Stone Barges @ Rainham

[Alex_sk]

Hi everyone :hi:

Just wondering if someone can give me some info.

I have heard about the famous stone barges @ Rainham marshes in Essex (near Tilda factory?). I would like to visit these as I have heard they are a great site for birds.

Does anyone know where they are located (I would be travelling by train and walking from the nearest station), the best time to visit (high tide?) and what I am likely to see there?

Would be much appreciated!

Thanks

Alex

[dbradnum]

The barges are off Coldharbour Lane, see this map: http://www.multimap.com/map/browse.cgi?client=public&X=551000.999981254&Y=180000.881538309&width=700&height=400&gride=551599.999981254&gridn=180099.881538309&srec=0&coordsys=gb&db=grid&addr1=&addr2=&addr3=&pc=&advanced=&local=&localinfosel=&kw=&inmap=&table=&ovtype=&keepicon=true&zm=0&scale=25000&up.x=256&up.y=3

I guess the nearest station is Rainham itself, and then it's a lengthy walk.

It's a good site for London, since it regularly holds Water and Rock Pipits, on the barges. The local flock of wintering Black-tailed Godwits often roost here at high tide as well. Consequently, getting there a while before high tide and waiting in the area is a reasonable idea.

However, don't go there expecting a wide range of species - you'd be much better off at the Rainham RSPB reserve in that regard. It's a decent site, with some notable regular species for the area, but not a spectacular one.

Check out
http://www.elbf.co.uk/birdsightings.htm for details of what's been seen recently.

[Alex_sk]

Thanks for the info David. :t:

[Allen]

Probably a dumb question but why are they called stone barges. I assume they are not actually made of stone!!! (hardly the most seaworthy of materials) so can only assume they used to carry stones to/from somewhere???

[Allen]

It's a good site for London, since it regularly holds Water and Rock Pipits, on the barges. The local flock of wintering Black-tailed Godwits often roost here at high tide as well. Consequently, getting there a while before high tide and waiting in the area is a reasonable idea.

However, don't go there expecting a wide range of species - you'd be much better off at the Rainham RSPB reserve in that regard. It's a decent site, with some notable regular species for the area, but not a spectacular one.



Can concur with this - no that much to see apart from afore-mentioned species.

[robert burgess]

i live a couple of miles away and have to agree about the species
I have seen water & rock pipit there,black redstart and if you are lucky on the path leading upto the car park tree sparrows have been seen every now and then,just watch out to the left in the thickets.I have had a few waders from time to time especially if you follow the path to the right from the car park past the tilda factory(towards London)

[dogfish]

agree with David, but don't worry too much if you can't get there around high tide (when the water pipits perch up on the concrete barges). When the tide drops they're fairly easy to see in the little bay immediately west of the barges, when they feed in the grassy area below the path and fly out on to the ridges of stones on the mud.
The couple of times I've been there this winter there have been 2-3 water pipits but no rock pipits. And not much else, apart from the blackwits.

Sean

[DJW]

Probably a dumb question but why are they called stone barges. I assume they are not actually made of stone!!! (hardly the most seaworthy of materials) so can only assume they used to carry stones to/from somewhere???

They are actually made of concrete. During the Second World War, steel was in short supply. Governments in the UK and the US ordered the construction of barges made of reinforced concrete.

The barges, now abandoned on the Thames mud at Rainham, were towed across the channel as part of the immense project to create artificial harbours for the Normandy landings on D-Day. They formed part of one of the Mulberry harbours.

Then in 1953 they came to the rescue a second time when they were used to shore up the flood defences of the estuary which were damaged by a huge storm and surge tide. Towns along the river estuary were inundated and devastated by the worst Thames floods in living memory.

Now the barges are slowly rotting way on the north bank of the river.

Regards

Dave

[robert burgess]

perhaps we should call you a barggie!!!!
boing boing baggie baggie!!!