coal house fort essex

went to coal house fort today with the family the fort was shut but didnt stop us havein a good time and gettin some photos

the fort












radar tower



me on the tower
















the fort lookin from the tower


qwick fire battery







the AA battery

These photos are lovely looks like an interesting place !

So many interesting areas to the site. Cracking pics, Shady.
I see you're using the 'fezzyben technique' on some of them!
Excellent stuff.

What's the Fezzyben Technique? The Vignettey thing? I like it nonetheless!

james.s said:

What's the Fezzyben Technique? The Vignettey thing? I like it nonetheless!

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Yes, Fezzyben accidently perfected the technique by putting his lens hood on the wrong way round!
I like it too.

lol ....mines just a cheap a$$ wide lens .....i like it too goin back in the wek some time if anybody wants to join me ... had the overhalf n kids with me so couldnt get as much as i wanted done

I used to run a military museum in the fort itself, in the 80's.
It's worth exploring on an open day !
I spent four happy years, almost living in there.

well got back down to the battery and got the photos i wanted so here they are

Oh my goodness, you have seen so much more than I got to!! That place is so untouched it is so cool and your pics as per usual are fab!!!

Thanks for posting

Agree with LittleMadam...excellent pics. Fabulous to see more of the site too. Cheers.

thanks guys ....... i also think iv found a few more parts so looks like im goin back again lol ... yous are welcome to join us

LOL - those brambles certainly wont be welcoming me back. Still think I have tetanus from the last time!!!

The "battery" is infact a coastal battery and not AA, it was originaly biult with 2 montcrief "pop-up" type guns with later WW2 additions.

Outkast - How the hell are you?!?! Myself and Steve went with you that time to the above place.

Hope all is well, nice to see you back on an urbexing site!!

I must have overlooked this in the past. Excellent photos Shady D. It looks a great place to explore. I especially like the old signage still in place, slighlty differing to the ones we have down in Plymouth forts.

LittleMadam said:

Outkast - How the hell are you?!?! Myself and Steve went with you that time to the above place.

Hope all is well, nice to see you back on an urbexing site!!

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Tam how the devil are you? been down the battery on a few occasions since showing peeps around, still get a bit of urbex in when I get the time, mostly the military stuff, for those who are interested in visiting the east tilburys defences, make sure you visit bowater farm wich is 3 miles north of coalhouse, there stands a large AA site with an interesting history, it was also the only part of the tilbury triangle that fired a shot in anger.

I have been asked for a bit more info on the east tilbury battery:

1891 - An entirely new East Tilbury Battery was constructed between river and village street. It was designed for 4 x 6-inch breech loading guns and 2 x 10-inch breech loading guns on disappearing mountings. These were new breechloaders using smokeless powder with a range of 6,000 yards, which made the cumbersome R.M.L.s obsolete.


1903 - The disappearing mountings of the 6 inch breech loading guns at East Tilbury Battery were replaced by conventional ones and the 10 inch breech loading guns declared obsolescent.

and if you are thinking of visiting the battery heres a plan to help you find your way around:

Many thanks Outkast !! It really is a monsterous explore especially now i know what i'm looking for !!! Hopefully next time i go i'll find the bits i didn't see this time around.
PS I thimk i'll also take a machette,a flame thrower and a team of Jungle tribesmen to assist in finding the way !!! THANKS AGAIN.

more pictures

Hey Outkast

Thanks for posting the site plan, my self and Fluffy went there the other day and managed to see all the site apart from the 3pdr QF gun pit/hold fast.

We took many pictures. Here are just a few .







Most but not all of our pictures replicate one's form above, I'v added a link to my flickR site if you would like to see more. Thanks too shadydarkside for starting this thread.

Cheers Newage & Fluffy

http://www.flickr.com/photos/newage2/sets/72157621796222895/