N.O.S. Posted December 27, 2011 Share Posted December 27, 2011 Here is a link to an image of some abandoned barges at Rainham on the Thames estuary. Other pictures can be found on the web (e.g. urban75 website). http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2575627 Anyone know much about these barges? Are any still in use or preserved? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MHillyard Posted December 27, 2011 Share Posted December 27, 2011 (edited) There are some left in Walton on the Naze, 3 i think. I have some pictures somewhere which i shall try to dig up. Unfortunately they are full of concrete now for "safety" I believe they were used to carry fuel for the d-day landings and/or as part of the mulberry harbour. They were made of concrete because of the lack of steel in wartime. The known places where they are include Medway Tunnel Tring - Grand union canal South pier road, Ellesmere Port boat museum Bramble Island Walton-on-the-naze Purton Sharpness River Blackwater/Mersey/Mersea Island The Thames Rochester, kent Filton gloucester River Severn Gloucester docks Queensborough harbour Kent Queensborough yacht club Winnington, River Weaver. Dibden Bay West Quay, Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex. x3 - houseboats Barling Rainham marsh Houghton-le-springs and also: New york (State) France Amsterdam Locations:http://www.forsakenplaces.co.uk/Urbexreports/mini reports/Barges/concretebarges.htm Edited December 27, 2011 by MHillyard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MHillyard Posted December 27, 2011 Share Posted December 27, 2011 As promised There are 3 at wolton, one has merged with the bank completely, one lies next to this one and the last is further towards the sea with a hut built on top of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N.O.S. Posted December 27, 2011 Author Share Posted December 27, 2011 That's brilliant, thanks for the information and especially for the photos. A great example of simple ingenuity in the face of material shortages. Another interesting topic is that of the concrete sea forts in the Thames, designed by Guy Maunsell - who I think was the son of the Southern Railway's locomotive engineer. Some info at http://www.undergroundkent.co.uk/maunsell_towers.htm I hope soon to borrow a book on the subject. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferretfixer Posted December 28, 2011 Share Posted December 28, 2011 I have seen the ones opposite the Yacht club at queenborough. & actually been on one of them. I often wondered what they were for as a kid! When you think of the time they were built. & are STILL in use today. Thats quite a feat of engineering! (& cost effective!) Hollow Hull CONCRETE, & it FLOATS on WATER! mind Boggling, isnt it?.......:nut: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joris Posted December 28, 2011 Share Posted December 28, 2011 Great stuff! Amazing how much is still out there! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillS Posted December 28, 2011 Share Posted December 28, 2011 There are a couple still in use on the Thames. They are moored close to the southern bank of the river opposite Victoria Tower Gardens, between the Houses of Parliament and Lambeth Bridge. You can see them on Google maps using the satellite view. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Posted December 28, 2011 Share Posted December 28, 2011 Blimey - how many were built? I have heard of read anything about them before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pbharcourt Posted December 28, 2011 Share Posted December 28, 2011 Not all of them worked as well, new technology at the time I suppose. There is a section of mulberry harbour still in Langstone harbour, Hayling island. It never made the trip to France as it had a structural fault that cracked it in half. You can see it on Google earth sat in the middle of the harbour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pbharcourt Posted December 28, 2011 Share Posted December 28, 2011 http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&ll=50.799052,-1.024652&spn=0.001195,0.00327&client=firefox-a&t=h&z=19&vpsrc=6 Google maps view, its quite BIG!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MHillyard Posted December 28, 2011 Share Posted December 28, 2011 Thats quite impressive! a few more detailed pics Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morris C8 Posted December 29, 2011 Share Posted December 29, 2011 (edited) Some photos i took in September 2011 of the barges on the Thames. Click on photos to enlarge. Keith Edited December 29, 2011 by Morris C8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philb Posted December 29, 2011 Share Posted December 29, 2011 and... there are two, still in use, currently moored off the Plymouth Yacht Haven marina. (they're not in the Google map photo) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted December 29, 2011 Share Posted December 29, 2011 DIY concrete boats were quite popular during the 1950's and 60's. One use was as houseboats after WW2. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
83KB62 Posted December 29, 2011 Share Posted December 29, 2011 There was 1 at 'The Point' on Canvey Island up until a few years ago, beached high and dry, it had a hole conveniently knocked in the side so it was easy to get into, and was made much use of for young men and their girl friends (who me?), not sure how many preganencies it was responcible for though! ( I got away with that too!) It was also used by the 'Shadows' pop group for filming for Top of The Pops, I and my brother happened to be there going fishing 1 day, but ended up helping them as we knew the flats well, and got a ride home with them in their Limo! Sadly it got demolished a few years back as it got into a dangerous state of di-repair, sad to see it go in that way. There are a couple that broke away and go stuck on a sand bank in the Thames Estuary just off Southend, they are still there and easily seen at low water and good for fishing round at high. I'm told these are from the same flotilla as the one that ended up on Canvey Point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N.O.S. Posted December 29, 2011 Author Share Posted December 29, 2011 There was 1 at 'The Point' on Canvey Island up until a few years ago..... Could it have been this one? Seems it had quite a fan club :-) http://www.concretebarge.co.uk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
83KB62 Posted December 29, 2011 Share Posted December 29, 2011 Yes, thats the one! I know a few of those names, it says something when that was one of the best 'tourists attractions canvey could offer!! I grew up on Canvey from the age of 5, spent 21 years there when it was all fields, not anything like it is now:(! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tugger Posted January 30, 2012 Share Posted January 30, 2012 I can't add any more as I was going to mention the ones at Walton on Naze too. I used to sail around, up to and clamber over them as a yoof in my Mirror dinghy...aah halcyon days. Seems ages ago, well 25 years ago but a blink of an eye for the barges. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Crabby Posted May 23, 2021 Share Posted May 23, 2021 Re Concrete Barges at Walton on the Naze we used to holiday there in a caravan in the late 50s and early 60s. my brother and I used to go crabbing in the barges. The crabs were massive but generally let go as soon as they were out of the water. The water was about eight feet below the deck. They still had lids to the compartments and the barges were not accessible when the tide was in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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