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6Y99 to Folkestone Harbour...

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Hydro

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...ran yesterday!

Photo on WNXX. I thought it was a TRUST anomaly at first, but the photo and an enquiry to a signalman friend confirmed it. GLV + 73 ran as a "parliamentary" service to avoid formal DfT closure procedures.
 
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yorksrob

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...ran yesterday!

Photo on WNXX. I thought it was a TRUST anomaly at first, but the photo and an inquiry to a signalman friend confirmed it. GLV + 73 ran as a "parliamentary" service to avoid formal DfT closure procedures.



wow, nice to know something can still get down there !
 

Hydro

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More 73's down that way on Wednesday, but no Harbour :(
 

Eire Sprinter

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Does this parliamentary working to Folkestone Harbour have implications for the future of the line/ lack of future for the line?

I see that a group, The Remembrance Line, are trying to restore services to the line and have submitted a business plan to Network Rail (obtained this info from their website).
 

Hydro

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Explanation was that it merely avoids paying over a million pounds to formally close the line. One train a year or thereabouts avoids it by proving the line is workable, albeit under special provisions. It doesn't mean that the line is being kept open for any specific reason. The line is mothballed out of use, rather than actually closed.

I can't really see what regular services could viably work that line. Folkestone's not the bustling cross-channel harbour it once was. Even the VSOE stopped using it and the Harbour station.
 

pitdiver

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Explanation was that it merely avoids paying over a million pounds to formally close the line. One train a year or thereabouts avoids it by proving the line is workable, albeit under special provisions. It doesn't mean that the line is being kept open for any specific reason. The line is mothballed out of use, rather than actually closed.

I can't really see what regular services could viably work that line. Folkestone's not the bustling cross-channel harbour it once was. Even the VSOE stopped using it and the Harbour station.

I was in Folkstone late last year and noticed it wasn't as busy as it used to be. Shame it always made an interesting trip to Folkstone Harbour stn. BTW where does the VSOE go now.
 

a1a.a1a

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BTW where does the VSOE go now.

The VSOE had to stop using the Harbour (guess it was starting to cost to keep it available) they now drop off / pick up at Folkstone West.
Not totally sure but if needed out of the way i think it resides in the Folkstone East (Top of the harbour) sidings... can anyone confirm?
 

yorksrob

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I wonder if the VSOE actually chose to abandon the line. If they have to run a train down there to avoid a costly closure excercise perhaps it wouldn't be too much more to keep it in a good enough state to take their one train a week (or whatever it is). Get some second hand track and remove all the signalling (making it a effectively a long siding)

Perhaps with a bit of lottery funding to tidy up the station.

It might improve the harbour area's prospects now that the redevelopment is "on hold" :idea:
 

Chris125

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Network Rail built the neccesary facilities for them at Folkestone West, so i cant see them wanting to go back to the Harbour.

Chris
 

yorksrob

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I suppose that is a shame, but then again, the coach journey between there and the harbour must be a logistical pain. I'm sure the buidings at Folkestone West could be put to use for something.
 

pitdiver

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Network Rail built the neccesary facilities for them at Folkestone West, so i cant see them wanting to go back to the Harbour.

Chris

What facilities were built for VSOE. It doesn't quite seem the same as having the train pull into a station more or less adjacent to the ship.
 

Cletus

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The VSOE passengers were being bussed back out of town to the Channel Tunnel terminal until the Harbour Station closed.

Ferries/Seacats haven’t used Folkestone Harbour since about 2000.
 

yorksrob

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I presume they then have to get le shuttle through to the other side then ?

I'd have thought some sort of a ferry crossing would have been more in keeping with the period theme. (I remember seeing the Orient Express lounge roped off on the ferry many years ago).

Perhaps it should run to Ramsgate instead !
 

bailey65

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Folkestone harbour station area is supposed to be getting redeveloped but i would imagine the cost of the dft closure procedure would be a hurdle for a developer the area needs something doing to it though it is a mess.
 

yorksrob

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It certainly does need something doing - although as I understand it, the original plan would have been to remove the viaduct altogether which would have altered the character of the area rather too much IMO.

Shame they'd already demolished the funfair/market area before the recession hit as well.
 

route:oxford

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What would the obstacles be to having the next "test" shuttle carrying enthusiasts?
 

yorksrob

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I'm not sure, but they have tours down the Dungeness branch and it's not exactly in tip-top condition.
 

Hydro

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I'm not sure, but they have tours down the Dungeness branch and it's not exactly in tip-top condition.

It's in pretty good nick, geometry wise, it's a lightly used branch so it doesn't get a pounding from heavy trains constantly. Flask trains have to be about 260 - 400t all in (load dependent), so it's not really creaking under the strain.

The harbour branch would almost certainly need geometry testing before a passenger train went down there.
 
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