33 117 working the Strood tunnel flood buster at Higham. 1988.
During the winter of 1987-88 the old Medway Canal basin dock at Strood was filled in to make way for a housing development. The up shot of this work was the railway tunnels between Strood and Higham flooded within weeks. Being a former canal tunnel built in 1824 for the Thames & Medway Canal it was constructed on the level so although the tunnels had never flooded before there was now nowhere for the drainage water to go.
In 1830 when still a canal the tunnel was 2 mile 369yds long, it was opened out midway during that year to create a passing place for canal barges. This deep cut hole in the chalk downland was thus used in 1988 to install pumps to draw water out of the now two rail tunnels (Higham and Strood) with Higham tunnel visible in the background above. When Strood tunnel first started to fill with water at track level in early February 1988 it resembled a Turkish bath as the conductor rail just heated it up like an immersion heater with the insulator support pots almost glowing in the dark. At first an electric service operated but within days it soon became too dangerous and electric services were suspended between Strood and Gravesend. Until sufficient pumping equipment was installed BR operated a mixed bag of shuttle trains between Rochester and Gravesend comprising 3-Car SR DEMU's, 3-Car Western Region DMU's and a 33+4-TC set. All were regular performers during the blockage as it's a busy stretch of line linking the Medway towns to London.
The above shot is taken at Higham as 33 117 hauling 4-TC set 8024 accelerates away leaving a blue haze of exhaust on a Rochester to Gravesend "Floodex"shuttle. The ditch to the left of the station is a remnant of the Thames & Medway canal which was promoted as a shorter route for traders on the Medway River to access London rather than going 41 miles around the Grain peninsula. The canal was bought by the Gravesend & Rochester Railway Company in 1844 and during 1845 they built a single track railway beside the canal on the 5ft wide tow path, supported the other side by a trestle in the water. This bizarre arrangement last from February to November that year where boats and trains ran beside one another but in 1846 it was all sold to the SER (South Eastern Railway) who dispensed with the canal altogether and laid a twin track railway.
33 117 working the Strood tunnel flood buster at Higham. 1988.
During the winter of 1987-88 the old Medway Canal basin dock at Strood was filled in to make way for a housing development. The up shot of this work was the railway tunnels between Strood and Higham flooded within weeks. Being a former canal tunnel built in 1824 for the Thames & Medway Canal it was constructed on the level so although the tunnels had never flooded before there was now nowhere for the drainage water to go.
In 1830 when still a canal the tunnel was 2 mile 369yds long, it was opened out midway during that year to create a passing place for canal barges. This deep cut hole in the chalk downland was thus used in 1988 to install pumps to draw water out of the now two rail tunnels (Higham and Strood) with Higham tunnel visible in the background above. When Strood tunnel first started to fill with water at track level in early February 1988 it resembled a Turkish bath as the conductor rail just heated it up like an immersion heater with the insulator support pots almost glowing in the dark. At first an electric service operated but within days it soon became too dangerous and electric services were suspended between Strood and Gravesend. Until sufficient pumping equipment was installed BR operated a mixed bag of shuttle trains between Rochester and Gravesend comprising 3-Car SR DEMU's, 3-Car Western Region DMU's and a 33+4-TC set. All were regular performers during the blockage as it's a busy stretch of line linking the Medway towns to London.
The above shot is taken at Higham as 33 117 hauling 4-TC set 8024 accelerates away leaving a blue haze of exhaust on a Rochester to Gravesend "Floodex"shuttle. The ditch to the left of the station is a remnant of the Thames & Medway canal which was promoted as a shorter route for traders on the Medway River to access London rather than going 41 miles around the Grain peninsula. The canal was bought by the Gravesend & Rochester Railway Company in 1844 and during 1845 they built a single track railway beside the canal on the 5ft wide tow path, supported the other side by a trestle in the water. This bizarre arrangement last from February to November that year where boats and trains ran beside one another but in 1846 it was all sold to the SER (South Eastern Railway) who dispensed with the canal altogether and laid a twin track railway.