide Landing

Crew chat with Alan

Helmsman

Van Oord 'Jetsed' water injection dredger moored off Sheerness

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

Wreck of 'SS Richard Montgomery' beyond Minster

Wreck of 'SS Richard Montgomery' beyond Sheerness

Wreck of 'SS Richard Montgomery' beyond Sheerness

Guests aboard 'X-Pilot'

Coaster 'MV Neptune' moored off Sheerness

A regular cross channel ship running from Kent to Calais

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

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

French pleasure boat making for the Medway

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

Skipper Alan talking to Guests

Circular cruise around Knock John

Other than a slight list the legs are in fair shape

Knock John

Through the legs of Knock John

Knock John looking South East

Leaving Knock John

Cruising the Knock John Channel

South East Mouse Buoy

Knob Buoy, Shivering Sands and left North Cardinal Buoy

Knob Buoy and Kentish Flats Wind Farm

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

Shivering Sands looking North

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 in the makings of a small box studio

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

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

Vattenfall's 'Tornado'

Damaged Turbine blade

Sunshine over the Wind Farm

Ro-Ro Car Transporter approaching the Red Sand Towers

French Sailing Vessel

A pair of French Sailing Vessels

Red Sands Gun Towers looking North East

West side of Red Sands Fort Searchlight Tower

West side of Red Sands Fort detail of Searchlight Tower

Britain at War Magazine 'Sea Defences' May 2019

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

Like to join us on a cruise or perhaps board the Red Sands Army Forts with our working parties, details of X-Pilot Sailings

For our other features return to the ScrapBook Index