Folkestone Harbour Branch, what does the future hold?

[Greenback]

Because it became convenient for almost nothing? Foot passenger only ferries had stopped, all the car ferries were using the eastern docks and even the western docks car ferry terminal/old hoverport is quite a long walk from Marine- though even this is irrelevant as that facility has since become disused entirely.

The liner terminal meanwhile has a single ship every couple of days. That's certainly not enough to sustain a railway station.

As for the western docks, they're a shorter walk from Priory than Marine.

There is simply no good reason to have a railway station at Marine, and there wasn't really a good reason any more when it closed. Note that it closed a few months before Eurostar started operating; blaming Eurostar for its demise is too simplistic as the passenger ferries had already died.

Indeed. My one and only visit to Dover Marine was in early 1993. Passengers for the night ferry to Ostend were transferred by bus to Dover Eastern Docks and it would obviously have been just as easy to transfer passengers from Dover Priory.

Like Folkestone Harbour, they had just become redundant. The historical reason for these facilites to exist had disappeared.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I just hope that Stranraer railway station can be given some hope for the future, with the decision there to remove the ferry terminal to Cainryan some months ago.

 

[RichmondCommu]

I just hope that Stranraer railway station can be given some hope for the future, with the decision there to remove the ferry terminal to Cainryan some months ago.

Surely the key difference between Folkestown and Stranraer is that Folkestown has another station which significantly is on the main line?

 

[RobShipway]

Surely the key difference between Folkestown and Stranraer is that Folkestown has another station which significantly is on the main line?

The other main difference though is how much is the harbour station at Stranraer actually used by passengers and how many trains go into it?

Folkstone Harbour station has seen the same fate as the Newhaven Ferry Terminal station where trains used to run into that years agao to meet up with the Ferries going over to Dieppe, however these trains had less and less patronage with more people using their cars to go onto the ferry as they travelled onward by road from Dieppe into France than by train. I think is/was talk of the rail tracks into the port of Dieppe being raised if they have not been raised all ready.

 

[SussexSpotter]

Folkstone Harbour station has seen the same fate as the Newhaven Ferry Terminal station where trains used to run into that years agao to meet up with the Ferries going over to Dieppe, however these trains had less and less patronage with more people using their cars to go onto the ferry as they travelled onward by road from Dieppe into France than by train. I think is/was talk of the rail tracks into the port of Dieppe being raised if they have not been raised all ready.

I think you will find the fate of Newhaven Marine (Newhaven Ferry Terminal Station) was for 2 reasons. Firstly the condition of the roof meant that timetabled passenger trains stopped using the station in 2006 and wasn't cost effective to repair it. Now only a taxi service runs, although I doubt anyone uses it because the Harbour station is a 3 minute walk away. Also shortly after trains stopped using the station they built a new ferry terminal further north, and closed the old one. Passengers now board/alight at Newhaven Town station for the ferry. The Marine station serves no purpose now. Have you ever heard of the ghost train which still runs though?

 

[SETCommuter]

Some good info & pics here: http://www.kentrail.org.uk/folkestone_harbour.htm

 

[30907]

think is/was talk of the rail tracks into the port of Dieppe being raised if they have not been raised all ready.

In any case, the ferry terminal at Dieppe was moved out of town some years back, on the wrong side of the river with no rail access at all

 

[craigwilson]

Have you ever heard of the ghost train which still runs though?

It's a bit less than a ghost train even, Realtimetrains would indicate that the only trains passing through are ECS moves, so notwithstanding that you couldn't get off at Marine, you couldn't even be on the train either.

 

[SussexSpotter]

Some good info & pics here: http://www.kentrail.org.uk/folkestone_harbour.htm

Thanks for the link, interesting read

 

[DarloRich]

Some recent pictures of the harbour station here ( not mine)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/matthewbaxterrailways/8375068116/in/photostream

http://www.flickr.com/photos/matthewbaxterrailways/8375067014/in/photostream

http://www.flickr.com/photos/matthewbaxterrailways/8373990675/in/photostream

 

[SussexSpotter]

Some recent pictures of the harbour station here ( not mine)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/matthewbaxterrailways/8375068116/in/photostream

http://www.flickr.com/photos/matthewbaxterrailways/8375067014/in/photostream

http://www.flickr.com/photos/matthewbaxterrailways/8373990675/in/photostream

Noticed in the second picture, there's a statue (or something like that) down the middle of the tracks, how long has that been there and is it some kind of memorial?

 

[SussexMan]

Now only a taxi service runs, although I doubt anyone uses it ....

I believe that there is no taxi service available as it is impossible to now buy a ticket to Newhaven Marine.

 

[Tiny Tim]

Folkestone has fared badly with the loss of ferry business. The harbour area is run down and needs to be made more attractive and useful to residents and tourists alike. If it were my home town I wouldn't want a derelict and useless railway station as a seafront attraction. If there were any conceivable use for the Harbour Railway I'm sure it would have appeared on this forum. Sadly, it's time to say goodbye. The Channel Tunnel isn't going to go away and the ferries aren't coming back.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Surely the key difference between Folkestown and Stranraer is that Folkestown has another station which significantly is on the main line?

Is this a Kentish spelling of Folkestone...?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Noticed in the second picture, there's a statue (or something like that) down the middle of the tracks, how long has that been there and is it some kind of memorial?

Glad to oblige. The symbolic five-headed statue on the railway track is by the German sculptor and artist, Paloma Varga Weisz and is meant to symbolise the station's history regarding its role as the embarkation point for British soldiers setting of for France in the First World War to fight on the Western Front.

 

[Clip]

I did the branch on a railtour which approached from the Dover direction once. If I remember correctly the train had to do a double reverse at Folkestone East as there is no direct link from the branch towards Dover.

That is correct. In fact the VSOE went via Faversham/Margate direction anyway then down the coast and onto the branch so no need for reversing.

Used to always watch is from bedroom window.

 

[BestWestern]

There look to be some interesting features still in place at the station; standing out from various Flikr photos are the old glass banner repeater, the platform weighing scale and the NSE-branded platform numbers, and of course the signal box. Slightly amused by the exterior light still lit on the 'box! I'm amazed the fixtures have escaped the pikeys so far, is the station not road-accessible?! Also I'm surprised that NR haven't been forced to prevent public access, as the building is clearly not in an entirely safe condition!

 

[465fan]

If I may weigh in here with my opinion...

Folkestone really is one of 'those' seaside resorts: it got run down, unemployment is high, and Central / West stations are a long way away from any trace of Tourist areas.

The best thing to do is inject lots of money into the entire area between the Main Line and the Sea. Doesn't matter how you market it (technological, tourist) - just do something.

In respect of the Harbour branch, there are options. Mention has been made to an almost Lymington style heritage line for Electrics - perhaps. Better, though, would be a through route from London post redevelopment. Whilst Central station would arguably get the bulk of traffic (High Speed in particular), a simple track layout change at Folkestone East and you can get a through service from Victoria to Folkeston Harbour via Chatham / Faversham / Dover. A circuituous route, but a through one all the same.

I guess the point about the Harbour branch is that it can have a renaissance if the entirety of the Town is fully redeveloped. Folkestone, Dover, Ramsgate and Margate need a lot of help; to turn it into Britain's version of Silicon Valley would be grand!

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Folkestone really is one of 'those' seaside resorts: it got run down, unemployment is high.

Not too bad a description to also apply to Morecambe, which once had two large terminal stations (one on the front itself).

 

[Clip]

In respect of the Harbour branch, there are options. Mention has been made to an almost Lymington style heritage line for Electrics - perhaps. Better, though, would be a through route from London post redevelopment. Whilst Central station would arguably get the bulk of traffic (High Speed in particular), a simple track layout change at Folkestone East and you can get a through service from Victoria to Folkeston Harbour via Chatham / Faversham / Dover. A circuituous route, but a through one all the same.

!

Does it need a track layout change though? Whats wrong with the current layout and going via Canterbury East or even round the coast via Ramsgate? Would take ages via Ramsgate, true but surely not going up through Canterbury East is easier?

 

[Anon Mouse]

I believe that there is no taxi service available as it is impossible to now buy a ticket to Newhaven Marine.

So does that mean that its officially closed? Can't remember hearing abnything about the station actually having the closure procedings being made. By withdrawing the very minamal service has the law been broken if they have just withdrew the taxi because of lack of patronage?

As a side I got the night sailing from Dieppe to Newhaven years ago. The walk to the ferry terminal in Dieppe was further than I thought and when I got to the terminal I was the only foot passenger travelling, I was put in a van and driven onto the ferries car deck! On arrival I was ushered off via the car deck and sent into the terminal building. Not a soul was there, my passport was not checked and I found myself on the platform at Marine station, short walk to Harbour station and freezed my nuts off waiting ages for a train!

 

[Clip]

Also interesting to note that it is now ran by the UK Border agency too

 

[MarkyT]

The only way the former harbour branch alignment could be of any possible future rail use is as part of a realignment of the through mainline corridor via a new tunnel route, giving access to a more central station site as shown here:

http://www.townend.me/files/folkestone.pdf

The new Marine Parade station would be a significant catalyst for the harbour development and would link to the existing commercial centre and bus station via a new fully automated modern free cliff lift descending from the war memorial roundabout to the station forecourt. The lift would also help tie the harbour developments better to the town centre.

The new tunnel would be steeply graded but no more so than the reused harbour branch itself and not a significant barrier to modern EMU traction.

The existing high level viaduct route could be retained as a rail bypass or perhaps more beneficially adapted for other transport or recreational use.

 

[yorksrob]

The only way the former harbour branch alignment could be of any possible rail use is as part of a realignment of the through mainline via a new tunnel alignment, giving access to a more central station site as shown here:

http://www.townend.me/files/folkestone.pdf

This new Marine Parade station would be a significant catalyst for the harbour development and would link to the existing commercial centre and bus station via a new fully automated modern free cliff lift descending from the war memorial roundabout to the station forecourt. The lift would also help tie the harbour developments better to the town centre.

Shades of the old Sandgate Branch me thinks (which was originally intended to extend along the coast to the Folkestone Harbour area).

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Shades of the old Sandgate Branch me thinks (which was originally intended to extend along the coast to the Folkestone Harbour area).

The Sandgate branch line was originally planned to provide a new route to the Continent with its proposed extension through to Folkestone Harbour railway station. Although the required parliamentary approval was granted in 1876, it was never built.

 

[yorksrob]

The Sandgate branch line was originally planned to provide a new route to the Continent with its proposed extension through to Folkestone Harbour railway station. Although the required parliamentary approval was granted in 1876, it was never built.

Would have involved a fair amount of tunneling along the coast.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Would have involved a fair amount of tunneling along the coast.

Agreed, but I wonder if the Parliamentary approval given in 1876 would be reflected in a similar decision in 2013.