Station Name: FOLKESTONE EAST

[Source: Nick Catford]

Folkestone East Station Gallery 3: August 1961 - 2014


The ‘Golden Arrow’ hauled by class 71 E5015 passes through Folkestone Junction station bound for Diver Marine in August 1961. With the Kent Coast electrification scheme, in 1961 the service became electric-hauled. This allowed an acceleration to 80 minutes for the down service and 82 minutes for the up service. Twenty-four electric locomotives were built in 1958 for the Kent Coast main lines. They were built at the British Railways workshops in Doncaster. The extension to the up platform, seen in the picture above, has been completed and brought into use.
Photo by Trevor Tupper from his Flickr photostream


Looking west from the down platform at Folkestone East station c1965.In September 1962 the station was renamed Folkestone East, receiving its third BR Southern Region design of totem signs. Three years after the name was changed the station closed! The building in the background is a typical WW2 grain store; it stands in the former down goods yard.
Photo from John Mann collection

Looking east from the down platform at Folkestone East station c1965. A new panel signal box seen here at the back of the platform opened in February 1962 as part of the electrification; it controlled movements between Ashford and Dover Archcliffe Junction. New colour light signals were brought into use over the weekend 17/18 February.
Photo from John Mann collection

Folkestone East signal box seen from a passing westbound train in July 1976. A short section of the down platform has been retained for use by railway staff; it is still used but will be closed when the Folkestone East box is abolished in 2018.
Photo by Alan Young

Folkestone East down platform in May 1977. Note the signs on the station warning passengers 'Do notalight here''.
Copyright photo by Nigel Mundy

The up platform seen from a passing eastbound train in April 1978. The building is being demolished.
Photo by Alan Young

To mark the closure of Dover Western Docks station Flying Scotsman Services organised a farewell steam-hauled special the day after closure. The Class 7MT no.70000 'Britannia' which was used masqueraded as one time Stewart's Lane allocated sister 70014 'Iron Duke', a regular on the ‘Golden Arrow’ in the 1950s. The special ran as 'The Continental Farewell' 1X35 09.32 London Victoria to Dover Western Docks and is seen passing Folkestone East at speed on 25 September 1994. On arrival at Dover Western Docks the loco remained on display to the public for the afternoon while the stock was used for a mini-tour round East Kent using the sole surviving Class 71 electric locomotive. The 'Britannia' then returned with the final passenger departure from Dover Western Docks at 19.45 back to London Victoria.
Photo by Adrian Nicholls from his Flickr photostream

Looking east along the surviving up platform in June 1995. The housing on the left is on the site of the original goods yard.
Photo by Nick Catford

Folkestone East goods yard at the rear of the up platform in June 1995.
Photo by Nick Catford

Shepway Green Party's campaign to reopen Folkestone East station.

Aerial view showing the site of Folkestone East station and goods yard. The housing to the left of the main line is on the site of the original SER goods yard. The Folkestone Harbour branch is seen at the top. The road on the right is Southern Way which runs through the west side of the goods yard. The rest of the land is awaiting development. The surviving up platform can be clearly seen.
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[Source: Nick Catford)




Last updated: Thursday, 18-May-2017 11:56:07 CEST
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