Last Alteration: Sunday 05 March 2017
Red Sands Sea Fort
Red Sands Sea Fort
Thames Estuary, (near Whitstable), Kent
Red Sands Sea Fort is one of three "Maunsell Army Sea Forts", each a cluster of seven towers that formed an anti-aircraft facility; they were built in 1942 to help protect the Thames Estaury during the Second World War. The forts were abandonned after the war ended, and the two surviving forts became home to pirate radio stations during the 1960s! Red Sands has recently been taken over by "Project Redsand", who aim to restore the forts and provide facilities such as music recording, seawater experimentation, and a wartime museum - it is expected this will become open to the public.
The directions and map details all relate to Whitstable, which is the nearest land-site to the sea fort.
How to get here:
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Road: M2 - Follow the M2 to it's last junction (7) and carry on along the A299 until you reach the turn-off for Whitstable. Follow the road down into town to the sea front - the fort can (just) be seen in the Thames. Parking: roadside. +
Access: privateStatus: recognisableRed Sands Sea Fort
Photograph taken: 24th September 2006 by Chuck Foster
"This shot was taken at maximum zoom on my camera at Whistable, which is probably the closest I can get without a boat!"
Fury from the Deep (5)
Filmed: 4-6 Feb 1968
Robson's helicopter approaches the rig out to sea, where the seaweed has
taken control.
Other nearby locations:
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Botany Bay (Fury from the Deep). Road (19.3 miles, 40m) : Head out of town and then join the A299, heading east towards Margate. When you reach the roundabout with the A28, turn left and carry on towards Margate. Turn right onto the B2052 (Westbrook) and then follow it east as it cross the A254 and A255. Turn right when it meets the B2051 at Northdown, and then continue onto the left turn onto Botany Road (signposted Botany Bay). Head down to the end of this road for the bay. Parking: car park.
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Sky Charter UK Limited (The Mind of Evil). Road (14.7 miles, 28m) : Head out of town until you reach the A299, and then turn left and head towards Margate. Continue across the roundabout with the A28 and then turn left towards Ramsgate on the A253. As you reach the junction with the B2048 (Minster), turn left on that roundabout and then turn right and then left at the next into the Manston Park business park.
Additional locations as the crow flies:
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Pineham Road (The Mind of Evil): 18.24 miles. 
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Archer's Court Road (The Mind of Evil): 18.25 miles.
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Leeds Castle (The Androids of Tara): 19.17 miles.
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Kingsnorth Industrial Estate (Inferno): 19.19 miles.
In the News:
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endofthelane1 on YouTube - BBC South East feature on the preservation of the Red Sands sea fort in the Thames estuary, used as the ESGO gas rig in 1968's Fury from the Deep.
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27 May 2015: Canterbury Times - "Red Sands sea forts off Whitstable coast could be converted into luxury hotel and spa complex"
Further links about the location:
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Project Redsand - Plans on how Red Sands Sea Forts will be redeveloped.
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Underground Kent - Maunsell Army Sea Forts history.
Related Stories
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Fury from the Deep [4-6 Feb 1968]
Information, downloads, photographs and other media are provided for reference and for personal use only (planning visits etc.) - they remain the copyright of their respective authors and may not be duplicated on any other website or media without prior permission.
All screen captures are the copyright of the BBC and appear here as reference to illustrate the location in comparison with how it looked at the time of filming and the present day; no attempt is made to supercede this or any other copyright.
