Folkestone Harbour railway station

Infobox UK station
name = Folkestone Harbour
code = FKH

---

caption = Tracks running into the station
manager = VSOE
owner = Network Rail
locale = Folkestone
borough = Shepway
platforms = 2 (1 in use)
years = 1850
events = Opened
years1 = 2001
events1 = Station closed to regular traffic

Folkestone Harbour station is a railway station built to serve the port of Folkestone in Kent, and is one of three stations in the town. It is at the end of the Folkestone Harbour Branch.

History

The station provided a terminus for the boat-trains from London which connected with the ferry services to Calais and Boulogne. However, the opening of the Channel Tunnel and the Eurotunnel Shuttle terminal led to the majority of ferry operators moving to other ports in the South-East, with the result that only two services per day were arriving at Folkestone Harbour, to connect with the Hoverspeed SeaCat services. When these were moved to Ramsgate, Folkestone Harbour became redundant, and so the station closed to ordinary rail traffic in 2001.

However, it remains in use between March and November when the Venice Simplon Orient Express's "British Pullman" service terminates there; from Folkestone Harbour, passengers are transferred by coach to the Eurotunnel terminal, where they join a Eurotunnel Shuttle to Calais to pick up the "Orient Express" in France.

ervices

VSOE operates two scheduled services per week to Folkestone Harbour on its London-Paris route, which run on Thursdays and Sundays. This not only covers the main London-Venice service, but also allows connections with VSOEs other European services.

Closure

Folkestone Harbour station is located at the end of a viaduct which separates the port's inner and outer harbours, which in turn is the end of the spur railway that separates from the main line. The proposals for the regeneration of the Harbour area will see additional accommodation built; however, it has been determined that this will not be sufficient to justify reopening the rail link to the Harbour. Due to its infrequent use, and given that there is no likelihood of the restoration of ordinary services to the station, it has been proposed that Folkestone Harbour be closed permanently, the viaduct demolished, and the track on the rail spur lifted [ [http://www.folkestoneharbour.com/downloads/masterplan/Chapter_4.pdf Folkestone Harbour Masterplan] ] .

VSOE plan to transfer their operations to Folkestone West. On 12 April 2008, a closure cermony, together with an offical last train took place. [ [http://www.railwayherald.co.uk/issues/RHUK/Issue127.pdf Railway Herald Issue 127] ] However, this was not actually the last train, as objections had been raised by English, Welsh and Scottish Railway, Department for transport and Southeastern. Therefore as of May 2008, VSOE trains were still using Folkestone Harbour [ [http://www.southernelectric.org.uk/news/folkharb01.html Southern Electic Group Website] ] .

References

External links

* [http://www.orient-express.com/web/vsoe/vsoe_c2a_journeys.jsp Orient Express train times]
* [http://www.kentrail.co.uk/folkestone_harbour.htm Folkestone Harbour station information from "kentrail.co.uk"]