ABANDONED Folkestone Harbour Branch Line, or is it?

I take a look at the now pedestrianised railway viaduct on the Folkestone Harbour branch line plus a sneaky look at the abandoned track further up. The Folkestone Harbour line was officially closed in 2014 but hasn’t seen any train action since 2009 except for the occasional test train up to 2014. The Folkestone Harbour Company has undertaken a lot of restoration work on the viaduct and swing bridge which is now partially open to the public as a pedestrian route to the harbour. The old tracks are still in place. The renovated station is due to be opened later on in 2018. It's nice to see something positive come from a closed railway line.
#Folkestone
#AbandonedRailway
#Harbour

[@skyboswell]

I'd like to say how much I'm enjoying your videos. They're quite unique in that there's no narration, just a few facts scrolling up the screen. I really like this presentation, it gives the viewer the chance to absorb the atmosphere. Please keep posting. They are a joy, even though it's quite sad to see all these abandoned tracks and stations.

[@josephcheeseinthepie6915]

It's really cool that a bridge like this wasn't scrapped, but turned into a bridge for walkers. The fact that all of the cement was placed around the track instead of destroying the track itself is awesome. For railfans like me, I really appreciate that nothing was destroyed. However, it's unfortunate this line closed. But hey, all good things must come to an end. I really liked that video quite a lot! Regards, Joseph cheeseinthepie. 10/7/2018

[@stevehillier7018]

Very interesting brings back memories of my late Father. He was employed by British Railway as an Assistant to the Divisional Civil Engineer , Works and General Regional Offices at Beckenham. He was heavily involved in Folkestone and Dover Ports and Sea Defence work during the late 60s .

[@jontownsend6451]

I can remember visiting Folkstone Harbour branch back in May 1994 as part of the channel tunnel opening celebrations. We boarded a steam special in and back out on a very wet evening. The station looked quite run down, even back then. It would've been nice to retain it as a branch for rail tours, single track, with the other lifted to make way for a shared use foot and cycle path.

[@dennisjeffs4239]

Amazing that the old signal post phone, shunt signals, name plates etc are still there and haven't ended up on Ebay like everything else. I would've been tempted to pickup the phone to the old box and ask "for the road"!! I am well retired now but still have my old LNER pocket watch with a low number. Nice video.

[@AureliusR]

@Rafael Perzaada As in, one of the earliest ones made...

[@SuperDancingdevil]

My Grandfather and Mother would both be amazed as they were both Folkstone born and bred, My Grandfather worked on the Sealink Ferrys just after ww1 at Folkstone Harbour and helped to load passengers from the trains to the boats, He later worked on the Perminant way at Folkstone before getting to be Station Master at Ashford, My mother would often meet him at the harbour station after school or take him his lunch during school holidays, I'm very pleased that something good is being done to that part of Folkstones history thank you for sharing it with us.

[@jamestoyn9755]

I am in folkstone at the moment and I have just walked along the old folkstone harbour station line the one now used by the public. And folkstone harbour station has been done up really well.

[@AtheistOrphan]

I wonder when the swing bridge was last ‘swung’.

[@MSmifffy]

I stayed one night in that hotel. Truly aweful.

[@MitchDonovan]

A bit Fawlty was it?

[@Wally-H]

@@MitchDonovan now full of immigrants waiting to hear if they've bene granted asylum.

[@SussexHistory]

I have been on this line in a train on one occasion. It was in 1971 when we took the boat train for a sailing to Boulogne for a holiday in Interlaken. I have often wondered what had happened to this line . Now I know. Thanks for uploading. Good idea to keep the bridge and the station as a pedestrian feature. The director of the Wensleydale railway told me that with a view to preservation it is vitally important to keep the track in place even if it is all rusty because this means it is still legally a railway line.

[@gunproofgrandad4381]

Yeah, once they take the tracks up, it's curtains really.

[@MrEkg98]

Guys please advocate they keep them in place. Here in the US a lot of our rail is getting ripped up and the right of way(land) is being given to towns and cities or re purposed for walking trails. Some is just being completely torn up and gone forever. In the US is so difficult to regain the land to run new rail lines let alone a highway.

[@glengraham2319]

Yes. Im told that when they closed our local line apparently literally the next day they were tearing track up to make damn sure (in the 60s) the protests to keep it could not succeed. 😔

[@SussexHistory]

Glen Graham When the preservation society took over the Bluebell Line they very quickly found out why British Rail wanted to get rid of it - the track, the signals, the locos, the rolling stock, the stations - all of it was in a terrible state of repair! The track can only be left in situ if a preservation society has been established. If there is no preservation society legally in effect, the track has to be ripped up because BR would otherwise be responsible if anyone tries to use it. When I was at the Eccleston Valley Railway they explained this legal conundrum to me, adding that 'Really, a preservation society is a bunch of fools and a heritage railway is a trick to get you to work for nothing!'

[@Clavichordist]

I agree. I also hate those rail-to-trail things. In a town not far from me, the state had allocated an old branch for commuter service and even showed a stop on some transit maps. Then the new head of the transit agency came along and that Iron horse organization showed up rather quickly. Before we knew it, the line was sold, along with quite a few other lines, to the local towns and turned into trails. The thing is this particular line is not safe for walking due to the urban area which it passes through. On top of that the town now regrets getting involved because it's costing them $200K a year for maintenance on something that's hardly used. I know as well as you that once the tracks are gone, the line is dead because sure as shoot-in the NIMBYs will make sure the trains never run again. They would rather sit in their cars and SUVs for hours on end than to take a train quickly to their destinations.

[@arwelp]

I took boat trains to Folkestone Harbour several times in the early 80s for ferries to Boulogne. Nice to see the old BR Central Services “toilet seat” logo from the 90s again in the signal phone - I thought I’d seen the last of those when they demolished Weston House in Crewe a few years ago - there was one on a sign just after the blocked-off entrance, as it used to be a BR Computing building before it was abandoned for about 20 years.

[@triptechable]

Nice one man! I love seeing old abandoned UK rail videos. Awesome work

[@freebrickproductions]

Great video! Nice finds with the abandoned signals!

[@morthren]

Thanks!

[@BrianSeaman]

One of your films that I missed. Not sure how that happened, but nice to see it now. I've watched films on here with trains on that line - even late in the day when it was still operational. Fascinating to see it now :) Nice to hear the word 'Plessey' again - we had a large factory at Ilford in Essex where friends worked in the 60/70's. Cheers.

[@phillynch3819]

Plessey was taken over by GEC

[@followthetrawler]

Metro Vick became GEC Traction/Signals (at least in this context) - now owned by Alsthom - I worked for Traction in the 70's

[@Peasmouldia]

As a kid in the late 50s, early 60s, I would see steam workings, mostly freight but occasional passengers trains, on the Harbour branch. It was electrified in 1960-ish. One thing that didn't come across in the video is how steeply graded the branch is, requiring double heading for heavier trains. Nice vid. Thank you sir.

[@hythesailor]

Fantastic video! I think that it is great to have these things documented. Very pleased to see that they have made something of the old viaduct and station rather than just let it rot or simply demolish it.

[@wordreet]

Hey, great fun! I grew up in Folkestone. My mum still lives on Hastings at the grand age of 90. We could pop over there for a day out just to reminisce. If my memory serves, Mr Burstin was refused planning permission for a motel by the harbour. So he said, "If I just build a hotel and put my name on it, that'll be ok then? The council agreed. He then proceeded to change his name to Motel Burstin! X¬D

[@Sterlingjob]

Think how many soldiers during the First World War disembarked from the harbour!

[@emmacauser8408]

Ye ik

[@captainboing]

I was lucky enough to use this line and the harbour station as kid on a school trip. We were banked out of the branch - top 'n' tail class 47s

[@angelsone-five7912]

Nice, hope they don`t tear it up. Spent quite a few holidays here in the 60s and walked under the viaduct many times. Always stopped to watch the trains coming and going, magic. Thanks for sharing with us.

[@bulwinkle]

The phone on signal EBB21 was connected to the closed signal box at Folkestone Harbour. No danger of a reply there.

[@AureliusR]

@Rafael Perzaada A signal *box*, not a signal

[@Chris-bc1op]

Fantastic video , really enjoyed it , thank you.

[@dd.greenefilms2598]

Interesting video thanks for sharing your experience with us.

[@officialmcdeath]

6:34 TPWS - essentially overspeed protection. Good clip.

[@UKWMO]

Fantastic how everything has been retained and the path has been laid within the rails. Has probably saved a lot of money too by not having to remove the track, demolish the bridge and station, etc.

[@stuartthegrant]

Most interesting, I remember the tank engines barking up and down, 3 or 4 to a train in the 1960s. I preferred it then myself.

[@dreadnaught3894]

Memories - our annual vacations 1971-3 - down this short stretch to the Boat and then SNCF overnight to St.Raphael and the Village de Vacances at St.Aygulf. Great value . . .Great Times!

[@andrewholloway231]

A great video. I really enjoyed this. Thank you.

[@T16MGJ]

Love to see this sort of stuff. Very interesting. Thank you for posting.

[@UzMadBro]

Cool, there is something about walking on an old railway line. I live in South-East Wales and there are loads of closed railways, and to walk on them you can imagine what it was like back in those days, the trains rushing through the countryside, countryside that you simply do not get in the South-East of England, certainly not in Folkestone and Kent, flat as a pancake.

[@SimonRML2456]

Great footage well done, it is strange to think that most of us would have used that line when travelling on slam door trains tyo get the ferry to Oostend....very sad to see it all gone, would be nice to maybe open up the disused part of the track to bring people to the front .....

[@mickboakes7023]

If you could only turn the clock back. Must have been a tidy spectacle with the tank engines pushing and shoving the heavy boat train up to the main line to be collected by a Bullied Pacific. With the check rail on the inside of the curve shows that it must have been a pretty tight radius adding to the struggle. Thanks for sharing. All the best Mick🇬🇧

[@Peasmouldia]

My dad would take us down to that crossing when we were on holiday in the 1950s. I was about 7yrs old. The double headed train would be positively volcanic by the time it got into that curve.

[@davidstewart58]

With the line being available and unused surely there is a potential to develop this into a Heritage Line to attract visitors and regenerate the area. Making the Bridge a pedestrian area without lifting the rails is forward thinking in the event that in the future it is required for Ferry services.

[@margin606]

Brilliant - many thanks!

[@theunderrated86]

Great video. I didn't notice the gradient on the rails though, I couldn't really tell.

[@nicnak4475]

Excellent and well done ! thanks for posting :o)

[@ZephodBeeblebrox]

The scrap value of steel must be virtually nil for all those rails to have been left unpulled.

[@wendymcfadyen-allerby6142]

enjoyed so fascinating the walks to see what you find

[@thattrainguy]

Very good, nice to see an old bit of railway infrastructure reused, I like the paths being the 4 foot of the tracks (especially on the points) great video, subbed

[@alcopower5710]

Love that dwarf signal 👍

[@richardkeeler6422]

Cheers for vid never knew viaduct was open to public

[@buseswithsam3280]

Cool video! We were going to go to Folkstone last week but went to Herne bay instead.

[@cathkinghost12]

Superb! Really wish you'd picked up that telephone though. 😁

[@MMBaus]

Nice video! 👍 very interesting, I love vids like this about old/abandoned places. Keep up the great work.

[@morthren]

Thanks!

[@ggarnet6440]

I agree. Nice work. The subtitles are good too! 👍

[@malcolmcrawford1104]

Matt Moyes :mmm

[@outokotikissa1253]

Interesting. Hopefully they do up the overgrown bit after they finish the station. Seemed like a nice way to keep a bit more of the history and make a nice connection between the harbour and the residental area.

[@freebeerfordworkers]

I went to Folkestone in 1980 when it was still just about hanging on as a resort then I went back about five years ago and I was shocked to see the decline. Without being specific some of the formerly grand hotels in the best location were shabby but it's pretty much the same in every British resort from Blackpool round through Torbay and up to Great Yarmouth.

[@seamanjive]

Great stuff, more more !!

[@johnpiper3416]

It would be fun to use the phone on the signal and claim to be held at a red light. My luck the aspect would change to green.

[@trainmaster1919]

john piper great joke 😜

[@vivianbrown385]

Thank you,really interesting-going to have a look for myself today

[@1258-Eckhart]

I kept on seeing the ghost of a 4-REP, its EE motors growling past, there was one standing in the Harbour Station too, EP brakes compressor hammering the undercarriage, people slamming the doors as they alighted onto the platform.

[@RODALCO2007]

Great video. Surprising that the vandals haven smahed up the phone and signal lamps lenzes. Nice bit of history there.

[@morthren]

RODALCO2007 Thanks. I'm quite surprised nothing is smashed yet either! It probably won't be long though.

[@sharindavanderheijden7619]

RODALCO2007 oo99(9i78908hl34 40 FCCc46

[@TheCentralTexasRailfan]

Awesome! There is something similar in New York City called the high line. Look it up!

[@morthren]

Thanks. It does! I will definitely have to visit the high line if I'm ever in New York.

[@eoinpkav152]

She’s abandoned?

[@eoinpkav152]

Wrong highline

[@PrograError]

there's also plans for the former KTM line down from woodlands checkpoint to the Tanjong Pagar Railway station to be turned to something similar to high line, but as per the agreement with the Malaysian government over the line down to TPRS almost all rails except those in the immediate area of the stations (TPRS and Bt Timah RS) were removed and trancated just after the plaforms of the woodlands train checkpoint / Woodlands checkpoint. though currently, they are converting the platforms downward TPRS for construction works for the Circle Line stage 6 (Local Metro) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanjong_Pagar_railway_station en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bukit_Timah_railway_station thelongnwindingroad.wordpress.com/tag/former-ktm-railway-land/

[@Moff34028]

Remembrance Line Association has plans in this direction -but with an operational light rail operation. theremembrancelineassociation.org.uk

[@RUOKH]

Thanks for the update on the old Harbour branch. I wonder if the idea of a shuttle-tram from the Harbour to the Central station will ever materialise. Excellent film; thanks again.

[@CattoRayTube]

The landscaping on the pedestrian section is surprisingly nice!

[@MichaeljRanger]

I really like your style of filming. Plain/simple, like it.

[@morthren]

Thanks

[@waldenhouse]

Quite sad in many respects. Would’ve been good to have one of those motorised carts to go exploring! Thanks for sharing.

[@jfreelan1964]

How many miles all together, that was closed?

[@malcolmcrawford1104]

jfreelan1964 (cross rail latest update

[@7APT7]

Nice to see that they leaving it as it once was and turn it into a pedestrian zone rather than see it knocked down and some modern buildings erected that would never be put to good use see them never rented out due to high lease costs. They should make all old Railway infrastructure into walkways / cycle path’s reopening tunnels as walkways and cycling to, than see them remain unused. Great Video, 👍Thumbs Up 👍

[@halnywiatr]

Oh my! How many times I took the Folkestone - Ostend ferry in the 1970's and 80's.

[@thebrummierailenthusiasts5329]

fantastic video mate especially seeing the remains of Folkestone harbour station

[@morthren]

Thanks!

[@thebrummierailenthusiasts5329]

you're welcome mate in march 2009 Oliver Cromwell held the railtour out of this station on the last few days before the line closed not long before the test train went there in 2014 before the line was gone for good

[@AndersonYan777]

do you know if they have any plans for the abandoned part of the rail?

[@colin5296]

Well one , just the sort of thing I like looking at , a bonus because it's so far away from me .Nice to see the rails in place.

[@SMILEVIDEOTRAINS]

Excellent video. How rare is that. Well done for doing it

[@thebrummierailenthusiasts5329]

The last time the train ever came here were the railtour behind 70013 in March 2009 and the weed killing train used that line until the line was closed for good in 2014 Keith

[@thebrummierailenthusiasts5329]

Everything is still here the track the viaduct and of course the preserve platform at Folkestone harbour and of course the preserve signal box

[@djburland]

Very interesting. Do they have any plans for the unused track?

[@badger2ukmada831]

Times changed a bit, still a lot to do,but with a little help will be a very nice place for tourists and for great and nice times👍👍👍

[@freightrambler7199]

Once again a most enjoyable video

[@morthren]

Thanks!

[@kentrailobserver37]

Was u allowed on the old section

[@PaulPavlinovich]

Good to see it still gets the occasional feed :)

[@Safetywatto]

Great video, thx

[@massivley]

Love watching your videos

[@morthren]

Thanks

[@classicalmick]

Reminds me of the 'High Line' in New York.

[@PhilEadie65]

Mick Odell That was my first thought too. High Line with a uniquely British flavour.

[@Shrimpmann]

Great video

[@glenjarnold]

Bloody hell, it's 11am and I really fancy some chippy chips with lashings of salt 'n vinegar right now. Except we're in bloody COVID-19 lockdown!

[@xboxcrazee]

Nice work...

[@rogerwilco2]

This can't be the UK, the sun is shining.

[@routemaster3877]

That's pretty cool next time I'm in the aria ill check it out Subbed

[@tomthornton6259]

On the way back from Dover I visited the area on a winter Sunday evening in 2015. While the town itself seemed nice, the whole harbour area seemed sad, with elements of 'regeneration' (the fountains and some fancy restaurant) inserted alongside the iconic yet slowly degenerating Grand Burstin, a fish'n'chippy, a pub, and the decrepit harbour station which stood as the grand entrance to grand sized car park, which almost seemed the only use for the arm. Research into the redevelopment proposals looked as depressing when considered the station would be cleared....so it's a pleasant surprise to see not only the bridge beautifully reformed into a pedestrian space, but for the station itself to become an incredible part of the future as well as the past of the area.

[@wordreet]

I agree, we visited, ironically just before the heatwave attacked, and walked the length of the harbour arm. We also had some snacks from the first thing we saw on the arm, which was a big blue bus, selling Greek style food. T'was yummy.

[@foo1898]

Reminds me of "La petite ceinture" in Paris which is also partially open as a public green area.

[@emmax396]

I remember there as a kid on the boat train from Victoria happy days

[@paulbutterworthbillericay]

Nice bit of limited clearance, reminds me of track patrols thanks

[@coydog7902]

This is epic!

[@warrenwilson4818]

Thanks a lot.

[@levelcrossingspotter-lcsra3368]

1:18 first thing to do!

[@stevenunderwood6377]

Can remember installing them loop Ariels on them lines in the late 90s

[@owenevans83]

Good footage, those signals were a good find..

[@paulbowes3981]

Great video : Good idea. Tricks being missed : Folkestone offering a train ride from the South Eastern Line, (whichever appropriate Folkestone station) , and back - car parking at both ends ? Use a People Mover perhaps? Occasional access to the Harour Station suitably supervised. Network Rail could collect lots of railway lines, surplus to requirements, without lifting the running rails ?

[@tobeytransport2802]

Why did they close the railway? I know that the Eurostar came along but what difference does that make?

[@morthren]

The ferries stopped running from Folkestone was one of the main reasons

[@nativenouse5186]

What an excellent place. IMO all old railway lines should be re-purposed like this. Maybe you know what's happening to the old Shoreditch to Broad Street track. That would be a cool multi-purpose path - bicycling right into the City.away from traffic. I'm sort of working with the Old Oak /Park Royal re-dev team about re-using disused sidings near Willesden Junc as a "greenway." They've done similar in Paris and the New York high line. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_Line

[@TONYNORTHEASTERN]

Its A shame they closed it, would have made a great tourist attraction now.....thanks for sharing Tony

[@antonydicesare4632]

Great vid,love folkestone

[@followthetrawler]

good footage btw - wonder why theyve left that section abandoned and not built a linear park like many others have on disused sections. Do you think there is a plan to be able to resurrect the line in times of national emergency?

[@johnblanckenberg4772]

Good job!

[@themodelrailwaymen3649]

It would be nice to see this turned into something special to commemorate the thousands of soldiers who made a one way trip on this line. and that would include keeping it as a working railway.

[@whyyoulidl]

Darn it - 1:23 in and now I gotta go get me some chips..!

[@tommcgrath2496]

April 13th 2019, now only 1 track in situ on the old trackbed. Presumably this is to allow vehicles to use this track for the clearing of the foliage.

[@morthren]

There was some talk of turning it into a tramway

[@nintendo7793]

C'est vraiment impressionnant de voir ça !

[@89.8kiwifm9]

It is good to see they haven't ripped up all of the rails as is so often done when lines are closed (although I see they've done that in the station area - shame) but instead of closing it why don't they leave it open and run tourist services on it?

[@johnquack1140]

it is sad to see old rail lines... The line in this video could be a walking line or cyclist line... Thank you morthren for the video... it is a cool line...

[@johnhealy8513]

How sad to see this railway abandoned and in a state of dereliction/removal. What would have been good would have been to have retained a single line with a passing loop and one of the platforms at Folkestone harbour for shuttle trains and steam specials. Instead what do we get but an apology for an attraction in the form of a walkway and a supposedly restored station.