Exploring the abandoned railway in Gillingham

[@tommylee8064]

I grew up round here used to play on these tracks all the time. When I was really young remember when it was in use. Me nd my mates built a swing that went of the bank over the tracks we called it the death swing. Crazy brings back so many memories

[@JacksonTwidle]

Not sure if it's the swing I'm on about. But there's a massive bit of rope tied to a tree off the edge that goes over the tracks now. Super sketchy but fun. Might be it 😂

[@officalbrandonperfect]

Gillingham Docks is now an ASDA Superstore, Technical College, a pub and currently building new apartments

[@johnmitchell1940]

Line still intact, could be restored at a reasonable cost, what an opportunity.

[@Vortex5Australia]

Amazing urban adventure along the wastelands of modern Britain .. Fantastic video Beno and great that you're exploring the backlots of Gillingham..

[@EandEFC]

Walked the line yesterday thanks for sharing the top bridge near the line now has a fence across it, there is also a tramp living on the line now with several tents!

[@bensummers5287]

That would make a wonderful tourist railway!

[@danielwilliamson6180]

They should.

[@robtyman4281]

More to the point - make it the basis of a tram network linking Chatham with Gillingham........oh, and you may aswell include Rochester too. It's a no brainer. It would also be alot more successful than having a railway re-instated. Could call the scheme 'Medway Tram'. How about that??

[@baileythemaster0738]

@@robtyman4281 The problem is the end of the rail leads straight to the train station were all the tracks are so it would be hard

[@TheTheirishlad]

Thanks for posting. Look how it is when left to return to nature, lovely. then check the bridges where man has really shown his impact on the planet.

[@7th.trumpet]

I'd love to go down that on a 'Rail-bike'. Have to keep up speed to get over brambles and unconscious smackheads though ha. Great vid👍🏻

[@welshrails]

It looked like there was a actual steam train in the thumbnail because of the tree line, or is that just me that sees it?

[@kevblue8043]

I was a signalman at Gillingham in the early 90's for a while and remember those bloody trains grrrrrrr. Used to run maybe seven or eight a shift to clear all of the contaminated soil away. Often we would forget to ring the little crossing box up at the other end to let them know the train was coming and had many a near miss with the gates! The trains would always arrive at the wrong time (normally at the start of the rush to get the empty stock out for the evening peak services) and nearly always cause chaos. Having to run around the wagons to get them off and away......oh I shudder just thinking about them!!

[@Paulie52UK]

Cromptons?

[@johnhealy8513]

What a good case for restoring the line to the very end and putting a station there to create more revenue for the TOC! I wonder if anyone has thought of that!

[@DieselsNO1]

Beno, that line was in use until about 3 or 4 years ago. The line was used until the 90's then mothballed for a few years then Peel Ports upgraded it and started to use it again for scrap trains until 2012. There is a video here:- kzbin.info/www/bejne/iqvLp62jeZ6ZmNU I totally agree with your comment about keeping the line. With all the houses being built there it could be used as tramway or light rail shuttle to Gillingham Station and Town Centre.

[@messijaffa2693]

How does someone simply chuck three wheeliebins, a kids table and a fridge off a bridge without getting caught?

[@plushifoxed]

Very carefully

[@dakotashowalter5949]

It's sample do it in the middle of the night

[@paulalderson5569]

thank you for the video. I grew up round the corner and remember as a kid when the dockyard was still a navel dockyard and used to see the old diesel trains painted navy grey running on those tracks. I remember the old smaller bridge ☺

[@oceanmariner]

So how are the people doing in the new houses at the nucular waste site?

[@johnrauner2515]

All the men have grown three extra penises so I'd guess there's not likely to be any complaints from them.

[@ralpha679]

I remember when that Railway Street bridge was rebuilt - that was some years after the last train had passed underneath. I also remember a few years later some kids found a body down there.

[@jordanbailey3289]

Ralph Allison really!

[@kevelliott]

I'm amazed at the waste of something that was built only in the 90s now rotting and overgrown...

[@captainfarrell2620]

Me and loads of other kids used to play there when we were a kid in the 1960's

[@williamradford9631]

When the Bluebell railway opened there line to East Grinstead from Kings cote, there was tons and tons of landfill to clear from the Imberhorne cutting

[@Britguy21]

Interesting vid shows how much Gillingham has changed since I was last there.

[@georgeventham4834]

We used to work all the trains from there to folders Bedford .Also steel trains to Colnbrook for new London Heathrow terminal. we used class 56 loco and 33 for most of the work.

[@JamesA1984]

George Ventham I drove a class 33 Spoil train from there to Hoo Junction (shunting via reception road 1, down sidings 1&2 to run around the wagons, back down, then up through platform 2) on Train Simulator. It was hard!

[@muttt.whopull3252]

I was a shunter in the Recess sidings at Cricklewood until it shut and those spoil trains to Forders sometimes came in to us. I was given a dark blue with gold writing commemorative mug, ( just looked can't find it).

[@wisteela]

I'd love walking along that railway line.

[@paulkazjack]

Used to play up here as a kid. That was my road you filmed.

[@paulkazjack]

would you like to join it?

[@adrianneils2727]

I have to say, the foliage that carpets the rails there is alot more splended tban the lousy weeds we have that grow on our out-of-service or abandoned railroads in the states here, but tnen down south can be a little different with the humidity differences.

[@astrotrainreviews1355]

Cool, I like doing things like this!!!

[@angelsone-five7912]

Would make a nice little tourist line. If you want to know why so many houses are being built all over the place the reason is at 4.55

[@Bruh-bd1yl]

How do uget in there I live in gills and would like 2 go there myself None of my friends know how

[@gryzman]

do you know of any other tracks in kent - sevenoaks area? I'd be interested to explore some - for photography.

[@benolifts]

The only other ones I know are Folkestone Harbour and Watford. But be careful what you post. The BTP go to great lengths to track down people who trespass.

[@Ameliathehorselover2]

Hey I love your videos. You have amazing content Things that make you awesome: Your cool You make awesome videos You have great content You make my day You have a good KZbin channel We love your abondoned railway videos

[@paulinehobb-chambers4174]

This old TrainTrack runs through Medway in kent.

[@gunsbartone]

I used to work in the council depot in pier approach road.I remember when they put the new bridge over the road they only used it for a few years.they could have still used the line for new development. An opportunity missed I think

[@bluetoad2001]

i love abandoned places like this old rail bed.

[@hiddenkent6933]

Did you have to jump the fence o is there an easy way down there? thanks for the vid!

[@siliquaesid703]

People don't deserve nice things. They just dump rubbish everywhere. Disgusting mess

[@johnrauner2515]

I honestly can't even begin to understand how there are people in the world who think it's acceptable to just toss their rubbish off a bridge.

[@RUOKH]

Now, there's a candidate for preservation! Come on Medway Council, do your stuff.

[@cogsinister100]

You shouldn't Urbex alone Ben, if you got stuck somewhere it could be weeks before your mum noticed you were missing. And also wear good stout footwear instead of trainers when walking over trash, unless you want a used hypodermic needle in your foot. Great video tho.

[@mightymouse5029]

Neil Robinson you worry to much FFS

[@nothisispatrick5725]

He can call someone

[@rail3288]

when i was looking on google maps I was like woah that’s right next to gillingham train station!

[@damian-795]

Its very interesting, Shame about the idiots that have put rubbish all over the place.

[@nexusrecords3031]

3:23 u can barrely hear a train but volume all up guys

[@pg26571]

This would make a good cycles path to Asda or tram line ?

[@jeffreybaker100]

I agree on that! Here in America many old railroad tracks have been converted into bike paths

[@user-tu3or3ec1t]

+Jeffrey Baker same here

[@Dave4000]

Is it entirely legal to walk on disused or abandoned railways? I know it's illegal to trespass onto the main railways and rarely used tracks.

[@benolifts]

It has been well over 6 months since I did this, so there is nothing the police can do. I do not know if railway bylaws apply to this line. I don't think they do but I don't know. I am also don't know if railway bylaws apply to heritage lines. if they don't then IT'S TRAIN SURFING TIME!

[@Seazer009]

No different than the litterbugs we have here in the USA, I suppose we still have some kin over there. Lots of abandoned railways here as well...

[@Seafarer25]

I like to follow those old and abandoned railroad track to see if i can also see a abandoned train..

[@lewisskinner2337]

Are you actually allowed to visit it? Bc I wanna take some photos there. Looks incredible without the bloody rubbish of course.

[@benolifts]

I do not know if railway bylaws apply here. If they do then just don't tell anyone you have been there for 6 months.

[@aleottoloi8782]

Who was the worker you see? An real engineer ?

[@TheFunktheory]

does this still exist and is it on private property? looks cool to photograph!

[@richardgadsby9060]

It's still there but it's a bit more overgrown with vegetation now.

[@archlinuxrussian]

I have no idea about the area, thus I'm certainly an authority to say they should have definitely kept the line for a metro for the neighbourhood there! :D haha. Nice video though!

[@baronlocal8569]

VAT disadvantage from min 0:30 7 dec 2015

[@jonsmallwood4157]

THat's crazy. The rails are still there. Why?

[@deanodeane]

the rails cost alot to rip up and now it is nearly impossible to rip them up because of trees on the line

[@jackyclaiborne2142]

Each time they abandon a rail line, it puts more trucks on our highways.

[@triptechable]

Jacky Claiborne the UK is too small to make rail transport of goods profitable. The distances are tiny compared to say USA or mainland Europe.

[@kalmanszeles8666]

how much a good steel are there,to reusing !!

[@CoreyKinley]

Awesome

[@Cheeseatingjunglista]

Parry people mover fits that kind of line perfectly - wouldn't take much to clear it for use

[@BADBIKERBENNY]

Do you have the gps location of that automobile bridge. I would like to locate where you are at on Google Earth.

[@benolifts]

+BAD BIKER BENNY www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.3953926,0.5511742,244m/data=!3m1!1e3

[@nevertrustahippie2]

Good video, I have been meaning to visit those tracks myself but looking at all the rubbish, not sure i will bother. I think you will find the bins, traffic cones etc are thrown over by drunks walking home after a night out. So many cans and bottles there, its a town of drunks!

[@infinityrblades3299]

I've been there.so fun

[@elevatorsinrussia2597]

Why people walk over the bridge and chuck their over the side? They should have chuck it in the bin instead.

[@samgreen644]

I do not think it was that many years ago it was stopped being used this line ! Did they not use it to carry away low grade radioactive waste or contaminated soil or something like this ?

[@benolifts]

+Sam Green That was in the 90s. They started building houses on st mary's island in the early 2000s. They are now building on the remaining part. People are told not to grow vegetables in the garden due to radiation poisoning. The original buildings have first generation ecodiscs.

[@johnrauner2515]

@@benolifts hmmmmmm, living on ground that is too dangerous to grow vegetables in. I'm sorry, I was about to make a humorous quip but I honestly can't stop laughing at the sheer stupidity.

[@microbusss]

would love to take a Speeder Car or a handcar down this line!

[@thomasalexander5936]

Should consider clearing this out with a couple friends and building a "rail go kart" to fly down the track.

[@gcfcos]

Best comment I’ve seen in a long time, that would be great fun

[@Lindsay5137]

Just like this one. forgottenworldadventures.co.nz/routes-and-trails/category/2/rail-cart

[@eatingsand9607]

Already doing that here in the US. It is tons of fun, just don't get caught.

[@Andrewjg_89]

Do you think that it will be reused again. Or maybe turn it into a public footpath.

[@maimadha]

Great video

[@benconway9010]

is this Gillingham Dorset??

[@benolifts]

Gillingham Kent

[@PrograError]

is it comfirmed to be closed? ain't a line in UK need parlimentary approval to close?

[@zabbyraja]

For all of you who asked to restore the railway, it had produced radioactive waste

[@Paulie52UK]

I remember seeing class 33 locos taking radioactive waste from the dockyard to the mainline at Gillingham. A nice family day out if you like to see your kids glowing in the dark!

[@mikewhipkey6863]

building houses where nuclear waste was dumped what could possibly go wrong?

[@Mandalorian_Goblinslayer]

Was this video filmed in United Kingdom?

[@benolifts]

Yes

[@chaosdemonwolf1]

Why would anyone toss perfectly good wheely bins off the bridge?

[@johnrauner2515]

It wouldn't at all surprise me to see this line reactivated in the future. The developers building the houses probably had to pay for the bridge as part of their development plans (a requirement by the local or central government) for getting permission to build houses on the land. The deal would have been something like, "if you want to build on it you have to remove the nuclear waste and the only way we'll allow you to transport it is by rail". The increase in property value by having a metro station next to these houses would be far too tempting to ignore. Especially given that there is a fully constructed rail link running to their boundary. Removing the over growth and getting it working again will cost pennies compared to the cost of constructing a line like this from scratch.

[@squirrel_food2370]

I live right next to this and my brother has explored it before with his friends and he said that they got chased by some dude that was down there

[@DaveNovakTV]

it would be scary if there was a running locomotive on the line

[@danielwilliamson6180]

0:25 You've gone over the wall and has entered The Wilderness. Runescape.

[@gtfoshea]

yes, leave the tracks in for transportation-for the new housing development-but like here in the states, that would mean THINKING.

[@PreservationEnthusiast]

+gtfoshea I would lift all the tracks and cut everything up for scrap including the bridges.

[@gtfoshea]

oh,ok

[@PreservationEnthusiast]

gtfoshea Based on the fact that one housing development is unlikely to justify the line in terms of trip generation (traffic). I've nothing against railways in themselves but these things have to pay their way. I am sure some thinking was done on this ;)

[@gtfoshea]

understood, as long as its just going to remain that way it makes sense

[@richardclayton8183]

I live about 100 yards from that bridge in railway st..went down that track two weeks ago...the arches in the second bridge has become a camp..very sketchy...didn't hang around as there was about 8 blokes just staring...think my hi-viz scared them lol...good video tho

[@TickledFunnyBone]

I agree, "Metro Transit" or even Tourist railway.

[@rubenclemente8469]

Where the hell are the community service workers?

[@WeRussianGodwithus]

Great video! But wherever you look there are fences everywhere around....there must be someone crazy about building them.

[@Satters]

in the UK it is a legal requirement incumbent upon the railway authority to maintain fences throughout the line

[@TheCominghome]

Piggyham England?

[@williamradford9631]

Yeah, 3 brown Wheelie bins belonging to the local council. The disused line used as a dumping ground, a there is a £5000 penalty for fly tipping

[@BillSikes.]

at 9:03 I'm suprised there's no Romanians living down there

[@mabelcastillo8843]

strake750 .

[@stuco81]

They get given all the housing in Medway...

[@putzi6977]

So offensive 😆😆😆. I am Romanian. R.I.P

[@kriskolo2013]

3:27 Wheelie Bin is hungry new episode

[@benolifts]

kriskolo2013 Yeah. Wheelie bin is hungry chav edition - wheelie bin gets thrown off bridge.

[@jburnett8152]

All that trash ! So sad.

[@haz05-06]

WEELIE BIN IS HUNGRY!!! No, seriously, someone chucked a weelie bin over the bridge.

[@user-wj5cx2zp7v]

6.55 would be perfect for homeless, if it wasn't for the main road right there to keep them awake at night.

[@sapper82]

The line used to be operated by the Army, first the Royal Engineers, then the RCT.

[@tomx1135]

Are people allowed down there or go at your free will as I would love to go and explore that railway. Great vid

[@JacksonTwidle]

U can just go there. The fence in the trees is broken

[@keithspillett7312]

Much of that probably wouldn't be TOO difficult to bring back into use. I've seen a lot worse than that returned to life!

[@SamSitar]

that should be converted into a rail trail.

[@robtyman4281]

Nuclear waste site??? wtf! I bet the developers didn't mention that the new homes they were building were actually on land contaminated with Nuclear waste. Well, I suppose you wouldn't would you, but it's extremely deceitful and typical of many developers now, who are become ever more overzealous. They just let the poor people move in and get sick instead. Re keeping the tracks and turning into a metro or tram line. Developers and councils find it difficult to get on with each other as it is, and neither can think in a 'joined-up' way, or for the long term. It's why so those who move into the many new housing developments have to rely totally on their car - complete madness, but this is the thinking outside of London. The phenomenon of popular public transport is a very London thing. You don't really see it in other British cities.

[@asmqb7222]

Agh, if only you had a gigantic backpack, you could have carried the traffic cone home - and then taken it out on adventures with you. 1000 hilarious things to do with a traffic cone if you get inventive...

[@delboy1727]

There are a lot of comments, and replies to comments, stating that this line hasn't seen a train since the 1990s. That's incorrect. This line was still occasionally being used in the early 2000's.

[@morthren]

There's a video on KZbin called "66039 Leaves Gillingham Docks" which was uploaded in 2010 showing a train running on this line.

[@delboy1727]

Yeah, I wasn't sure of my dates but I knew it was much later than 1993. When they first started reusing it, they sent a class 37 down there on a test run. Coming back up near the main line, it spread the rails due to a rotten sleeper and derailed. That problem was obviously fixed, but the line wasn't used for very long after it 'reopened'.

[@kevins1114]

If that abandoned rail line were in my area, I would modify a bicycle to ride on it. A bike would be nearly silent.

[@nataliemcdermott5803]

no way we went down the before

[@cameronsrailwayuniversestu9520]

3:26 wheelie bin is dead

[@2112SSF]

Well they could run a train down the line. All they need to do is cut the bushes then job done.

[@CptnPhasma]

The connection has been severed

[@Steve-xf4uv]

Pretty disgusting mess ! Total lack of civisme. Would make a good school or scouts project; let's clean it up. What to do with the tracks ? Railbus anyone ?

[@vondumozze738]

Nuclear waste? St. Mary's? Sounds like V for Vendetta!

[@michaelnaisbitt1590]

There is money to be made here in the tourist market Just grab a couple of golf carts or something similar slap some rail wheels on them and run tourist rail rides as they do in America and Mexico two or three passengers per car a bit of information about the line and area and you will be surprised how many people would be interested

[@bettyboop65340]

is this england

[@benolifts]

bettyboop65340 yes

[@breakinglimitssickjambutte9450]

3:23 Wheelie Bins are Hungr... Oh wait no, there Dead!