RIPPED UP! Rushenden Pier Railway, Isle of Sheppey

[@plinkplanky]

What i love about your posts is the on screen narration as opposed to talking over them. To me this is much better! Thanks for sharing!

[@rockabyebaby6111]

The beauty of this place is the silence, narration spoils the experience.

[@SMILEVIDEOTRAINS]

each to their own but i find it hard to understand why 19 people have disliked this. it's our history and heritage. I found this so very interesting and really enjoyed the walk and information but i would not have ventured on to that pier. Well done you.

[@regmiles1970]

Reg Miles , aged 96 , so sad to see the island like this, before WW2at the age of14 during school summer holidays , I travelled each day from Margate to operate a photo office on the sea side prom , brought a photographer , January 1939 joined theRAF .at Halton . Would have liked to see the prom , thanks for the video .made me sad

[@LittleNoiseBoy]

@@regmiles1970 God bless you, Sir: wish I could meet you to hear your tales. We have much to learn from folk such as yourself...

[@kapegede]

48 inbetween. I think they complain about the wiggly camera and not about the content. I added some datails in Openstreetmap thanks to morthren.

[@steeveedee8478]

I'll never understand why but I get all nostalgic and sad when I see abandoned rail tracks, especially those set into tarmac.

[@uxb59]

Me too. I felt as if was me walking that journey.

[@rockabyebaby6111]

sad yes...its called progress ...

[@dumdum7786]

@rockabye baby 😂😂😂😂😂 What are you talking about? I thought progress was adding infrastructure, not removing it.

[@rockabyebaby6111]

@@dumdum7786 not all progress is good... it's unstoppable..man will carry on until he self destructs, we are to clever for our own good..

[@invicta1015]

Saw this in line in action In roughly 2009. Cannot believe how quickly it has been removed. I remember thinking how odd it was to see such an industrial operation so late on in this Modern day. Would have loved to have had a ride down the branch in one of there shunters.

[@StefanoBettega]

Thanks for sharing this exploration, it was really nice walking with you, I felt like I were with you!

[@uxb59]

This is really informative and great to watch. It made me feel like a child again during my explorations of the Garrison and Well Marsh during the early sixties. Thanks for sharing.

[@ianleyburn4048]

Really enjoyable. You managed to bring the atmosphere of that place right into my room.Thanks very much for sharing.

[@whyyoulidl]

same here...

[@Peasmouldia]

Remember this from holidays in the early 60s. This was a regular hive of activity back then with loads of shipping traffic in the estuary. Looks like a bit of a wildlife haven now. Thank you for uploading this.

[@keith800]

Great video of forgotten local history , this was originally a ship breaker yard founded by Cox and Danks in 1921 who later became famous for raising the German warships wrecks in Scapa flow.

[@brianartillery]

Another superb video. I love the way that you manage to find such evocative sites, and just how many of these sites are accessed from dull urban environments. What a great day for making your video, too, and the view from the end of that jetty is astonishing. I work in a gatehouse, but my view is nowhere near as good as the view from the one in your video. I'm quite envious of the people that worked there in the past. Thanks for sharing. Nice one.

[@morthren]

Thanks! It was a very nice day. The view from the jetty was nice too along with the tranquillity of the area

[@markdavis9990]

I don’t live on the isle any more but it’s always interesting to see these videos. Never knew this existed!

[@pauljohnbarton81]

My dad worked in the rolling mill, and when I was around 5 he got one of his mates to take us on a ride on one of the diesels. It must have been along these tracks. Thanks for bringing back that memory.

[@cavemansalvage924]

Really good video. I like that fact there's no music or chatter in your stuff. They are just really good videos with abit of information. Fantastic work. Keep it up.

[@florencegomer7937]

Ironically, after they have covered the area with thousands of houses the one thing they will need to connect to the outside world is ... ... a rail link.

[@PreservationEnthusiast]

No, cars can be used. Pull up the tracks, scrap the locomotives, and build houses!

[@whyyoulidl]

@Quanchy Plimp lol

[@michaeldillon3113]

Thanks for this . I am an islander through and through and have investigated most parts of the island but did not know this area at all .✌️

[@SouthCoastLevelCrossings34]

Very nice video. It's fantastic how history can be ripped up and just forgotten about. Luckily you dont forget about this stuff!

[@morthren]

Thanks. It takes a bit of research but it's possible to find information on these old lines. Then it's just a case of taking a trip down there to see what is left!

[@fastacesus8499]

Great stuff. Very informative and really like the walking sections

[@AtomicShrimp]

Loved this. All those old boats and ships - they presumably belong to someone or some company - they're not exactly abandoned, but also, they will probably never move. Makes me wonder what happens with the owners the day after, the week after, the year after the last time they sailed.

[@tech4pros1]

Probably sold to a breakers by their previous owners when they became uneconomical to repair or run. The breakers probably keep them aside there for when work slows down a bit just to keep things ticking over, as if it sinks and beaches there in that sheltered spot it isn't going to cause any bother. Also bearing in mind scrap prices aren't as high as they once were.

[@v6200man]

Fascinating insight - don't think I have the nerves for walking stretches like this but wonderful to see - thank you!

[@dodgydruid]

Blimey, just recovering from the time warp as Rushenden was one of the many stops I spent days with me uncle Ray who worked out of Hoo, also remember the Ford place and the big yard outside Sheerness and sometimes a rare treat of working up to Hither Green or swapping engines at Kensington Olympia on a train heading round to Dagenham the long way round, remember the trialling of a pilot to Willesden from Olympia but it was such a nause it was soon halted amid outcry by region union people crying demarcation etc lol The other jetty that ran on from the big yard other side of Sheerness was a bloody sheer drop on one side, no room for people on foot and always felt a leetle vertigo for a small lad as I was then in the 70's. Its a real shame the heritage couldn't have bridged that small gap at its end to the Ford line thus giving it a mainline access chance and even run alongside to come out the other side to pick up this line, sometimes on the Ford line we would be in the doyen of SR engines the 73 which tolerated the rough rails better than the 33, they were even looking to plant the 74's down there at one point. I remember my dad often had to go flag down the Ford line and run as lookout at Sheerness, there was a proper tiny signal box for Ford and sometimes he would be driving down from Sittingbourne or Hoo Jnc box just to see thru the Ford train and give the driver his docket. One funny story was one day in the 33, I needed a wee so me uncle goes "open the door and let nature enjoy the watering" sort of thing and as we were trundling along I let go and this farmer was at the fence waving at the engine only to start cursing and swearing as he got a "wash" he wasn't expecting... I wasn't allowed to go after that day so I guess he had a right go at BR over it.

[@Isochest]

Haha! Funniest tale I've heard of in a long time. Bet that farmer always remembered you!

[@johncourtneidge]

Thank-you for these recollections.

[@MrChunkymunky1988]

Thanks for the video. I have recently moved to rushenden from Sheerness. As a young child we used to live where I believe the campsite is now and I used to walk up the railway line to meet my dad from work with my mum and I remember the trains passing and the workers used to throw me some sweets if I was lucky

[@hojomo]

Superb! Thanks for this invaluable record of a part of the industrial rail network of the UK. Lived in Kent for many years, even worked on the IoS occasionally, but never got to see this part. Interest in Heritage Railways has only developed since those RH&D times. Views are similar to my own discoveries at Sharpness Dock, and you had a wonderful day for it! Look forward to more 🙂

[@CycolacFan]

Sheerness just as glamorous as I remember it.

[@nomoremr.niceguy4778]

Fascinating. Thanks for doing this. It’s like going on a hike before bedtime. I’ve never been to the UK but I much prefer a walk to tourist traps. Abandoned railroad grades are all over here in the woods of Northern PA and some of the best views I’ve had came from following them. The best ones to chase are the ones left from coal mines and lumbering here. Some are well over a 100 years empty so picking them out requires sharp eyes. Most just drive by in their cars and never notice.

[@stevenequinepics]

Very informative and enjoyable to watch. Sadly nothing stays the same.

[@jamesrivis620]

I liked your explanations of what you were showing us.

[@ctmcollins4160]

It saddens me to watch this...I bet your heart is still breaking..like mine ...to a time when everything was alive...I grew up 60's in Ballymena ..wrong side of town (Harryville)...next to a goods yard/Harp brewery/etc....went to sleep with the sound of shunting trains (steam too!).......on one of my few trips home over the last 30/40 years..I went for a walk there .........and I cried..........all gone.....and sadly ....not replaced with anything..........of any wonderful significance. Thanks for posting...best wishes from Kaapstad.

[@pepedrat2982]

I love that landscape, and could probably spend a few weeks exploring Kent's estuaries. I grew up with Manchester's post industrial dereliction, and miss it now it's all been built on. You can't beat a bit of bleak beauty and ruins.

[@meakinroy4341]

Thanks for yet another of your superb video presentations. As it concentrated on an area that I have know well for close to seventy years, it was all the more interesting. Perhaps at some time in the near future, you will progress on to following the route of the now long since defunct line from Queenborough to Leysdown. A railway line that ought to be restored to serve the vastly increased population, the holiday traffic and of course, the large prison community and all those that service it.

[@warlord1usw]

My play area as a kid, I wasn't like the other kids, I liked to explore. Also there is a 2nd branch line when you look from Queenborough station that runs next to the rolling mill line.

[@wordup1944]

thanks for making this video, very enjoyable to watch

[@AndyStephney]

i deliverd welding rods to the rolling mill in the 80s , and looked forward to seeing the diseil go across the road - going by memory i think they had 2 locos , class 17 locos shunting . the tracks to the pier were very wonkey to say the least , lol .

[@McRocket]

Very interesting and well made. I like that you kept all the natural/surrounding sounds in. Thank you for creating this. If you go on Google Earth, you can actually see look-down photos of the scene from as far back as 1940!?!

[@michaelsinclair2731]

Fascinating video, so interesting. And as people say, the writing on the screen is much better than narrating out loud. If it weren't for you, we would never get to see these parts of England, hidden away forever. It also looks very nice round there on that docks area, so peaceful and serene. And we thank you for risking your own safety, going round those parts, looks like there were no other human beings for miles around!

[@edeboer1345]

Very interesting and nice to see for me as a trainspotter. For several times I was on the Isle of Sheppy by the Olau line! And indeed I too get nostalgic and sad when I see abandoned rail track!

[@ljbonner]

Thanks from Australia. Great video, really interesting. Used to spend schoolboy holidays on Sheppey a long time ago.

[@indridcold8433]

Where I reside, when the price of petrol and diesel went up for no apparent reason to highs unforeseen, the railroads reopened a bunch of what seemed to be abandoned tracks and sped up the use of the tracks that were still being used. Pavement was escavated, people had to move community gardens that were made over old tracks, and new ballast and ties were placed where needed. I lived next to a railroad that got three trains a month. Today, that same railroad gets 10 trains a day. I love it!

[@incongra]

Nice job. And the soundtrack is really good too.

[@alanbartlett9523]

Used to do a lot of deliveries round Queen borough in the 70,s.I remember the ex BR shunters running back to the yard, bobbing up and down, the track was really rough. In the rebar factory yard was a collection of ancient bogie bolster wagons. Along the road towards sheerness, on the right were some more sidings where the were a few industrial locos stored. A number of Ex BR shunters were used, cut up and exported from Queenborough I also delivered to the new road that now covers the area.

[@andywhite40]

Great video, would love to have seen some pictures of the line in action as well because that gives the "then and now" contrast. Amazing how quickly nature starts claiming things back, but I suspect that jetty hadn't been maintained that well for years before closure. Many thanks for covering some interesting subject matter!

[@MervynPartin]

Great video, Morthren. So much industry, and all lost. While things change, it is always sad to see such dereliction, rather than progress, but this was quite an insight into what used to be here .

[@morthren]

Thanks!

[@elbuggo]

Thank you for this. I have never been on the Isle of Sheppey before actually.

[@gilles111]

3:59 looks like an old concrete sleeper in the former trackbed; and some wooden ones at 4:09. Nice vid and good explanation. YT suggested this video, good advice.

[@ailinos]

Eagle eyed!

[@stuartpattison1576]

I love stuff like this. Great video pal.

[@martinsmusic2223]

Superb, one of the most interesting videos I've watched for some time, thanks

[@KeithHambidge]

Another fascinating video mate can’t believe how derelict that area has become since the railway close

[@aaa111912]

this must have this years summer.also what super place for walking my dogs.thank you.

[@jfreelan1964]

A nice walk today. A sunny day, made it look like it was worth it.

[@morthren]

Hottest day of the year in the UK so far!

[@jfreelan1964]

The last couple of weeks here in the Carolinas were a bit warmer for this time of year.

[@davezammitt2114]

I remember waiting for the train to come along and squash all our penny's when I was a kid. There was also another line that branched off at Queenborough that went to Leysdown that was closed in the 50s.

[@davidroberts7425]

Fascinating slice of history.

[@rockabyebaby6111]

I love walking at places off the beaten track, nice video,

[@jimstingz309]

all my yrs of living in the bourne and never once made this trip very enlightening

[@andrewhallett-patterson9778]

Unfortunately, the loss of physical rail infrastructure, lack of usage being detrimental to both profit and maintenance, and final removal of services due to age and uncompetitive costs, is all to common, especially in Australia where road transport is the dominant force. Another interesting vid of the forgotten 👍👍🇦🇺

[@chaosdemonwolf1]

Kinda makes ya thing what's next huh?

[@MrStabby19812]

Andrew Hallett-Patterson and now there's a scramble to rebuild lines as the roads are overloaded.

[@CalamityJames.]

Wow, this is a bit of a throwback. My ex lived in Rushenden and I've done this exact walk many times, back when the lines were still in-tact. I even have a video of myself operating set of points on this line somewhere, although that may be lost now. Will try and dig it out!

[@CalamityJames.]

Found it if you're interested. Video was much shorter than I remember! kzbin.info/www/bejne/m33IopV_mc6tiaM

[@colin5296]

Good effort ,thanks for sharing it with us.

[@railtrolley]

Great video. I found this while doing some research of my own, on an old siding. I did a delivery to a former power station, at New Farm, Brisbane. The loading dock I drove into has about 100 metres of track, encased in concrete. 3'6" gauge, which is the gauge used for Queensland railways. The power station was decommissioned in 1971, as the tram network it supplied was closed down a few years prior. The buildings have survived, and been converted into theatre, arts and restaurants: for Arty Bohemian types. It's close to the main CBD of Brisbane, which has me wondering where the siding was connected to the railway network, if at all. Maybe it was an unlinked bit of rail, and trolleys were used on it for moving heavy equipment about.

[@ancientmariner7473]

A blast from the past! In the late 90's, a vessel hit the decrepit dolphin at the seaward end of the jetty and caused damage. The piles were rotten and so the triangular dolphin topped with concrete was constructed in its stead. I oversaw the repairs and endured the rickety rackety train ride to jetty at least twice. I recall one small section of the line that cased the train to dip and tilt perilously towards the water. I clung on for dear life!

[@lucypawpaw]

Great video, and thanks for sharing. Reminds me of parts of Swansea Docks which also once had a rail link.

[@atlanticcoastexpress]

Fascinating! Thanks for your efforts. It’s useful to record what’s there before it disappear altogether. I wish the Railway link, between Southampton New Docks and the Eastern Docks...including the Town Quay...had featured in photographs more often before that was closed over 40 years ago. I’m now going to search on line for historical photos of the area as you’ve whetted my appetite! You are doing a great job. Regards, Rob.

[@morthren]

Thanks! There are quite a few good photos online of this track which show how it once was. You should find them if you search.

[@twotone3070]

I do recall having to wait for a loco to pass over Town Quay on my way from the Hythe Ferry on my way up town, must have been the late '70s.

[@barryclements8395]

Stayed at a small caravan site earlier this year (2019), near to the tall security fencing and the row of old houses. Walked along roughly the same route you did, but never realised it was an old railway.

[@MichalM]

Nice! Shows how the industry has changed.

[@stephenhunter70]

And yet someone still leaves old barges there to be scrapped. They'll be "cleaning" that lot up in 20yrs. Raising what's left of them and dredging the "contaminated" mud from the bottom of the bay.

[@emmettbyrne9835]

Nice explore and fair play to you going all the way to the end of the pier. The surface looked very dodgy towards the end.

[@viewfromear]

Great video and on a beautiful day. So interesting. Really sad that we have lost our industrial tradition and these once productive sites now act as storage for overseas industrial producers.

[@jobell7356]

fascinating video, thanks for the upload. Am thinking of taking my camera over to the Rushenden Pier area so that was really useful, thanks.

[@tardismole]

Considering the priority these days is to recycle everything, the loss of the steelworks and this line is such a waste. Thanks for sharing.

[@gabilang8407]

Lost places are magic but please be carefully by yourself !

[@rubyait]

Gabi Lang That’s why the OWNER put up no trespassing signs. This is wanton lawlessness.

[@admiralcraddock464]

I used to do contract work in QRM and it was fascinating watching the ex MOD shunters scuttling around on the atrociously maintained track.

[@robsmith8715]

Good job. No stupid music. Thanks

[@JimNichols]

Great place, I was going to say beautiful but man in his infinite wisdom kinda boinked that.... awesome video, sir!

[@daveytn]

Very nice video. I have a few photos of the wharf when me and my dad went about and explored it's final days before the tracks were ripped up. Honestly, they were like spaghetti, I couldnt imagine a train going down it without it falling off the side lol.

[@Ztbmrc1]

Interesting to see! There used to be a ferry connection between Vlissingen, here in the Netherlands and Sheerness.

[@orlandobritain]

superb video, very interesting exploration.

[@dumdum7786]

In the US it is very common to run across remains of a ripped up railroad. To the untrained eye, you may not even notice any of these things, but if you know what to look for, you can find abandoned railroads EVERYWHERE. Im not sure how common it is in the UK, but I know that in the US it is extremely common.

[@frglee]

Interesting to see, I've never gotten to explore this branch. North of Queensborough station there were two lines diverging off the line to Sheerness, to the west was the Sheppey light Railway to Minster and Leysdown (1901 to 1950) and to the east was the Queensborough Pier branch, which between 1876 and 1927 was used to connect with mail ferries run by the Zeeland Steamship Company.

[@jamiewood5086]

good old days good video lets go back 30 years

[@wordup1944]

I loved watching this.

[@gparry42]

Wonderful video, thanks!

[@stuartnation9248]

Thank you for a very interesting video . Stuart.

[@darrenattenborough9848]

I used to live on sheppey til i was 17 we lived in minster and at night would watch the ferry going out from sheerness to vlissengden shame all these old railway lines are now gone

[@jakemrs9718]

I used to work at the rolling mill which the line ran through.... We still used the coal wash as we called it. Used to off load steel billets Great times

[@LittleNoiseBoy]

Thanks for this - really fascinating. I think I may be something of a kindred spirit, in terms of being fascinated by the world's less glamorous, less-trodden paths. However, I don't do my research as you have - thanks again! Shame Kent, as everywhere in the South East, seems destined to be one huge new town. The industry seemed less invasive in a strange way...

[@brian.7966]

Thanks for sharing. a bit of history there.

[@freebrickproductions]

Great video! That line looks like it would've been a neat operation.

[@morthren]

Thanks!

[@christoguichard4311]

This was great! Thanks!

[@djveltom]

Most interesting. Many thanks. Special thanks for presenting it in a gimmick-free way! (Others please copy -- but they won't, of course.)

[@lukejohn1277]

Further down by Sheppey docks there is more evidence of these tracks crossing over the road but going nowhere after its crossed the road, love old disused lines as a railway enthusiast myself!

[@wildwood639]

Really enjoyed that!..Thanks for showing us the WHOLE route....Outlaw!Surprisingly good video; liked the subtitles, the pace, the information you gave, and the steady filming....how did you do that?...body mounted or hand held...or other?Thanks for this forgotten,and forgetting history.

[@309JT]

Fascinating, thank you!

[@suzyqualcast6269]

Oh Lord, they knew not what they was about - once the fever to lift - Fost took rootin' sprout.

[@2010ditta]

Very enjoyable..thank you.

[@davidife597]

Really good vlog of our industrial past.

[@ianthompson9201]

...steelworks...closed....site now used for storage of imported vehicles.... The story of modern Britain. Have never been to that part of Kent; interesting insight. Thanks.

[@stuarthall6631]

Thank you for uploading - fascinating video! I just love this kind of thing. I could almost smell the rust! As this only closed in 2013 it is surprising that so little remains. It would have survived better (say) upon the Cumbrian coast which is far lighter populated.

[@thebeachcomber1535]

Fantastic video , I grew up all around there until I was 14 . That area was known locally as the the coal washer

[@morthren]

Thanks! I've added it in the description

[@keith6400]

What surprises me about UK planning is that they rip up old railways build houses and then have a problem of incorporating public transport to dis courage car use

[@olly5764]

This isn't and was never a passenger line, and we haven't closed an ripped up any passenger lines for a while now!

[@keith6400]

@@olly5764 Not suggesting this was a passenger line. In Hampton they seem to have removed a long stretch of industrial railway line and are building about 15,000 houses. All traces of previous industry were removed and the developers wanted to close the road into the city. They have put about 15 to 20 restaurants packed together on the site while restaurants and pubs in the city close as houses and flat are built in their car parks. This is planning UK style.

[@olly5764]

@@keith6400 yes but your point was about ripping up old railways, often to bring lines like this up to passenger standard, you have very heavily up grade them, which may involve lifting the trach, re-buildig the formation, and even the demolition and re-construction of structures, so simply ripping up the line isn't the backwards step that it may seem.

[@johnhorne1685]

I always find it amusing when I see " The Isle of Sheppey " word,. It has an ey on the end, this indicates that it is an Island, something that you can see all around the coastline and elsewhere

[@bowwave59]

Walked them tracks as a teen many times. Sailed past doing the island race Even see a rail truck brakes released and rolled all the way to the pier into a long line of trucks. . 👌 I worked in Sheerness steel for a while and the Glass works that was there. Had family work in the Queenborough mill . 🤨

[@terryengland5772]

Went for a walk along the track from the rolling Mill to the jetty the track was like a switch back roller coaster and the jetty was like something out of the sixty's industrial scene

[@sloanelouch393]

Very Peaceful , Cheers.

[@peterhartmann489]

Thanks for the video

[@simonjames3845]

A most interesting video. I remember the queenborough end being (sort of) in use when I worked for EWS many years ago but had no idea it went out this far.