2012 Transport Update for Kent

The Remembrance Line has completed the first stage of its proposals for re-opening the Folkestone Harbour branch with the completion of its initial business plan.

The branch forms part of the key Folkestone Harbour development site and the group has been developing its plans to interface with the wider development proposals.

The Folkestone Harbour branch is currently out-of-use and the group’s business plan shows how it might be re-opened to a variety of rail based traffic. Proposals also exist to re-instate a fast ferry to Boulogne and the Remembrance Line is clear that its proposals would support the new service.

Consultants researching the viability of a ferry service placed their berthing request with Folkestone Harbour Company last month. The Remembrance Line has now shared its business plan with Network Rail who are responsible for the railway and the harbour station.

Both projects have involved experts in rail and maritime services at a senior level. Projected passenger numbers have been developed using data from both the UK and France.

With the town’s rich history and heritage the Remembrance Line believes that the Harbour Station and its historical connections adds one more reason to visit Folkestone. The station is also ideally placed to provide good opportunities for walking and cycling in the local area.

The group believes that there is an opportunity to be part of reconnecting Folkestone with Boulogne which will expand the number of visitors to both destinations. They see transport integration as key to a sustainable tourist offer.

The Seafront development envisages water sports facilities to add to the increasing number of art, music and literary events currently held and the branch railway can deliver visitors to the centre of those events. The Remembrance Line plans to operate services in conjunction with the ferry operator via connecting boat trains. They also believe there is a market for co-operating with the Creative Foundation for providing event trains ranging from 650 seat standard class high capacity to 200 seat Pullman trains with silver service dining.

By invitation of Richard Moffatt, a Trustee of the Sellindge Locomotive Preservation Group, I visited newly leased site just outside Sellindge where old steam engines and locomotives go when they have finished service - if they are lucky.

Richard and some of his colleagues walked me round the site where I could see many engines of all types awaiting expert attention by the skilled men who have a love of engines, and have mostly been involved with trains, for most of their adult life.

Several groups from across Kent and London use this site and have their own engine project on the go there - and to complete their own projects which may take many years they share skills across all the groups. It really is a labour of love for them - because when faced with the size of the task ahead most of us would just turn around and go home.

Recently the group acquired a 99 year lease so they are now making plans to build a new workshop - currently most of the work in bad weather is done in a huge tarp covered construction or in one of the many workshops on site. Once the building is in place they would like to offer training to other, maybe younger, railway enthusiasts to share the learning and increasingly rare skills that they have.

Antwerp has been moved to New Bridge loading point on the North Yourkshire Moors Railway (NYMR) whilst documentation is signed off later this week and before transport is being arranged.

This historical locomotive has been standing at the NYMR (the line featured in the ‘Heartbeat’ TV series), out of use for about 25 years and requires major boiler and mechanical work before returning to service.

The Kent Coast Locomotive Group (KCLG) has already dealt with one locomotive of this type. All the members of this group belong to the Remembrance Line Association and have earmarked this locomotive for exclusive use on ‘The Remembrance Line’. In full working order these powerful locomotives are ideal for tackling the steep 1 in 30 incline on the Folkestone Harbour Branch.

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

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This coming Thursday 29th April a Steam charter ‘Cathedrals Express’ will visit Canterbury and will stay all afternoon. It will return to Waterloo via Folkestone around 1900 but unfortunately on this occasion won’t be stopping for water…. but it will pass through at high speed so will definitely be worth watching out for if you love Steam Trains.

The loco hauling this train is destined to be the ‘ Sir Lamiel ‘,  so this may be a first time visit for this locomotive. The ‘Sir Lamiel’ is part of the National Collection and operates throughout the UK on Steam charters and is the only survivor of the class. In the custodianship of the 5305 Locomotive Association it is normally to be found on the Great Central Railway near Loughborough, when not hauling railtours.
link to timetable here http://www.uksteam.info/tours/t10/t0429a.htm
link to operator here http://www.steamdreams.com/content/view/14/16/

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