I guess people will have forgotten that they signed this petition about the Greenwich Archive We've been keeping it open because hopefully we will have some news for you eventually and this is the one way where we can communicate

and I will try and put more stuff on here because it may be of interest do you

In the meantime here's a note about our next meeting - that's Greenwich Industrial History Society

GIHS September talk

 The history of the North Kent line

In the first Greenwich Industrial History Society talk after our summer break, Richard Allen will be recounting the history of the North Kent line and the other associated railways,such as the London and Greenwich Railway, plus the Thames and Medway Canal.

The talk will be online only, via Zoom, on Tuesday 9 September, starting at 19:15 for 19:30. For booking details, scroll to the end of this post.

Richard, a chartered electrical engineer who has worked in the rail industry for 22 years, says that it is difficult to imagine now,not only how industrialised the area once was– but that almost all the industries were major users of the railway. The area rivalled places such as Tyneside and south Wales in the number of rail-served industries that once existed. Only Angerstein Wharf remains as a reminder of that era.

Richard will cover the history of the line chronologically, and will also cover the many industrial railways associated with it, such as Angerstein Wharf, the Woolwich Arsenal and the various cement works between Dartford and Gravesend, and he will take the audience on a virtual tour of the line from London to Strood.

The picture– from the Ian Cuthbertson collection –is of Blackheath’s A signalbox, taken on 12 March 1970, four days before it was decommissioned.The replacement colour light signal can be seen,as well as the disused carriage sidings on the right, now built over.

Richard is from Blackheath– and his first train journeys were on the North Kent line. After working in places as diverse as Tyneside and Bahrain,he now lives in Hertfordshire.

 How to reserve your place at this free talk:

You can book a place now by emailing greenwichindustrial@gmail.com with the subject line “GIHS railway talk” and we will send you Zoom log-in details just before the talk starts.

We gather electronically at 19:15 UK time (not earlier) on Tuesday 9 September, and Richard will start speaking at 19:30. You’ll be able to ask questions via the chat function.

Please book your place by 19:00 on the day of the talk.