@@pwhitewick Not random at all - Tollesbury was growing in the 1920s - as has been written inaother response marshland had been reclaimed from the river Blackwater esturay and there was a strong coastal trade between all the east Coast wharks and ports with Lonfdon and elsewhere including across the North sea as as coastal transport was the most efficient way of long distance trading before firstly canals in some areas - there was a short canal built at the end of the canal building time between nearby Heybridhge Basin and Chelmsford - and later railway trade and finally from the early 20th century mettled roads across the land. Tollesbury aspired to be a port and trippers destination as Southend -on_Sea and Clacton-on-Sea and neighbouring walton_on_the_naze had already become. The Tollesbury connection might have fared better had the then existing trade been enought to support the cost of building a mainline rather than a branch line. A major developer of the railway was Wilkin and Sons Ltd at Tiptree - who actually went into manufacturing jams and other preverves and conserves on the inspiration of the growing Empire as a way of maximising sales from their land. their first consignments of preserves were all distributed overseas to The Empire - it is feasible that they may have had aspirations to export direct from Tollesbury only five miles away. " In 1885, The Britannia Fruit Preserving Company was formed and the very first ‘Tiptree’ preserves were made, all to be sold to a merchant who would ship them to Australia. Within ten years, more than 200 tons of fruit was being produced, half of that used for making jam." web.archive.org/web/20141112223240/www.tiptree.com/goto.php?ref=y&sess=+A5E5147191D51+F18435A52+9+B581D1058+E+357+9+25F1D1758&id=14
this was a very interesting video for me as I don't live to far from this disued line . before this video I didn't know the line extended to the pier ! . there is a lot of history awaiting for you to discover ( unless you already have ) plus you can sharpen up on your knowledge of this area .
Tollesbury Pier stretched 1770' into the Blackwater, the Royal Engineers blew a section out in 1940 as an anti invasion precaution and the remains mouldered away until the catastrophic coastal flood of 1953 when most of it was washed away. The station was a typical 'Crab and Winkle' affair and was set back just behind the sea wall. There was a simple run round loop, a small wooden hut and a couple of grounded coach bodies for storage. Water depth at the pierhead was 25' on a spring tide, falling to 10' at low tide. Tollesbury D'Arcy is pronounced the same as Mr Darcy in Pride and Prejudice. I recommend the book by Peter Paye, which is the most in-depth and accurate history of the line.
My late friend , Sam Bonfield, was one of the team that blew up a section of it. He said they had to remove old rolling stock stored on it before it could be blown. I think the pill box was built on top of it.
Somehow missed this one! Great to see Tollesbury. My ex girlfriend’s dad, Mick, had a boat moored up there and we used to walk all over that area. According to Mick, there used to be a pair of shops in the village owned by a husband and wife team. She had one shop which sold ladies’ undergarments, he sold fresh fish...so of course the shops were collectively called “Fish ‘n’ Knickers” 🤣😂😅 Cheers guys 👍🍻
Hi guys . I I,ve just found you .I ,ve always had an interest in abandoned lines so its great to find you. Great video very well edited. I have subbed. And yes I agree with many other Rebecca,s legs are fantastic.
Jowetts. A pure gold resource, so much info in it, everyone should have one. An excellent place to dig out. You are a pair of stars, for sure. What an achingly out of the way place- once so essential , now wistfully unfeasable. Top marks folks!
Love these videos, so fascinating and informative I can’t stop watching! Sometimes I can’t believe the amount of effort and architectural detail put into something that is now abandoned. So glad you are both giving us a window into this hidden and forgotten world. And any disused abandoned ww2 pillbox that creeps in is a good thing! Keep up the good work!
My Auntie Sylvia Ager who worked at the Wilkins Tiptree Jam company often used the "crab and winkle line". Fish and seafood used to go through the pier station and during WW2, the Wilkins Tiptree jam factory used to receive and dispatch via Tollesbury torpedoes that they had overhauled.
Another most interesting video, Paul and Rebecca, in this very lonely part of Essex. Such a pity that the poor little line didn’t survive ; would have been so good for a holiday day out. Thanks, both.
hi Paul/rebecca, fascinated to find you chose this line to explore this week, about 2 weeks ago i had just found out about the existance of a railway from Kelvedon to tollsbury when searching for related closed lines from Maldon and this line cropped up, i used to live near Kelvedon so that interested me and then seeing your video was lovely, i love your explores on all your channels and watch them all, please keep up the good work !!!
Cheers Colin, small world indeed. This has been on our list for a while now. We also filmed from the Flitch Way whilst here, on the channel in a few weeks. Glad you are enjoying it.
Stayed in a monastery at Tolleshunt knights and found out the disused line went through the monastery garden great video again !!! good video of the railway on you tube !
Extremely atmospheric with the wind harping past your camera , and extremely moreish in these lockdown days. The very first canal I went to was the Westport as I lived hard by the Somerset Levels. I think the area is riddled with disused features of the days when some were navigable. I am also going to hunt for the Isle of Grain where, from memory, there was a rather grand station called ?? Port Victoria. I'm pretty sure it was featured on one of those marvellous BFI shorts.
I wonder how many railways operated on one engine in steam. I know it was discussed for the Rothbury branch in Northumbria. The tide seems to move quickly here as that concrete structure was exposed and then filled by the tide during your visit. I've been on the Medway Queen when she was kept flooded at Damhead Creek. We were on the promenade deck waiting for the tide to go out so we could explore the main deck below. She drained 4 feet in 10 mins. That's fast! Legs are very handy things. They're a useful source of nourishment or vengeance for much of the local wildlife.
Long walk, short vid. Simply stunning scenery and views. Amazed that someone thought this line was a good idea! Thanks for your efforts and hard work as always.
Just looked at Tiptree Jam. Nice Museum and Tea Rooms. Shame the railway's not there. Cream tea, walk to Tollesbury Pier then train ride back. @@pwhitewick
Very excellent - thank you. I live close to the former Tolleshunt Knights Station/Halt by the junction of Strawberry Lane and D'Arcy Road - just a short distance from the abandoned sidings in Tudwick Road on Wilkin's Jam Makers land. Wilkin's were a major user of the railway and funder as they had farms throughout the area that grew far more than the "little scarlet" strawberries they are famed for (nowadays much of the fruit is imported from far away lands) with the loading bay (remnants of the loading bay can be seen and are marked on some enthusiasts' map -which I cannot call to memory now) and sidings in Tudwick road between it's junction with Strawberry Lane and factory Hill which I presume was specially built along with Tiptree Station - on the site of the Telephone Exchange in Station Road also presumably used by Wilkin's - some of the history of the railway is revealed in the Museum adjacent to their tearoom and factory. There are other pictures of the pier station and some videos of stills which I cannot link right now. Recently the founder and administrator of "Maldon and Heybridge Memories / History" Facebook Group reposted a link to a rare postcard of embarking World War I troops actually taken on Tollesbury Pier Railway Station. I presume that initially there was hope to "catch" the day trip steamship trade from London - which also aided the development and of Clacton-On-Sea and Southend-On-Sea and in fact served as a major transport route for produce & passengers to & from both places before firstly the railway arrived and later mettled roads. It was mettled roads that finally put this "Crab & Winkle" (several are similarly named) out of business - with the restrcited speed as the Osborne's bus from Tollesbury could get to Kelvedon faster than the train! What led to my chance discovery of this excellent video today was the first sight of a very small photograph of the whole pier in a postcard - which had me looking for another version where it is a single picture in a picture postacard rather than one of a multiple. I shall attempt a link to that actual card on the internet - which I saw in the Facebook Group mentioned above. Thanks again for the investigation and fine report - I expect many others will be delighted to see it and the long view photographs across the marshes and estuary - which at one point - show what my late mother -in- law referred to as those two big houses at the tip of the Dengie Pensinsula - in actual fact first Nuclear Power Station at Bradwell Juxta Mare (a second is now behing planned now what you see has been shut down - with much nuclear waste still on site - I am curious about that other building on the Tollesbury side of the Blackwater Estuary in your video that was mentioned - maybe I shall need to crank up my walking stick! facebook.com/groups/MaldonHeybridgeMemoriesHistory/permalink/2758925254131195/
Thank you Andrew. Love that, really appreciate you taking the time to write. I'll have a proper read through later and check out the link. Much appreciated.
Ahh, you were in my neck of the woods sort of, the Blackwater estuary has lots of those concrete blocks, they are crane bases, to lift cargo off or onto the boats, fish, hay bound for London to feed the horses and bricks were the most common types, I will assume this one was to service the freight trains. It doesn't look it but at high tide the estuary is quite deep and the Thames barges nipped out of the Thames estuary and round hugging the coast and up the Blackwater estuary to pick up long after the railways came to Essex because they were cheaper than sending such bulky goods to London by train.
Live near this old railway line, there is a few relics but not much left of this railway. Witham-Maldon has the only wooden trestle bridge still standing
So pleased you went to Tollesbury Pier, near us, lovely walk even more special knowing a little railway once went there. Whilst in Essex did you explore the Witham to Maldon branch? ill check if you have done a vid. there are two wooden trestle bridges that still survive, one you can get right underneath. I have explored many abandoned lines around essex, but not much beats those bridges, its a must see. love your channel guys. brilliant.
The pillbox like structure was at the end of the original shorter pier.It was extended sometime about 100 or so years ago to a lot further out past the low water mark so ships could still use the pier at low tide.Maps weren't updated regularly in those days,but according to some the longer pier survived into the 1960s.
Another great and interesting video from you both - thanks. Could I suggest (if you haven't done it before) the old Canterbury to Whitstable line, called Crab and Winkle. Yes, it's got a tunnel and they built part of the University of Kent over the tunnel. The Internet tells you what happened. Anyway, just an idea. Keep up the good work!
@@pwhitewick Thanks for that.Fellow You Tubers have mentioned me in their videos and have allowed me to use that portion of the video in a small video of mine.I acknowledge their copyright. When you upload this video may I please use a small part where I'm mentioned? Thanks in anticipation.
It always seems strange to me, where some railway lines went to, but most were definitely in the right place, just sadly, a hundred years or so too early, or moreover, closed down about sixty years too soon. There is a very nice line, closed down in 1965, that I'd love see returned to service. It is the Selby & Driffield Railway, but sadly hacked away by the Beeching Act. When it went down, so too did the Derwent Valley Light Railway, and the York/Market Weighton/Beverley to Hull line. If you're ever in the East Riding of Yorkshire, you might find it interesting to walk parts of it.
So many of the lines where built by companies formed by land owners and local businessmen. Little thought went into the social impact moreover making money for the shareholders. Sadly breeching was given the same remit and treated everything that had been built as a business, again not a social service. That was a mistake.
@@pwhitewick Colonel Stephens, very interesting character. Loads about him on the internet, engineered, ran, owned loads of light railways always on a shoestring. One of my favourites being the WC&P.
Just seen your video on about Bishop Stortford about 15 miles down the road you will come to Harlow. Harlow railway station when I was a little boy if I can remember that far back.??They used to be the railway cottages and the old station which obviously isn’t there now it’s at the back of the new station haven’t been there for about 20 years Maybe but maybe worth a visit not sure of the cottages are still be there enjoy your videos. all the best
You should come to East Kent and see the remains of the EKLR and the bit that is still open. Also Richbourgh Docks on the River Stour with the remains of the train ferry dock, part of which is still in use in Harwich I believe. I found Tilmanstone railway station last weekend and there are also the remains of the lines serving the various coal mines in the area. We should meet up, I have many interesting books you could borrow. There's also the remains of the Ramsgate International Hoverport and loads other other wonders I have explored and of course the Romney Hythe and Dymchurch Railway, the worlds smallest public railway, still used as everyday transport.
another great video 👍you wouldn't know there had been a pier station there hope you get round to filming the station that you couldn't make because of time
Nice video. While your in the area, how about exploring the Gin and Toffee line ? For those of you who don't know, that's the branch line to Thaxted which left the mainline at Elsenham. It was also a light railway with only one train and no signals, closed pre Beeching. There's also the Mid Suffolk Light Railway which terminated at Laxfield in the middle of nowhere, because they ran out of money and couldn't reach the mainline at Halesworth. Or how about the Southwold railway which was a narrow gauge and closed in the 20's! Take a look at a map of East Anglian rail before and after Beeching. You will gasp at the losses. Plenty to keep you both going!
Nice video, honestly I haven't covered much of Essex as well, been to Shenfield, covered the Shenfield to Southend-on-Sea Line, visited Colchester, Epping and the Epping Ognar Railway and the line between Stansted Airport (not touch the Airport) to Cambridge, still need to venture down there with lines and stations.
Ah thanks, now I know... I've walked around that when low tide, (I could tell you a story about that, but too long to tell) I've have always wondered what some random structure was doing there, I had assumed it was WWW 1, or 2, during lockdown I stumbled across your channel, Geoff and Vicky's channel's mentioned you two.
Blimey there's not much left there - actually, was there EVER much there? Looking at old maps the answer I think is 'probably not'. Entertaining video as usual you chaps (Paul missed your little joke at 5:07 Rebecca)
Wonder if you two can visit the Queensbury tunnel on the former Halifax to Queensbury line as the tunnel is under threat of being abandoned & filled in forever, we wish to have it saved as a footpath / cycle way to link up with the Sustrans paths nearby.
@@pwhitewick It appears that a steamer service ran to the pier from a short while when it opened, but ceased very soon afterwards. I haven't been able to find anything about where it ran to or how frequently. If i find out any more, i'll post an update. The station consisted of an old coach body and a small brick hut some yards from the end of the pier, pretty spartan facilities. During the first world war, the pier was used for troop training on the river, not sure what that entailed. The army incorporated the pier into the coastal defence of Britain during World War 2 adding the pill box and other defence works to it. This included blowing it up to prevent the enemy landing at it.
@@pwhitewick If you're up to speed, just be careful next time you're sitting there, studying your algebra, or watching the patterns in the fire, absolutely, do not look towards the the red light, and for God's sake, clear the way. . . . . Are you with me?
@@pwhitewick "Prey tell more"? . . . . Well, my good sir, from the manner of your enquiry, I felt sure you were 'on the same page' as it were. I shall endeavour to elucidate. As Richard Bird made mention of M.R. James, I was immediately made mindful of the Dickensian short novel, "The Signalman". Verily, sir, I say unto you, as a railway enthusiast I always considered it to be essential reading, or viewing. Anyway, enough of the Dickensian speak. If you haven't yet seen it, I'd recommend buying the DVD, or at least, reading the book. Or, if you prefer, you can hear the book being read by John Sessions right hereua-cam.com/video/EP5k4b4OyGA/v-deo.html The BBC ran a series of "Ghost Stories For Christmas" about 1978(ish), with the M.R. James interpretation as part of that series. It really is a must see, with Denholm Elliot as the signalman, which he plays very well. I remember seeing it, for the first time, in black & white, on a tiny screen in the corner of my (darkened) bedroom - creepy! Edited to reference a better version of the same reading (original video was cut short).
In the distance, at 5.33, you can see the disused Bradwell nuclear power station. They are de-commissioning it and it's covered in fabric to hold in the radioactive dust! It's on the other side of the Blackwater estuary.
I presume that's why they covered the thing in some kind of fabric. I walked past it a few years ago when exploring that side of the river and there are radiation meters of some sort dotted around the landscape on poles. I figured if they were cutting pipes, then there would be some kind of risk from particles becoming airborne. The BBC story here says the reactors are covered to create 'safe stores' for 70 years, to allow any radioactivity to decay naturally. That sure sounds to me like nuclear-industry speak for stopping any airborne particles getting out into the environment! www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-46403387
@@apc108 I'll admit I am certainly no expert in this field. Presumably if there are radiation meters and there was an issue it would be all over the press.
@@pwhitewick I think it's just due diligence. I don't think there has been any recent release. I was there in 2007, so the cladding was not yet present and maybe there was an extra risk then. According to this report in 2017, they've now taken away all the fuel element debris. So that's good news! www.energylivenews.com/2017/06/22/radioactive-waste-cleared-from-bradwell-nuclear-plant/
Please have more of Rebecca in your presentations. She seems to be your back up with all the correct information and truthfully it seems like she’s just walking along most of the time it would be good to have a change of voices.
Should do a vid on the Chequerbent line in Westhoughton, in the Pretoria pit disaster in 1912 it took the 300+ bodies to Bolton . Much of the line is walkable
Great videos, stunning scenery plus with a railway theme and history mixed in, makes for an interesting watch. This is not criticism, merely a suggestion, might be an idea to let Rebecca present or explain more, think voice change tends to maintain interest.
This is going to be a huge task Paul and Rebecca, lots of holidays ahead in Scotland I imagine! Does this quest include unused stations on used railways (e.g. Oakley, Hurstbourne Tarrant)? Does it include light railways/narrow gauge/military/mineral lines etc.? Or just standard gauge, public service lines?
@@pwhitewick It should take you to some great places, what an adventure. I'm from West Yorkshire, feel free to ask me any time about local info there (the old Keighley to Halifax line could be very Pennine-bleak, lots of disused stations).
3:14 "so ahead of me you can see ..." a relatively rare second world war radar tower :) You're not far from my home town Colchester, which for a time boasted the longest railway platform in Britain; used for loading the troop trains during the first world war.
Remote Yes bought my sailing cruiser from Tollesbury but Pier is REALLY Remote it was hoped that Tollesbury Pier would be the nre Cowes for Sailing Fraternity who were moving from the polluted and overcrowded Thames but facing the wrong way for prevailing and Kaiser Bill invasion plans scuppered it... Worth noting pier went out right to deep water line so a long way past pillbox..... Main customers were fsrm produce and oysters etc also Tiptree Jams whivh still farms along bank of Blackwster near Goldhanger if you come again a tiptree cream tea cafe is at Heybridge Basin (more history there)
River is Blackwater a large and pretty river Trade Sailing Port like Cowes was hoped for. Pier went a ling wsy out intobriver did you see the huge closed Power Station at Bradwell just over river it was a Advanced Gas Cooled Reactor been closed and dismantled but still two HUGE buildings on Skyline i sailed from the marina near to power station... there is also at Bradwell the oldest church in use in Europe It was only rediscivered in 30s and reconsecrated and is us on and from a huge Roman Fort thst was built to gaurd the eastern seaboard of UK By the Romans
Stinging nettles - ouch! Well done for keeping on - interesting little disused line. Another well put together video P.
GERRRR - hahaha!
I am a bad Husband. Completely missed it, but sat there giggling whilst editing!
@@tremensdelirious Yup!
@@pwhitewick Not random at all - Tollesbury was growing in the 1920s - as has been written inaother response marshland had been reclaimed from the river Blackwater esturay and there was a strong coastal trade between all the east Coast wharks and ports with Lonfdon and elsewhere including across the North sea as as coastal transport was the most efficient way of long distance trading before firstly canals in some areas - there was a short canal built at the end of the canal building time between nearby Heybridhge Basin and Chelmsford - and later railway trade and finally from the early 20th century mettled roads across the land.
Tollesbury aspired to be a port and trippers destination as Southend -on_Sea and Clacton-on-Sea and neighbouring walton_on_the_naze had already become.
The Tollesbury connection might have fared better had the then existing trade been enought to support the cost of building a mainline rather than a branch line.
A major developer of the railway was Wilkin and Sons Ltd at Tiptree - who actually went into manufacturing jams and other preverves and conserves on the inspiration of the growing Empire as a way of maximising sales from their land. their first consignments of preserves were all distributed overseas to The Empire - it is feasible that they may have had aspirations to export direct from Tollesbury only five miles away.
" In 1885, The Britannia Fruit Preserving Company was formed and the very first ‘Tiptree’ preserves were made, all to be sold to a merchant who would ship them to Australia. Within ten years, more than 200 tons of fruit was being produced, half of that used for making jam."
web.archive.org/web/20141112223240/www.tiptree.com/goto.php?ref=y&sess=+A5E5147191D51+F18435A52+9+B581D1058+E+357+9+25F1D1758&id=14
this was a very interesting video for me as I don't live to far from this disued line . before this video I didn't know the line extended to the pier ! . there is a lot of history awaiting for you to discover ( unless you already have ) plus you can sharpen up on your knowledge of this area .
I am a yank but love those videos you make. Gives me the idea that Britain indeed have beautiful rural areas.🇺🇸✝️
Thanks Paul, glad you are enjoying the videos. Up in Scotland for a bit in the summer, plenty of Rural up there. 👍
Tollesbury Pier stretched 1770' into the Blackwater, the Royal Engineers blew a section out in 1940 as an anti invasion precaution and the remains mouldered away until the catastrophic coastal flood of 1953 when most of it was washed away. The station was a typical 'Crab and Winkle' affair and was set back just behind the sea wall. There was a simple run round loop, a small wooden hut and a couple of grounded coach bodies for storage. Water depth at the pierhead was 25' on a spring tide, falling to 10' at low tide. Tollesbury D'Arcy is pronounced the same as Mr Darcy in Pride and Prejudice. I recommend the book by Peter Paye, which is the most in-depth and accurate history of the line.
Thank you. Very much appreciated.
Have you an estimate of how much of the river-bank has been lost to erosion?
My late friend , Sam Bonfield, was one of the team that blew up a section of it. He said they had to remove old rolling stock stored on it before it could be blown. I think the pill box was built on top of it.
....oh and apologies for missing Rebecca's Joke at 5:05.
Somehow missed this one! Great to see Tollesbury. My ex girlfriend’s dad, Mick, had a boat moored up there and we used to walk all over that area. According to Mick, there used to be a pair of shops in the village owned by a husband and wife team. She had one shop which sold ladies’ undergarments, he sold fresh fish...so of course the shops were collectively called “Fish ‘n’ Knickers” 🤣😂😅
Cheers guys 👍🍻
Awwww......one of my mates used to live in TipTree and we used to walk down to the old pier.....you brought back very fond memories, thanks !
Thanks Paul. A beautiful spot. Would have been easier on the drone if it was a tad less windy but you can't win them all.
Stunning landscape. We used to holiday as a family, on Mersea Island many years ago which is fairly close to the area filmed today.
Hi guys . I I,ve just found you .I ,ve always had an interest in abandoned lines so its great to find you. Great video very well edited. I have subbed. And yes I agree with many other Rebecca,s legs are fantastic.
Cheers Mark. Glad you are agree. Damn, I thought the general consensus was that everyone liked my legs!?
Everyone does like your legs including me rebacca.@@pwhitewick
Jowetts. A pure gold resource, so much info in it, everyone should have one. An excellent place to dig out. You are a pair of stars, for sure. What an achingly out of the way place- once so essential , now wistfully unfeasable. Top marks folks!
Thank you Laszlo. We love the Jowett's Atlas. Sadly there are a few ommisions but we forgive it on the account of its beauty.
Love these videos, so fascinating and informative I can’t stop watching! Sometimes I can’t believe the amount of effort and architectural detail put into something that is now abandoned. So glad you are both giving us a window into this hidden and forgotten world. And any disused abandoned ww2 pillbox that creeps in is a good thing! Keep up the good work!
Thanks Stephen, really pleased you are enjoying these. From memory there is a pill box in our Severn and wye tunnel video. 😉
Lovely video! Especially the original photos of the station. Your country is beautiful!
Thank you.
My Auntie Sylvia Ager who worked at the Wilkins Tiptree Jam company often used the "crab and winkle line". Fish and seafood used to go through the pier station and during WW2, the Wilkins Tiptree jam factory used to receive and dispatch via Tollesbury torpedoes that they had overhauled.
Fascinating journey. Didn't realize there were so many disused stations and sites in UK.
Yup. 6800 give or take a few.
Another most interesting video, Paul and Rebecca, in this very lonely part of Essex. Such a pity that the poor little line didn’t survive ; would have been so good for a holiday day out. Thanks, both.
Cheers Simon.
hi Paul/rebecca, fascinated to find you chose this line to explore this week, about 2 weeks ago i had just found out about the existance of a railway from Kelvedon to tollsbury when searching for related closed lines from Maldon and this line cropped up, i used to live near Kelvedon so that interested me and then seeing your video was lovely, i love your explores on all your channels and watch them all, please keep up the good work !!!
Cheers Colin, small world indeed. This has been on our list for a while now. We also filmed from the Flitch Way whilst here, on the channel in a few weeks. Glad you are enjoying it.
Really cool obscure piece of history.
Definately obscure.
Stayed in a monastery at Tolleshunt knights and found out the disused line went through the monastery garden great video again !!! good video of the railway on you tube !
Sadly we didn't have time for the rest of the line on this occasion, which is a shame.
Always nice to see Rebecca's pins...
Keep up the good work chaps!
hahaha....summer is coming. So you'll get to see mine too!
@@pwhitewick Can't wait!
@@pwhitewick No, honestly; we're fine without that...
@@johnpenny5638 sorry John. It's too late. I've promised Leonard now!
@@pwhitewick (*runs and hides*)
Love your disused, abandoned stations. I've been bringing some back on Nimby Rails.
Extremely atmospheric with the wind harping past your camera , and extremely moreish in these lockdown days. The very first canal I went to was the Westport as I lived hard by the Somerset Levels. I think the area is riddled with disused features of the days when some were navigable. I am also going to hunt for the Isle of Grain where, from memory, there was a rather grand station called ?? Port Victoria. I'm pretty sure it was featured on one of those marvellous BFI shorts.
I wonder how many railways operated on one engine in steam. I know it was discussed for the Rothbury branch in Northumbria.
The tide seems to move quickly here as that concrete structure was exposed and then filled by the tide during your visit. I've been on the Medway Queen when she was kept flooded at Damhead Creek. We were on the promenade deck waiting for the tide to go out so we could explore the main deck below. She drained 4 feet in 10 mins. That's fast!
Legs are very handy things. They're a useful source of nourishment or vengeance for much of the local wildlife.
Enjoyed this video so much. Looking forward to watching many more.
Cheers Rod. Get binge watching. 81 more videos to go.
So Tiptree had a station? All that jam and other comestibles from the Wilkins factory... Great video, Paul and Rebecca. Thanks as always! Peter A
Another enjoyable video, thanks Paul and Rebecca. keep them coming!
Thanks Hayley. We certainly plan too.
Love the videos keep them coming. It is amazing what you can find out there when you start to look around. You two make a great team.
Thank you. Very much appreciated
Long walk, short vid. Simply stunning scenery and views. Amazed that someone thought this line was a good idea! Thanks for your efforts and hard work as always.
Cheers Russ. Yup, I think it served the Tiptree Jam factory well, but thats probably about the upshot of it.
Just looked at Tiptree Jam. Nice Museum and Tea Rooms. Shame the railway's not there. Cream tea, walk to Tollesbury Pier then train ride back. @@pwhitewick
I like all the views of the MV Ross Revenge in the background, the ship of Radio Caroline. 😃
Brilliant video. You've ticked all the boxes with this fim
Nice one Paul. Another great film after the runaway success of your last film!
Thank you. Yup, not sure what happened there, but no complaints!
heya paul and rebecca , what another great and interesting video , its like im there walking with you both :)
Thanks Davie. Glad you enjoyed it. You wouldn't have wanted to.... A wee bit windy!
Loved the video! It's a pleasure to see a couple sharing an interest. Keep up the fab work, Paul and Rebecca (in alphabetical order!) :-)
Great video Paul and Rebecca,very interesting, looking forward to the next video 😀👌
Cheers Shaun. Don't quote me but I think we are back in Wales for a corker!
One of coaches from that line was the coach used in the Titfield Thunderbolt film.
Very excellent - thank you.
I live close to the former Tolleshunt Knights Station/Halt by the junction of Strawberry Lane and D'Arcy Road - just a short distance from the abandoned sidings in Tudwick Road on Wilkin's Jam Makers land.
Wilkin's were a major user of the railway and funder as they had farms throughout the area that grew far more than the "little scarlet" strawberries they are famed for (nowadays much of the fruit is imported from far away lands) with the loading bay (remnants of the loading bay can be seen and are marked on some enthusiasts' map -which I cannot call to memory now) and sidings in Tudwick road between it's junction with Strawberry Lane and factory Hill which I presume was specially built along with Tiptree Station - on the site of the Telephone Exchange in Station Road also presumably used by Wilkin's - some of the history of the railway is revealed in the Museum adjacent to their tearoom and factory.
There are other pictures of the pier station and some videos of stills which I cannot link right now.
Recently the founder and administrator of "Maldon and Heybridge Memories / History" Facebook Group reposted a link to a rare postcard of embarking World War I troops actually taken on Tollesbury Pier Railway Station.
I presume that initially there was hope to "catch" the day trip steamship trade from London - which also aided the development and of Clacton-On-Sea and Southend-On-Sea and in fact served as a major transport route for produce & passengers to & from both places before firstly the railway arrived and later mettled roads.
It was mettled roads that finally put this "Crab & Winkle" (several are similarly named) out of business - with the restrcited speed as the Osborne's bus from Tollesbury could get to Kelvedon faster than the train!
What led to my chance discovery of this excellent video today was the first sight of a very small photograph of the whole pier in a postcard - which had me looking for another version where it is a single picture in a picture postacard rather than one of a multiple.
I shall attempt a link to that actual card on the internet - which I saw in the Facebook Group mentioned above.
Thanks again for the investigation and fine report - I expect many others will be delighted to see it and the long view photographs across the marshes and estuary - which at one point - show what my late mother -in- law referred to as those two big houses at the tip of the Dengie Pensinsula - in actual fact first Nuclear Power Station at Bradwell Juxta Mare (a second is now behing planned now what you see has been shut down - with much nuclear waste still on site - I am curious about that other building on the Tollesbury side of the Blackwater Estuary in your video that was mentioned - maybe I shall need to crank up my walking stick!
facebook.com/groups/MaldonHeybridgeMemoriesHistory/permalink/2758925254131195/
Thank you Andrew. Love that, really appreciate you taking the time to write. I'll have a proper read through later and check out the link. Much appreciated.
Another very interesting video!
Ahh, you were in my neck of the woods sort of, the Blackwater estuary has lots of those concrete blocks, they are crane bases, to lift cargo off or onto the boats, fish, hay bound for London to feed the horses and bricks were the most common types, I will assume this one was to service the freight trains. It doesn't look it but at high tide the estuary is quite deep and the Thames barges nipped out of the Thames estuary and round hugging the coast and up the Blackwater estuary to pick up long after the railways came to Essex because they were cheaper than sending such bulky goods to London by train.
Thanks Misty. Very much appreciated. We thought it looked like an old pill box!
Live near this old railway line, there is a few relics but not much left of this railway. Witham-Maldon has the only wooden trestle bridge still standing
Tiptree boy me. Known as the Crab and Winkle Railway.
How can 11 people dislike this video!??
So pleased you went to Tollesbury Pier, near us, lovely walk even more special knowing a little railway once went there. Whilst in Essex did you explore the Witham to Maldon branch? ill check if you have done a vid. there are two wooden trestle bridges that still survive, one you can get right underneath. I have explored many abandoned lines around essex, but not much beats those bridges, its a must see. love your channel guys. brilliant.
The pillbox like structure was at the end of the original shorter pier.It was extended sometime about 100 or so years ago to a lot further out past the low water mark so ships could still use the pier at low tide.Maps weren't updated regularly in those days,but according to some the longer pier survived into the 1960s.
Another great and interesting video from you both - thanks. Could I suggest (if you haven't done it before) the old Canterbury to Whitstable line, called Crab and Winkle. Yes, it's got a tunnel and they built part of the University of Kent over the tunnel. The Internet tells you what happened. Anyway, just an idea. Keep up the good work!
As always, another great video. I'm looking forward to your next video of the Flitch Way as it includes Felsted.
Cheers Richard. All filmed, might be the week after next for that realise. But we did give you a mention. 😅
@@pwhitewick Thanks for that.Fellow You Tubers have mentioned me in their videos and have allowed me to use that portion of the video in a small video of mine.I acknowledge their copyright. When you upload this video may I please use a small part where I'm mentioned? Thanks in anticipation.
@@RichardFelstead1949 yup of course. thanks for asking. We normally film a lot more than is published so happy to put the clips on a drive for you.
@@pwhitewick Alternatively I could download the whole video but only use the Felsted parts.
@@RichardFelstead1949 yup. Whichever works for you.
Quite approve of rebeccas legwear ;) and great vid as always
It always seems strange to me, where some railway lines went to, but most were definitely in the right place, just sadly, a hundred years or so too early, or moreover, closed down about sixty years too soon.
There is a very nice line, closed down in 1965, that I'd love see returned to service. It is the Selby & Driffield Railway, but sadly hacked away by the Beeching Act. When it went down, so too did the Derwent Valley Light Railway, and the York/Market Weighton/Beverley to Hull line. If you're ever in the East Riding of Yorkshire, you might find it interesting to walk parts of it.
So many of the lines where built by companies formed by land owners and local businessmen. Little thought went into the social impact moreover making money for the shareholders. Sadly breeching was given the same remit and treated everything that had been built as a business, again not a social service. That was a mistake.
Very interesting video
I managed to get to where EXACTLY kelvedon low level was and there’s still the platform there intact!
Oooooh, did you get any pics?
Yet another interesting video both. Will have to check if this was one of Colonel Stephens light railways.
Pray Tell more.
@@pwhitewick Colonel Stephens, very interesting character. Loads about him on the internet, engineered, ran, owned loads of light railways always on a shoestring. One of my favourites being the WC&P.
@@mikehenfron Thank you, I'll take a look.
@@pwhitewick Appears Colonel Stephens had no involvement on this occasion. Still a very interesting line though.
@@mikehenfron Cheers. Yup we enjoyed it here, just wish we had more time.
Just catching up on past posts. And leg ware looks fine to me
Hello I have just found your channel and it seems very interesting 😎😎
So I have subscribed
🙂🍻👍
Aaahhh MrVxrman, a pleasure to have you Sir.
Interesting video, nice area to walk here!
Thank you, yup lovely area to wonder around exploring.
i guess youve seen the youtube Kelvedon and Tollesbury branch.......great photo of the pier. Thanks
Cheers Tarquin. Yup we have done since the video was made. 👍👍
Just seen your video on about Bishop Stortford about 15 miles down the road you will come to Harlow. Harlow railway station when I was a little boy if I can remember that far back.??They used to be the railway cottages and the old station which obviously isn’t there now it’s at the back of the new station haven’t been there for about 20 years Maybe but maybe worth a visit not sure of the cottages are still be there enjoy your videos. all the best
Cheers Terry. We filmed the Flitch Way whilst we were in Essex too. Sadly didn't make it to Harlow.
You should come to East Kent and see the remains of the EKLR and the bit that is still open. Also Richbourgh Docks on the River Stour with the remains of the train ferry dock, part of which is still in use in Harwich I believe. I found Tilmanstone railway station last weekend and there are also the remains of the lines serving the various coal mines in the area. We should meet up, I have many interesting books you could borrow. There's also the remains of the Ramsgate International Hoverport and loads other other wonders I have explored and of course the Romney Hythe and Dymchurch Railway, the worlds smallest public railway, still used as everyday transport.
Have you ever been to portishead in somerset? Disuse line runs to portbury but tracks still remain...
another great video 👍you wouldn't know there had been a pier station there hope you get round to filming the station that you couldn't make because of time
Nice video. While your in the area, how about exploring the Gin and Toffee line ? For those of you who don't know, that's the branch line to Thaxted which left the mainline at Elsenham. It was also a light railway with only one train and no signals, closed pre Beeching. There's also the Mid Suffolk Light Railway which terminated at Laxfield in the middle of nowhere, because they ran out of money and couldn't reach the mainline at Halesworth. Or how about the Southwold railway which was a narrow gauge and closed in the 20's! Take a look at a map of East Anglian rail before and after Beeching. You will gasp at the losses. Plenty to keep you both going!
Cheers Duncan. Sadly we are back at base now, we did manage to do the Flitch way however.
Nice video, honestly I haven't covered much of Essex as well, been to Shenfield, covered the Shenfield to Southend-on-Sea Line, visited Colchester, Epping and the Epping Ognar Railway and the line between Stansted Airport (not touch the Airport) to Cambridge, still need to venture down there with lines and stations.
Yup, never appealed to us and to be faired it rained most of the time we were there. Best go again!
Ah thanks, now I know... I've walked around that when low tide, (I could tell you a story about that, but too long to tell) I've have always wondered what some random structure was doing there, I had assumed it was WWW 1, or 2, during lockdown I stumbled across your channel, Geoff and Vicky's channel's mentioned you two.
Thanks I loved the video.
Thank you.
Blimey there's not much left there - actually, was there EVER much there? Looking at old maps the answer I think is 'probably not'. Entertaining video as usual you chaps (Paul missed your little joke at 5:07 Rebecca)
Cheers John. Yup we found very little, 14 years of use I think. Apparently that wasn't the first time that joke was used on the day. Bad Husband.
Wonder if you two can visit the Queensbury tunnel on the former Halifax to Queensbury line as the tunnel is under threat of being abandoned & filled in forever, we wish to have it saved as a footpath / cycle way to link up with the Sustrans paths nearby.
We would love to do a video form there to help promote its rescue.... we wouldn't want to stand on anyones toes though!
@@pwhitewick Suggest you contact the Queensbury tunnel society, they have a web site, many thanks for the offer to visit the tunnel & help save it.
facebook.com/queensburytunne
l missing from tunnel, sorry !
@@dennislancet great stuff will do.
I did a old video showing photos of the old stations. Kinda been meaning to do new follow up video, somewhat like a then and now thing.
As usual . Bravo 😊👍
Thanks Nigel. 👍👍👍
also the disused line Malton to Thirsk,old Helmsley Station is brill
Tollesbury pier was built for steamer services to link with other coastal ports that never materialised.
Was there ever any services at all (boat from pier)?
@@pwhitewick It appears that a steamer service ran to the pier from a short while when it opened, but ceased very soon afterwards. I haven't been able to find anything about where it ran to or how frequently. If i find out any more, i'll post an update.
The station consisted of an old coach body and a small brick hut some yards from the end of the pier, pretty spartan facilities.
During the first world war, the pier was used for troop training on the river, not sure what that entailed. The army incorporated the pier into the coastal defence of Britain during World War 2 adding the pill box and other defence works to it. This included blowing it up to prevent the enemy landing at it.
My goodness! That is a lonely old place. Reminds me of M. R. James's ghost stories set in this part of the world!
I can imagine a winter's evening with the fog rolling in this could set a very different scene.
@@pwhitewick If you're up to speed, just be careful next time you're sitting there, studying your algebra, or watching the patterns in the fire, absolutely, do not look towards the the red light, and for God's sake, clear the way. . . . . Are you with me?
@@28YorkshireRose12 nope.... Pray tell more!?
@@pwhitewick "Prey tell more"? . . . . Well, my good sir, from the manner of your enquiry, I felt sure you were 'on the same page' as it were. I shall endeavour to elucidate. As Richard Bird made mention of M.R. James, I was immediately made mindful of the Dickensian short novel, "The Signalman". Verily, sir, I say unto you, as a railway enthusiast I always considered it to be essential reading, or viewing.
Anyway, enough of the Dickensian speak. If you haven't yet seen it, I'd recommend buying the DVD, or at least, reading the book. Or, if you prefer, you can hear the book being read by John Sessions right hereua-cam.com/video/EP5k4b4OyGA/v-deo.html The BBC ran a series of "Ghost Stories For Christmas" about 1978(ish), with the M.R. James interpretation as part of that series. It really is a must see, with Denholm Elliot as the signalman, which he plays very well. I remember seeing it, for the first time, in black & white, on a tiny screen in the corner of my (darkened) bedroom - creepy!
Edited to reference a better version of the same reading (original video was cut short).
In the distance, at 5.33, you can see the disused Bradwell nuclear power station. They are de-commissioning it and it's covered in fabric to hold in the radioactive dust! It's on the other side of the Blackwater estuary.
I didn't know that Radioactive dust was a thing! Would you believe me if I told you I have a degree in Environmental Science?
I presume that's why they covered the thing in some kind of fabric. I walked past it a few years ago when exploring that side of the river and there are radiation meters of some sort dotted around the landscape on poles. I figured if they were cutting pipes, then there would be some kind of risk from particles becoming airborne. The BBC story here says the reactors are covered to create 'safe stores' for 70 years, to allow any radioactivity to decay naturally. That sure sounds to me like nuclear-industry speak for stopping any airborne particles getting out into the environment! www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-46403387
@@apc108 I'll admit I am certainly no expert in this field. Presumably if there are radiation meters and there was an issue it would be all over the press.
@@pwhitewick I think it's just due diligence. I don't think there has been any recent release. I was there in 2007, so the cladding was not yet present and maybe there was an extra risk then. According to this report in 2017, they've now taken away all the fuel element debris. So that's good news! www.energylivenews.com/2017/06/22/radioactive-waste-cleared-from-bradwell-nuclear-plant/
Paul, if you're ever going to look at the disused station in Ellon in NE Scotland, please shout up - I grew up in that area.
Nice video
Thanks Caroline.
*Tolleshunt* D'arcy
Please have more of Rebecca in your presentations. She seems to be your back up with all the correct information and truthfully it seems like she’s just walking along most of the time it would be good to have a change of voices.
Hi Jim. Rebecca does pretty much as she pleases, if she wants a more vocal part, she is more than welcome.
The pier station was about 100 meters inland from the pier.
hi great video. it's my understanding that the station was use to shop troops out for the great war.
Should do a vid on the Chequerbent line in Westhoughton, in the Pretoria pit disaster in 1912 it took the 300+ bodies to Bolton . Much of the line is walkable
That sounds like. Very interesting story
ua-cam.com/video/5Lro74fXAIc/v-deo.html
You know where East Anglia is - that's an improvement on most I meet! Most somehow seem to think Suffolk is in the North.
😅😅
Fantastic video guys. I’ve just discovered your channel , so now *forced* to binge watch all your videos. 😆👌🏼 keep them coming. 🙏🏼👍🏼👍🏼
Cheers. Yup you absolutely must binge watch them. You have 24 hours.... Go! 😅👍
Also the Malton to Pickering line,disused with old stations
Watching all these videos... Its like the Lidl version of Geoff and Vicki
I guess I should ask what supermarket Geoff and Vicki are in your books!?
@@pwhitewick Harrods
@@Trek001 well in that case I am mortally offended. Please consider upgrading us to at least Tesco own brand.
@@pwhitewick At least I never said Aldi!
@@Trek001 fair comment.
I am going to look for a copy of that book. It's a must-have. Any clues on where to look?
Jowett's. It's a beautiful thing! Enjoy.
@@pwhitewick I hope to. Been looking for several hours on rare books websites. No luck yet.
Your knowledge of the geography of Essex is nought! It's Essex! What more do you need to know????
What is the website at 2:30 with the maps?
Try Driffield to Malton line,disused but stations are there,Fimber was a Royal halt for Sledmere house,let me know be nice to meet you
Thanks Simon. Sounds like it should be on our list.
@@pwhitewick also the Burdale tunnel is also along the Malton-Driffield route
@@Exile_G works for me!!
hello ,when are you going to do the remaining stations on this fascinating line
No plans at the moment Peter.
Went inside this pill box a while ago
That was short and sweet. You go there and said, there it once was and then homeward bound 😂
Must have been warmer there than it's been here! I wouldn't have gone out in a short skirt! :XD Freezing!
Thankfully the rain stayed away until the following day. (When the short skirts got put away).
We live on the iow. Lots of. Old railways here
It's certainly on our list of places to visit. 👍👍
Nothing wrong with Rebecca's legware!
Great videos, stunning scenery plus with a railway theme and history mixed in, makes for an interesting watch.
This is not criticism, merely a suggestion, might be an idea to let Rebecca present or explain more, think voice change tends to maintain interest.
We keep toying with the idea but she isn't hugely keen at the moment.
@@pwhitewick They are great anyway.
If you haven't already you should explore the Elham Valley Railway in Kent
This is going to be a huge task Paul and Rebecca, lots of holidays ahead in Scotland I imagine! Does this quest include unused stations on used railways (e.g. Oakley, Hurstbourne Tarrant)? Does it include light railways/narrow gauge/military/mineral lines etc.? Or just standard gauge, public service lines?
Absolutely Marcus. We filmed a video yesterday which was 100% on active lines.
We love Scotland so definitely works for us!
@@pwhitewick It should take you to some great places, what an adventure. I'm from West Yorkshire, feel free to ask me any time about local info there (the old Keighley to Halifax line could be very Pennine-bleak, lots of disused stations).
You rock
Magic
3:14 "so ahead of me you can see ..." a relatively rare second world war radar tower :)
You're not far from my home town Colchester, which for a time boasted the longest railway platform in Britain; used for loading the troop trains during the first world war.
Was wondering what that was while also looking at it on Google maps satellite view, thanks!
Welcome to Essex
Remote Yes bought my sailing cruiser from Tollesbury but Pier is REALLY Remote it was hoped that Tollesbury Pier would be the nre Cowes for Sailing Fraternity who were moving from the polluted and overcrowded Thames but facing the wrong way for prevailing and Kaiser Bill invasion plans scuppered it...
Worth noting pier went out right to deep water line so a long way past pillbox.....
Main customers were fsrm produce and oysters etc also Tiptree Jams whivh still farms along bank of Blackwster near Goldhanger if you come again a tiptree cream tea cafe is at Heybridge Basin (more history there)
Thank you for the additional information Chris. Great stuff.
I live there and found some of the old line
River is Blackwater a large and pretty river
Trade Sailing Port like Cowes was hoped for.
Pier went a ling wsy out intobriver did you see the huge closed Power Station at Bradwell just over river it was a Advanced Gas Cooled Reactor been closed and dismantled but still two HUGE buildings on Skyline i sailed from the marina near to power station... there is also at Bradwell the oldest church in use in Europe
It was only rediscivered in 30s and reconsecrated and is us on and from a huge Roman Fort thst was built to gaurd the eastern seaboard of UK
By the Romans
Brilliant, thanks Chris.
Cool,,,,