Folkestone Harbour Branch

^^^ Yup - make that 40 years or more even! Most of us don't decry new schemes on principle, but rather from the basis of quite a lot of hard won experience. I've been part of several, financially or practically or both, and not all have been winners (though most have ).

 

Reading Rail Magazine a few months back. There was a small article saying Network Rail are considering retaining the line.

 

well i can agree with you on that one, look at a lot of the top sites today, and then look back , they all started with nothing no track, or a very run down railway most of the armchair warriors of today would have a field day , incidently do you know that the viaduct and swing bridge have now been given grade2 listing

 

Yes, and most of us were teenagers or even younger! No bar on 12 year olds getting involved then.

 

Not so sure about that martin - most of the top players in the early days had track in situ and a good supply of ready to run ex-BR and industrial loco's.

 

Llangollen, Gloucestershire Warwickshire - not a length of rail between them - Just lots of ambition & hard work !

Bob.

 

I was in Folkestone for the New Year, and spent an hour or so wandering round the harbour & the open bits of the station area. All very interesting, & I'm sorry I missed the spectacle of steam fighting against the gradient...to stand by the signal box & look up the slope was impressive; iirc it's slightly steeper than the Lickey - wow!

 

It's true all those lines started from nothing, but at least locomotives, rolling stock track and signalling materils were in plentiful supply and relatively cheap. They aren't now and that will make the challenge of a new scheme that much greater.

It can still be done, as is being shown at places like Shillingstone and Midsomer Norton but these are relatively small and low key schemes that ca be developed gradually. The Folkestone Harbour branch seems to me to be one that would need a great deal of capital at the outset.

 

All very true however with the numerous Network Rail re-signalling schemes either currently underway or planned for, signalling equipment inclucing boxes that would otherwise be deemed as life expired could become available for such schemes.

 

When you look back, when this scheme was first drempt up, the inner harbour ,viaduct everything was going to be bull dozed, at least now the viaduct and swing bridge and formation from the end of the viaduct are safe, even if the line is lost, at least its still going to be there for future generations to rebuild when folkestone comes to its sences and stops this develop for the sake of it stance, Mr Dehaan who owns the harbour and former rotunda site has not got a bottomless pit, hes mortal just like any one else, and one day folkestone will have to stand on its own feet, so im happy that one day even if the present group dont do it, someone else in the future will rebuild the station relay the metals and bring back some life to the area, now, anyone interested in building some oil fired leader new builds , and yes this last bit is tongue in cheak before anyone gets their red mist glasses on

 

As I said I was referring to the 'early days', not these 'johnny come latelies'. Yes hats off the LR and GWR - both tremendous projects against the odds.

 

Embsay were around in the early days, and certainly deserve some praise for tenacity! Also add Peak Rail, who started from nowt twice, and how much track did the GCR inherit?

 

Maunsell Man, you seem to think that my responses to you are about "points". My vocabulary is full of 'obscure' words, learned over 60 years. You seem to think that I looked 'fervid' up especially for you. I can't help it if your pedantry is impacted by limited vocabulary but I'll use easier words in future. Just for you!

As far as 'our siding' goes - it's not ours, nor is it a siding. A siding is a short railway track connected to a main track,[so far so good!] where carriages are kept when they are not being used. [Hardly our intention.] After all 'our siding' has sidings! If it was good enough for the 'Golden Arrow' it's good enough for us!

I don't know why you have such a down on Folkestone but you seem determined to undermine what we're trying to do. Nobody minds constructive criticism and I'll leave those forum members who read the posts on this thread to make their own minds up as to whether your criticisms are constructive. In the mean time we'll just carry on with the project.

 

IM NOT GETTING INVOLVED

but today saw an engine / van movement on the "siding" an NR 73 and gvl worked an special train down as far as the swing bridge, i believe this is to ensure that the line remains usable and is something that has to be done every year

 

It was a rail polisher, to help maintain the track in useable condition.

 

Actually i think its a requirement that NR has to run something down the branch once a year ,otherwise it legally becomes closed , and network rail lose their right of way can someone who knows the legals explain ?

 

Hi Martin,

I said in an earlier post that NR are no longer going to closed the branch line according to Rail Magazine Is this correct and what will happen to the idea of reopening the branch for heritage traction is this idea now dead in the water

Thanks