In the early 2000s I was so disgusted by the state of the miniature railway that I leased it from Black Lion Leisure. A friend and I overhauled all of the rolling stock, including the badly damaged loco and coaches that were in the tunnel/shed. We asked if we could add a small shipping container near the shed to provide secure storage for the coaches not being used but the request was refused. The level of vandalism we experienced was very high, with two gangs almost daily bent on destroying what we had built up - so I am afraid we took the easy way out and handed the railway back to the Council. It was a shame but in the end revenue was not covering expenses, let along paying a wage.
The crazy golf is brilliant! Of course the paddling pool will be like that then, because Medway Council will only get the railway clear when it is busy which is the summer. Not the blooming winter!
My parents took my brothers and Myself to the Strand when I was maybe 10 or 12 it was ok then but that was about the mid fifties, i have lived in OZ since 1970 and the same thing happens here, health and safety made a free adventure playground (for adults) pull down some of the rides, I was lucky to experience it before that happened.
As a child in the 80s, this was a brilliant place for a day out. The whirly slide, big metal roundabout, the umbrella - all of this playground equipment would give health & safety cold sweats these days, but we survived and had so much fun. It's such a shame they take it all away. The original large paddling pool was also much better. They turned it into a car park sometime in the early 90s. I haven't been there for years but for a long time its old aquatic mural was still visible on the wall.
I've been to the strand loads of times and the cafe doesn't smell the food I've had there was lush and the paddling pool didn't have any water in it so that dirty water is proboarly rain water but I think the strand is good
I can remember in the 40's,50's and 60's when the Strand was a nice place and locals were proud of its facilities. We used to be taken from school to the swimming pool. A circus, like Paulos would pitch on the large green area and I remember the excitement of the miniature railway opening. I am afraid that is all long gone and what a sorry place it has become.
The strand was a fantastic day out when I was a kid but now its just gone downhill medway council need to pull their finger out and get this place sorted
Who remembers the big green metal swings and the orange seesaws the round wheel. The huge green slide we all used to come flying off at the end. The big helter-skelter. The padding and boating pools. The nursery I remember very well. I haven't been here since I brought my nephews here a long time ago. The old swimming pool where the small slide and one diving board. Brings back memories.
Ben I've been subscribed since I came across your aerial view of Gillingham Park vid and the water leak at Chequers Centre. I'm not so interested in buses or lifts but would love to drive a train one day (particularly the javelin! or maybe a LU ("tube") train). Just wondered if you would be able to arrange to do a vid tour of the closed LU station near Covent Garden (can't remember the name of the station offhand)?
Oh, and I have no idea why they moved the original station for the minuture railway (it used to be on the right hand side at 7:30 ), moving it seemed a bit weird and pointless xD I'm not sure but I also seem to remember there being one of those old, ornate - and kinda creepy - bandstands in the spot where the new paddling pool now is. I always thought I was at the seaside whenever we went there for the day. Everywhere has gone to crap now :(
Medway council are determined to run this place into the ground to put people off going there. This is prime riverside residential land they can make shed loads of money from it. This will help towards the further development of Chatham and their master plan for the gun wharf, hight street, and best street and put a further closure on anything good in Gillingham.
Usually in Liskeard, the fairground is held in the cattle market. I wonder why they don't hold it in Rapson Park or Castle Park. Probably not in Rapson Park because the car park has speed bumps and has a skate park. Castle Park is far bigger than the cattle market, but there are two playgrounds, one with all sorts of grown-up weird stuff and one normal kids one. But I guess you can use those if you're bored. The downside is Castle Park is a bit dangerous. One story I read in the local newspaper was that a guy actually raped a 15-year old girl. But anyways, my point of view on The Strand now: Compared to what it was like back in the 90s, it is crap.
The sewage pump is in the middle of the park because that is the only place they could put it. It was hardly ever going to be put in the middle of a street with houses either side of it. The park may have people in it during the day but nobody lives there and it's all council owned land.
Also on the minicher railway... When you go pass the paths there are no warning siginals for the people to stop. Can you comment on what Happend on all of the derailments please ;)
The local chavs kept putting sticks on the track which would derail the train as it went over. This happened fairly regularly. Also the train sometimes derailed of its own accord. There are no signals or any electronics anywhere on the railway. It is very basic.
this is poop the strand is good and its always busy there in summer! its winter barely no one goes too any park in winter and oh yeah its not smelly and the cafe isnt smelly it smells nice and its lush food all of it is good and your just taking the mick
Such a shame about the miniature railway. It's shit compared to the Eastleigh lakeside railway which is very fast, reliable, scenic and in a far better working condition
i went on to google maps and i found out that the sewige pumps are long gone and the park looks fine and i feel bad for you when you enjoyed your self ewhen you were yong when you had a high climbing frame with a big slide
