The Remembrance Line Association (RLA) was established about 18 months ago to retain, preserve and operate the unique Folkestone Harbour Branch Railway.   It believes that the rich local and military heritage associated with the harbour station, the iconic harbour viaduct and swing-bridge represent something that is intrinsically Folkestone. RLA has actively engaged in enlisting support for their project and boasts a membership of some 450.

They intend to use the line to give a mammoth boost to the reinvigoration of tourism in Folkestone, stimulating footfall in the town centre and harbour areas, encouraging new businesses and of course local employment.   Whilst achieving its aims RLA will be more than willing to work with other local heritage groups with whom they share many aspirations. They believe that because of the many internationally important events that took place in Folkestone, it could attract visits from battlefield tours because of its special affinity with WW1 events such as the concept of a Tomb of the Unknown Warrior, setting up of the Secret Service Bureau, the arrest of spy Mata Hari when trying to board a ship in 1915 and the military canteen on the harbour arm used by many of the 7million troops passing through the harbour.

RLA is aware of a desire to introduce a fast ferry service from the town’s statutory harbour to Boulogne which would entice more of the increasing number of tourists from the Continent to visit and spend short breaks in the town.  Accordingly, RLA has been encouraging this ambition and would, ultimately, wish to co-operate by providing or promoting an appropriate rail service. RLA believes that the re-establishment of Folkestone as a port would do much for local commerce, prestige and self esteem.

Although the railway is currently protected within Shepway Council’s Local Plan RLA would wish to find a way to integrate its ambitions with other local proposals if it can. The association does not totally oppose such local development plans but recommends that careful consideration be given to the wider benefits that both railway and harbour can give Folkestone not least by providing routes through which both materials and waste can pass to avoid disruption, noise and pollution from heavy lorries during future construction work. Asked about what the RLA proposals would bring to the town, Association chairman David Darlow said that

“…we have examined a number of options for running the normal types of railway service and also the ground breaking ‘Parry People Mover’, an ingenious cross between a tram and a train.   The vision for this “Shepway Metro” would be based on using the present railway, alongside our heritage operation, as the core of a service linking Wear Bay Road (for Folkestone Warren) to the Harbour (for Creative Quarter) and refurbished Leas Cliff Lifts (for the Town Centre and Coastal Park).   This would need a lot more work with Shepway Council and the developers of the Seafront area before such a service could be finally costed.”

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The Remembrance Line is an association of about 450 people who are campaigning to retain the Folkestone Harbour Branch and its neighbouring heritage: website http://www.theremembranceline.org.uk
Chairman Mr David Darlow tel: 07969787510

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High Speed Theatre

My wife and I were fortunate enough to receive Christmas gifts from family and friends in the form of Theatre tickets and have spent a couple of pleasant evenings in London’s theatre land.  Prior to the advent of the High Speed service an evening at a London show  using the train meant a fairly early start and arriving home well after midnight. How much more enjoyable the journey is now !

A recent trip was to the Palace theatre in Shaftesbury Avenue.  We took a late afternoon train which gave ample time for a pleasant pre Theatre dinner.  The show finished at 22.10 and we were able to catch the 22.42 arriving home well before midnight. The Underground connections at St Pancras are excellent (Piccadilly, Northern, Victoria, Hammersmith and City).

Travellers trip – upon arrival at St Pancras go down the escalators immediately after the platform exit barrier, continue down a second escalator to quickly access the newly sign marked access to the Underground.  This avoids a lengthy walk through the main station concourse running the gauntlet of the many modern shops and eateries (of course my wife prefers this route!).

Although there is a High Speed premium to pay the off peak travel card is reasonably good value and the journey times make for a very relaxed evening out (I do confess that my senior rail card makes it even more attractive).

We look forward to many more such pleasant evenings so hopefully family and friends will take note of this…………..

David and Kim Godfrey

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On the issue of the Leas Water Lift - It’s been quite a while now but it appears to have gone quite, so is this another good cause that has been lost because of people putting their own agenda first?

Might it now be best to allow some other group to remove the fittings for re-use else where if this town is never going to get its act together?

There is a common thread with anything to do with heritage with this town, ie. we don’t want it and the big players [names removed] don’t seem to understand what this town has got, and lost, and could stand to lose forever.

There is a large retired, or not working population that could be put to use with a community project such as the lifts and the harbour station - if only people could see the benefit for the population as a whole. The Remembrance Line has just lost its second chairman and members of the committee also and seem unable to concentrate on what they should be doing.

Related article about the Leas Lift: Engineering heritage: down and up

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Recently the Sellindge based Kent Coast Locomotive Group (KCLG) has struck a deal with the National Coal Mining Museum at Wakefield for the long term loan of ‘Antwerp’, an 0-6-0 saddletank 18″ Austerity type locomotive built by the Hunslet Engine Co of Leeds and completed in August 1944 as part of the war effort. This loco has been standing at the North Yorkshire Moors Railway (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 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.

Works no.3180 ‘Antwerp’ was so named after being stationed in Belgium at Antwerp Dam from 1945 during WW2. With other class members vital recovery work was carried out, as during the war Belgian Railways were virtually rendered inoperative by enemy action. ‘Antwerp’ returned to Britain in 1947 and in 1948 was sold to the then recently formed National Coal Board and put to work in the Yorkshire coal fields. During the 1970’s it was put aside as a spare loco at Wheldale Coliery before entering preservation, placed on loan to the developing North Yorkshire Moors Railway in May 1980. After 5 years of hard work ‘Antwerp’ was laid up pending a major overall, which because of changing operating requirements on the NYMR has never happened.

Happily KCLG will be taking delivery of this historically appropriate locomotive at Sellindge, near Folkestone during February 2010. After an exhaustive survey an estimated date of return to traffic will be published.

R.Moffatt Dec 2009

Extract taken from: http://www.theremembranceline.org.uk/

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