Even more disruption at Kingsferry Bridge

Yet more rail strikes will disrupt Kingsferry Bridge operations on 13th, 14th, 16th and 17th December, plus early the following mornings. Network Rail have a contingency plan to cover most of the disruption:

Tuesday 13th December 2022
Midnight – 06:00 Normal service will be maintained
06:00 – 07:00 No bridge lifts available
07:00 – 19:00 Contingency operator on shift – Bridge lifts available
19:00 – 23:59 No bridge lifts available

Wednesday 14th December 2022
Midnight – 07:00 No bridge lifts available
07:00 – 19:00 Contingency operator on shift – Bridge lifts available
19:00 – 06:00 (15th December) No bridge lifts available

Friday 16th November 2022
Midnight – 06:00 Normal service will be maintained
06:00 – 07:00 No bridge lifts available
07:00 – 19:00 Contingency operator on shift – Bridge lifts available
19:00 – 23:59 No bridge lifts available

Saturday 17th December 2022
Midnight – 07:00 No bridge lifts available
07:00 – 19:00 Contingency operator on shift – Bridge lifts available
19:00 – 06:00 (18th December) No bridge lifts available

Priority will be given to commercial shipping but leisure craft will also be able to transit the bridge. Please give as much notice as possible (call VHF channel 10) to avoid delays. If talks are successful and industrial action is avoided a cancellation notice will be issued.

MSBA talk: Update on marine electronics, Fri 11 November

For the first in our new series of monthly winter talks, Paul Smith of PSI will give us an update on marine electronics and electrical systems for our boats. Paul is well known locally for his knowledgeable, personal service to boaters and you may well have met him at national boat shows.

Rochester Cruising Club will be hosting the event. The club is easy to find on the Esplanade at the foot of Rochester Castle, postcode ME1 1QN. There is ample parking at the club and on the road outside. The bar will be open and a professionally prepared meal will be available at 7pm if you pre-order.

We will be having an “MSBA Special” of ham, egg and chips or sausage, egg and chips for £6 on the night. Desserts will also be available and the bar will be open. Please email info@msba.org.uk to order your meal.

Paul’s talk will start at 8pm and he will bring some of the latest kit to demonstrate and answer your questions.

Non-RCC members are asked to contribute £3 at the door and sign the visitors’ book.

More restrictions at Kingsferry Bridge

Yet more rail strikes will disrupt Kingsferry Bridge operations on 5th, 7th and 9th November, plus early the following mornings. Network Rail have a contingency plan to cover most of the disruption:

Saturday 5th November 2022.
Midnight – 06:00 Normal service will be maintained
06:00 – 07:00 No bridge lifts available
07:00 – 19:00 Contingency operator on shift – Bridge lifts available
19:00 – 06:00 (6th November) No bridge lifts available

Monday 7th November 2022
Midnight – 06:00 Normal service will be maintained
06:00 – 07:00 No bridge lifts available
07:00 – 19:00 Contingency operator on shift – Bridge lifts available
19:00 – 06:00 (8th November) No bridge lifts available

Wednesday 9th November 2022
Midnight – 06:00 Normal service will be maintained
06:00 – 07:00 No bridge lifts available
07:00 – 19:00 Contingency operator on shift – Bridge lifts available
19:00 – 06:00 (10th November) No bridge lifts available

Priority will be given to commercial shipping but leisure craft will also be able to transit the bridge. Please give as much notice as possible (call VHF channel 10) to avoid delays. If talks are successful and industrial action is avoided a cancellation notice will be issued.

Kingsferry Bridge Restrictions for Filming, 30 Oct

Network Rail have given permission for a production company to use Kingsferry Bridge to shoot sequences for an upcoming film. The filming will take place over the weekend of 29/30 October 2022 and will involve road closures and periods of disruption to marine traffic. Filming has been planned to coincide with a day of scheduled maintenance on the Kingsferry Bridge (30 October). Arrangements for the two days of filming are as follows:

Saturday 29 October 2022
Filming will be taking place on the bridge for the entire day, road closures have been requested from 04:00 – Midnight, trains will run as normal. Marine traffic can transit the bridge as normal although leisure craft may be asked to wait for short periods whilst specific scenes are being filmed.

Sunday 30 October 2022
Filming will be taking place on Kingsferry Bridge, in Ferry Reach and on the slipway at Long Reach Ski Club adjacent to the bridge. Road closures have been requested from Midnight – 22:00. It is envisaged that the bridge will remain in the raised position for the filming/maintenance period, no trains will operate for this period. Due to the nature of the filming the following restrictions will apply to marine traffic:
Commercial Shipping – Ship arrivals and departures will be programmed over the flood / HW period between 12:30 and 16:30
Leisure Vessels – No leisure craft will be able to transit Ferry Reach and the Kingsferry Bridge between 07:00 – 17:00.
Safety craft will be stationed either side of the bridge between 07:00 and 17:00 on Sunday, they will communicate with any craft attempting to transit who are not aware of the restrictions and regular broadcasts will be transmitted by Medway VTS on VHF Channel 74.

More restrictions at Kingsferry Bridge, 8 Oct (UPDATED)

Yet more rail strikes will disrupt Kingsferry Bridge operations on Saturday 8 October, plus early the following morning. Network Rail have a contingency plan to cover most of the disruption:

Saturday 8 October 2022
Midnight – 06:00 Normal service will be maintained
06:00 – 08:00 No bridge lifts available
08:00 – 13:00 Contingency operator on shift – Bridge lifts available
13:00 – 06:00 (Sun 9 October) No bridge lifts available

Priority will be given to commercial shipping but leisure craft will also be able to transit the bridge. Please give as much notice as possible to avoid delays. If talks are successful and industrial action is avoided a cancellation notice will be issued.

NOTE that further restrictions are expected on Sunday 30 October for a film shoot.

More restrictions at Kingsferry Bridge, 18+20 Aug

An RMT strike may disrupt Kingsferry Bridge operations on Thursday 18 August and Saturday 20 August, plus periods outside of this day. Network Rail have a contingency plan to cover part of the disruption:
Thursday 18th August 2022.
Midnight – 06:00 Normal service will be maintained
06:00 – 07:00 No bridge lifts available
07:00 – 19:00 Contingency operator on shift – Bridge lifts available
19:00 – 06:00 (19th) No bridge lifts available
Friday 19th August 2022.
06:00 – 06:00 (20th) Normal service will be maintained
Saturday 20th August 2022.
06:00 – 07:00 No bridge lifts available
07:00 – 19:00 Contingency operator on shift – Bridge lifts available
19:00 – 06:00 (21st) No bridge lift available
Sunday 21st August 2022.
06:00 Normal service resumed

Priority will be given to commercial shipping, however, leisure craft will also be able to transit the bridge but it is advised to give as much notice as possible to avoid delays. If talks between employers and the unions are successful and industrial action is avoided a cancellation notice will be issued.

No fly zone over Monty, 21 Aug – 15 Nov

Tim Bell of Isle of Sheppey SC informs us that, in anticipation of work starting soon on the Montgomery wreck, the authorities have declared a no fly zone of one mile radius and up to 2500 feet altitude. The work is to make safe some 66 bombs and unexploded ordnance so far identified, scattered around the wreck, prior to removing the mast next year. The area must be made safe for the jack-up rig and crane to work alongside the hull.

When the SS Grandcamp blew up in 1947 in Texas it knocked a plane out of the sky. Because of the danger to light aircraft the MOD is restricting the air space above the wreck.

View the statutory instrument

Kingsferry Bridge restricted operation, Wed 27 July

Planned industrial action by the rail union RMT will disrupt operation of Kingsferry Bridge on Wednesday 27 July and the following morning. Network Rail have implemented contingency plans for some of the period. See below for the bridge operational timetable:

Wednesday 27 July 2022
Midnight – 06:00 Normal service will be maintained
06:00 – 07:00 No bridge lifts available
07:00 – 19:00 Contingency operator on shift – bridge lifts available
19:00 – 06:00 (28 July) No bridge lifts available

Priority will be given to commercial shipping. Leisure craft will also be able to transit the bridge but it is advised to give as much notice as possible to avoid delays.

Rail strikes to disrupt Kingsferry Bridge openings

Industrial action by the rail union RMT is expected to disrupt the operation of Kingsferry Bridge. Strikes are planned for June 21st, 23rd and 25th; however, the impact will also affect periods outside of these days. Normal service will be maintained up to 06:00 on Tuesday 21st June and will not resume until the 26th. Network Rail have implemented a contingency plan to cater for the spells of industrial action meaning the bridge will be manned and lifts available over the following dates and time periods:

Tuesday 21st June 2022 Midnight – 06:00 and 08:00 – 20:00
Wednesday 22nd June 2022 06:00 – Midnight
Thursday 23rd June 2022 Midnight – 18:00
Friday 24th June 2022 06:00 – Midnight
Saturday 25th June 2022 Midnight – 06:00 and 07:00 – 19:00

Priority will be given to commercial shipping, however, leisure craft will also be able to transit the bridge but it is advised to give as much notice as possible to avoid delays. If talks between employers and the unions are successful and industrial action is avoided a cancellation notice will be issued.

Do you still use Admiralty charts?

The UK Hydrographic Office would like to know if you would object if they withdraw the admiralty chart no. 2482 – River Medway and The Swale. The statutory harbour authority area of Peel Ports London Medway is currently covered by the following admiralty charts:
3683 – Sheerness and Approaches – Scale 1:12500
1834 – River Medway Garrison Point to Folly Point – Scale 1:12500
1835 – River Medway Folly Point to Maidstone – Scale 1:6000 / 1:25000 for the continuation.
2571 – The Swale Whitstable to Harty Ferry – Scale 1:12500
2572 – The Swale Windmill Creek to Queenborough – Scale 1:12500
2482 – River Medway and The Swale – Scale 1:25000
Chart no. 2482 is essentially a duplicate of 2571 & 2572 but on a smaller scale and Peel Ports would like to ask all river users for feedback regarding its withdrawal from the UKHO’s chart publication list. Please send all comments on this consultation to AllMedwayMarineManagers@peelports.com by 30 April 2022, we will collate the feedback and forward it to the UKHO, any decision to remove the chart from publication will be promulgated by further notice to mariners.