Folkestone Harbour Branch

Hello,

Strictly not heritage, but heading that way if the remembrance line project idea goes ahead...

For a geography university assignment I am researching the history, current status and future of the Folkestone Harbour branch along with the harbour underneath and around it. I have several books on the subject and have visited the Kent Rail website which all contain a huge amount of information and photographs on the subject. I chose this subject as it is a topic which I find highly interesting and there are many differing opinions on its future.

I have two questions however,

1) Does anyone have or know of any other resources that would be useful for me in carrying out this project (future plans, current NR status etc, photographs from any point of it's history) that they would be willing to share/point me in the direction of?

2) Is the station currently accessible to the GP? I don't live that far away from Folkestone (Ashford infact) but It seems unlikely that if I just drove down there that someone would be standing on the platform informing me whether or not I am allowed to visit it?

Kindest Regards and I hope to hear from you!

Please feel free to move if in wrong area!

Ben Vincer
b.vincer@canterbury.ac.uk

 

Ben, look up the website of "The Remembrance Line", the group trying to preserve the line in the near future. A lot of the information you are seeking will be there.

http://www.theremembranceline.org.uk/

 

I went on the platform when 70013 was there with the third last ever train last year, I am not sure if it was offically open to the public but there were loads of people all around! I would guess it isnt open normally however you should be able to have a look at the station from the roads around, there is a level crossing just north of the platform as I am sure you know. I took a few photos that day, including one from inside the signal box and a network rail man taking a photo of the line token! If any are of any use to you...

http://disusedrailwayphotosbyashleysmith.fotopic.net/c1358625.html

 

Thanks guys,

I have found the Rememberance Line website before, and it certainly has a lot of the information that I am looking for.

Ashley, would you have a problem with me using some of the photos as references in my assignment? I will of course fully credit yourself and the source?

Ben

 

No problem Ben, will send you a PM.

 

If you pm matin butler on here he is (or used ot be)deeeply inovlved in the rememberance line and also lives in Folkestone so he may well be able to tell you if there is access to the line.

If you search my fotopic site there are several galleries of pics of theline showing the structures from top to bottom.

 

I am still involved with the project, but i am just an ordinary member, the first point of contact has to be a committee member

Whilst i am a senior member and do have access to most things, i can not speak on behalf of the organisation in an official capacity

there is nothing much to report at the moment, talks are still ongoing between the RLA , Network Rail and the harbour company and others ,i believe that the structures on the line are currently being investigated on behalf of english heritige because some dates etc they were given by a previous report were not correct and are infact older, or more significant and there is a case to be made for listing requests to be looked at again , as the structures are not planned to be removed now, it should not, in my view effect the talks which i understand have been friendly between our representative and the spokesperson from FHC so hopefully a solution that is acceptible to everyone is a possibility for instance the owner likes the idea of the tram , but would prefer it not to enter the station site, but this is not included in the plan, being left as an "green walk way" so there is scope for hope.
the viaduct is safe and the planned walkway, can be either put along side the viaduct or by removing one track space can be made, the pier section and important first world war stuff should be safe in its own right, i cant see any developer risking the outcry by removing this and there is no clear picture of what the intended plan is for the station site, they cant build on it, because of network rails lease

 

Hi Martin,

Does the swing bridge still get used?

 

only for when a train roles over it , the piveting parts were filled with concrete either during the war, or soon afterwards so that cant be opened not without some very major expense and removal of several tons on concrete i personally cant see it ever working again, there is no reason why it would need to be restored to working condition

 

Hi guys,

Just a quick update. Visted Folkestone today, and managed to get on the station site without a problem - it's open for access to the port for fishermen.

Its in a very sad state, would be nice to see someone get in there and give it a nice clean up.

Cheers,

Ben

 

glad to have been of help , actually the station even though it looks bad the wooden structures are not to bad, they need a clean right back and re paint network rails habbitt of applying new coats of paint ontop of old has preserved much of the cladding, the metalwork though will need a lot of work where it gets expossed to the sea air, its very poor, but the canopy stantions are very good , the concrete steps though do look like they will need either replacing or supporting as the uprights are in a very bad way, but at least the bulk of the station is still there for the present
If we could get access to the station and give it a clean up and a fresh coat of paint , it would transform the whole site

 

Is there any news on the Remembrance Line Project?

 

http://www.theremembranceline.org.uk/

 

Thanks but there isn't much news on there.

 

Hmmmm.... Maybe the gas producing R1 tank fleet that is presently being painted BR lined black will not be pulling the all Pullman Santa Specials up the hill this year after all?

 

or maybe you could provide the necessary hot air, as far as i know things are still being finalised with network rail there is a real chance that something good is about to happen , ferry and on the rail front, recent discussions with all concerned are looking very hopefull , even the harbour company are coming round it would seem

 

Oh I see, the website said that as well. How is the R1 fleet progressing? Must be coming up to having the BR black lined out now.

 

I dont know where Maunsell man gets his info from,but as far as i know there are not any R1 tanks being built and if there was, they wouldnt be used on the branch, there are no plans to use steam until facilities have been built for steam.

Any steam would be run on an special basis and would i guess be hired in , given that quite a few key members of RLA also happen to be operating staff on KESR i would not bet against some of the J94,s or larger engines such as 4253, once restored occationally being hired out to the harbour branch, or even antwerp moving to rolvendon for attension i would expect a very close relationship between the operating company of the RLA and of the KESR, will also happen in time

 

When the Remembrance Line was first discussed on here a year or two ago and the fantastic website was created etc the proposal by the chief protagonist was for a FLEET of gas producing R1's to be built for use on the line. Plans had been gathered, costings created and nameplates, smokebox doors and cab sides were imminent. I also seem to rememeber that the same person confidently announced on here that a stock shed would be constructed utilising redundant signal gantries that would have cladding added to their sides and top.....

Its all in the archives somewhere as are all the insults and furious defence of the project. Much proposal, much website building but as is usual with many schemes of the week little else and certainly no R1 tanks.

Seems I have a better memory than some on here...

As for KESR working closely with the Remembrance Line, I can just see that happening even if there is a crossover of staff (not). Loaning your locos to another line that is a closely located competitor for visitors and staff that has a ruling gradient of 1 in something daft so they are thrashed up the hill then stopped immediately, allowed to cool down, rolled back down the hill then thrashed up to the top again and so forth all day. Good plan for a boiler rebuild every five years me thinks and plus a staff shortage.

I live in Kent and this scheme burst onto the scene with a blaze of glory. Not heard anything since. Not expecting to either. KESR, Spa Valley, RHDR & Bluebell all close by. Go and play with their trains.

 

Actualy i do, im a paid staff for the KESR

So what do our engines do on the KESR, They climb a very steep bank then sit there, and then until Whittersham rd bank its not much of a climb, yet our engines dont need boilers out every 5 years? can i ask have you ever fired, or worked at any railway,

Yes i support the rememberance line because it can , in my view work , yes things were put into print that again in my view should have not because they were either long term ideals or just not really suitable, the plan to build new engines is a long term idea by one of the members but its not whats important right now the organisation has moved on, and have learnt from the past what i meant by working together is from an expertise view point, for instance the track will need a lot of attension, and we will be able to get help from out PW dept with it, if we needed to what harms engines far more is crews who dont know the engines but if the people crewing an on loan engine from the KESR were the same as who had knowledge from having crewing it on KESR duties they would know how to handle it , i deal with C&W mechanical exams so i would be able to help out there, its nothing new, we have members at KESR who work at Spa valley and bluebell but it doesnt effect their standing with us at Rolvendon or Tenterden