Alan Sewell at Bowaters in 1968...

A few weeks ago Alan sent me an email with some wonderful photos and visit notes of a trip to Bowaters in Kent in 1968. Alan remembered this being one of a few visits that his father accompanied him, for he did not share Alan's passion for railways...

Alan made temperaneous notes that in recent times he has been digitising, and he has kindly allowed me to share them along with his photos (both black & white and colour) of the visit. Thank you once again Alan, and I hope you all enjoy what follows.

Bowaters UK Pulp and Paper Mills Ltd 

Sittingbourne and Kemsley Mills , Ridham Dock, Kent

Gauge:  2’6” and Standard

Date of Visit:   16 April 1968 

Sittingbourne

Yard by Milton Creek used ship local paper down the Thames to London. The working loco was PREMIER 0-4-2ST KS 886 of 1905 which was in steam outside the shed. PREMIER then left to work the tracks at Sittingbourne mill running up the steep gradient to the yard used for trains to and from Kemsley. This is high above the surrounding land and leads onto the concrete viaduct which take the tracks north

Working this yard and making up our train was TRIUMPH 0-6-2T WB 2624 of 1940 fitted with a balloon stack and in lined green livery. The train comprised two passenger coaches (we rode in one) and a selection of empty pulp and clay wagons

PREMIER 0-4-2ST KS 886 of 1905, Alan Sewell photo

TRIUMPH 0-6-2T WB 2624 of 1940, Alan Sewell photo

Kemsley Mill

This is a large paper mill with extensive sidings which are a little above the Sittingbourne-Ridham Dock “mainline”. Entry to the mill sidings is at the  Ridham end of the mill. A pulp wood conveyor and a couple of standard gauge sidings from Ridham enter the mill as well. There is a recognised stopping point for workman’s trains to the south of the mill, just where the steam pipes to Sittingbourne mill arch up and over the railway, and TRIUMPH made a scheduled stop here.

TRIUMPH 0-6-2T WB 2624 of 1940, Alan Sewell photo

TRIUMPH 0-6-2T WB 2624 of 1940, Alan Sewell photo

At the mill shed MELIOR 0-4-2ST KS 4219 of 1924 was in steam as standby. Working locos were the powerful UNIQUE 2-4-0F WB 2216 of 1923 shunting pulp wagons along with SUPERIOR 0-6-2T KS 4034 of 1920 in the mill sidings. 

SUPERIOR 0-6-2T KS 4034 of 1920, Alan Sewell photo

SUPERIOR 0-6-2T KS 4034 of 1920, Alan Sewell photo

Alan Sewell photo

UNIQUE 2-4-0F WB 2216 of 1923, Alan Sewell photo

UNIQUE 2-4-0F WB 2216 of 1923, Alan Sewell photo

Behind the mill are the well constructed railway workshops. Outside was EXCELSIOR 0-4-2ST KS 1049 of 1908 awaiting overhaul. Inside the light and airy shops was CHEVALIER 0-6-2T MW 1877 of 1915 under repair, which had lasted so far around two months: LEADER 0-4-2ST KS 926 of 1905 having a boiler inspection; and ALPHA 0-6-2T WB 2472 of 1932 having adjustments to its wheels and brakes. Also in the works were three spare boilers.

EXCELSIOR 0-4-2ST KS 1049 of 1908, Alan Sewell photo

Inside the workshop, Alan Sewell photo

Ridham Dock

Two locos were at work in the dock sidings shunting pulp and paper wagons to and from the yard and from the dockside and storage sheds. These were CONQUEROR 0-6-2T WB 2192 of 1922  which is limited to working Ridham due to weight restrictions and SUPERB 0-6-2T WB 2624 of 2624. Both these locos had balloon stack spark arrestors.  Having taken water and coal TRIUMPH then made up a train for the Kemsley mill. Also seen was the HE 4wD 4182 of 1953( a member of the Estate class) parked in its corrugated iron shed and is used for only one shift a day compared with the steam locos which are on duty all day over three shifts.  The 4wBE EE 515 of 1921 was its own shed and is seen as spare to the HE

On the Standard gauge JUBILEE  0-4-0ST WB 2542 of 1936  was on shed having a wash-out. The P class PIONEER II 0-6-0T Ashford Works 31198 of 1910 was at work shunting a train of coal trucks and Convacs destined for Kemsley mill

Ridham is built on reclaimed land and feels very desolate and remote.

Alan Sewell photo

Alan Sewell photo

JUBILEE  0-4-0ST WB 2542 of 1936, Alan Sewell photo

CONQUEROR 0-6-2T WB 2192 of 1922, Alan Sewell photo

Thank you once again Alan. If you're enjoyed todays post then use the 'Alan Sewell' label to see all of Alan's site visits, largely of an industrial nature, of all gauges and locations from around the world. Perhaps one day we'll collect some of these together in a short book - but until then, I'm proud to have been able to share this with you all here. Until next time, more soon...