Folkestone Warren Halt railway station

Infobox UK disused station
name = Folkestone Warren Halt
manager = SER
SE&CR
owner = Southern Railway
Southern Region of British Railways


locale = East Folkestone
borough = Shepway, Kent
gridref =
platforms = 2
years = 1 July 1886
events = Opened
years1 = 1886
events1 = Closed
years2 = 1 June 1908
events2 = Reopened
years3 = 19 December 1915
events3 = Closed
years4 = 11 August 1919
events4 = Reopened
years5 = 25 September 1939
events5 = Closed to the public
years6 = 1971
events6 = Closed [Butt, R.V.J. (1995). "The Directory of Railway Stations", Patrick Stephens Ltd, Sparkford, ISBN 1-85260-508-1, p. 98.]

:"This article is about the former SER station at Folkestone in Kent.":"For the former RH&DR station at New Romney in Kent see Warren Halt railway station."

Folkestone Warren Halt was a station on the South Eastern Main Line of the South Eastern Railway at the beach location known as "The Warren" in the east end of Folkestone, Kent.

1886 opening

The station was first opened by the South Eastern Railway in 1886 which installed a bridge over the Main Line leading to a gate on to The Warren from which the public could picnic and enjoy the dramatic scenery in the area; a zig-zag path led down the East Cliff to the station. [ [http://newsgroups.derkeiler.com/Archive/Uk/uk.railway/2006-06/msg00258.html UK Railway Forum, "Old East Kent railways and stations", 2 June 2006.] ] The Halt enjoyed, however, a brief existence, closing after the Summer in the face of threats by Lord Radnor who felt that his land was being trespassed upon. [http://www.kentrail.co.uk/shakespeare_cliff_halt.htm Kent Rail, "Shakespeare Cliff Halt".] ] There is also a suggestion that the station had not been formally authorised by the Board of Trade which, upon discovering its existence, refused to grant consent. [Cite book | author=Mitchell, V. and Smith, K. | authorlink= | coauthors= | title=South Coast Railways- Ashford to Dover including the Hythe and Sandgate branch | date=1988 | publisher=Middleton Press | location=Midhurst, West Sussex | isbn=0-906520-48-7 | pages=plate 88]

1908 reopening

Warren Halt was reopened 22 years later by the South Eastern and Chatham Railway and remained open until the evening of 19 December 1915 when a large landslip resulted in the entire undercliff supporting the Main Line moving towards the sea causing approximately 1.5 million cubic metres of chalk to slip or fall burying Warren Halt. Fortunately, the railway watchman was able to stop the 6.10pm Ashford to Dover service as it emerged from Martello Tunnel, hauled by D class, no. 493. [Mitchell, V. and Smith, K., op. cit., plate 87.]

The station as well as the affected section of the South Eastern Main Line remained closed until 1919. [ [http://www.geologyshop.co.uk/landslips.htm GeologyShop, "Folkestone & Hythe Landslips; the Warren, Copt Point, Castle Hill and the relict seacliffs between Hythe and Lympne".] ] The Warren was a popular picnic spot in Edwardian times and a nearby tea chalet served hundreds of visitors daily. [ [http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/1258666334045881475YQuwEh Jill Batchelor, "A buddleia waiting to start into growth again", 23 January 2005.] ]

In 1923 the Halt was rebuilt by the Southern Railway which added a set of platforms. The station remained open for a further 16 years before another landslip in 1939. The Halt was, however, kept open as a staff facility until 1971 and a nearby siding subsequently served early Channel Tunnel works. [ [http://johnlawontherails.fotopic.net/p25057634.html John Law on the Rails, "Another view of the staff halt at Folkestone Warren, 1978. The siding served the Channel Tunnel workings", 18 January 2006.] ]

External links

* [http://bbhilda.topcities.com/Folkestone/FolkestoneWarrenEastCliff.html History of The Warren with photographs and postcards of the Halt and tea chalet]

References