Remembrance Line Services

Future Remembrance Line Services

The Association wishes for a mix of passenger traffic over the Harbour Branch: -

· A local Tram Train park and ride service from Folkestone East to the Leas Cliff Lifts

· Some mainline trains running direct to Folkestone Harbour or to Folkestone East then connecting into a branch service to Folkestone Harbour for fast ferry connections to Boulogne (operated by a third party)

· Charter trains to Folkestone Harbour that may also connect with ferries.

There is a single Phase 1 proposal and two Phase 2 options. Below we have tried to explain how this will work: -


Stage 1 Park & Ride and Charter Trains	Stage 2a Sidings Interchange Station	Stage 2b Mainline Interchange Station
This stage will simply start weekend branch operations again but with park and ride as the new target market. Open Access and charter trains can also operate if Folkestone Harbour or Boulogne are chosen destinations. With Folkestone being a Statutory Port the harbour branch can also accept freight services – as proposed by the Folkestone Harbour Company in 2005. Such loads can be moved directly to the national rail network avoiding HGVs passing through the town. We would also suggest that removed materials and construction requirements are brought into the area by rail or sea to avoid HGVs having to pass through housing areas during the development period.	This option suggests electrically powered “boat trains” terminating at Folkestone East with passengers transferring to/from the diesel train from Stage 1 to gain access to the harbour. A “Shepway Metro” service would be introduced to continue the park and ride service as well as connecting with boat trains to take passengers to and from the proposed new seafront housing and the Leas Cliff Lifts for easy access to the town centre. In supporting KCC’s “Growth without Gridlock” the branch would effectively become one of the “Local Bus Services” described in the consultation and potential connection point for “Rural Interchange Services”.	A similar solution to Stage 2a but with platforms situated on the mainline in about the same position as the previous closed station. We include this option because consultation suggests that there is much local support. This new station could, if endorsed by Shepway Council and Network Rail, take the place of Folkestone Central station – but this would not be within the constitution of the Association to promote. In this option if it more likely that passengers to/from ferry services can connect with various mainline trains to/from east and west of Folkestone so could be accommodated on the “Shepway Metro” service. This option would also deliver a better local transport solution for the seafront housing area gaining access to destinations across the national network and, in reverse, to the regenerated Harbour area.
	Upside: This is the cheaper option for placement of a station at which branch passengers can change into mainline trains.	Upside: This is the more flexible option that gives access to a greater range or destinations and does not require the maintenance of a separate diesel train.
	Downside: It restricts passenger destinations to those services that would operate in connection with ferries.	Downside: This is the more expensive option in terms of capital costs.

Both of the Phase 2 options can act as a “Warm Standby” to the Channel Tunnel that is effectively a “Single Point of Failure” for international high speed trains and international railborne freight. In either option we consider that a 6 coach platform would suffice for accommodating a 6 coach Javelin type of train. If the port was developed with emergency traffic diversion in mind then it might be more cost effective for one track to be electrified on the harbour branch and “electric boat trains” could then run direct from the mainline to the harbour station with reversal at Folkestone East and without that location having an interchange platform. Such trains might also be of the Javelin type or other types up to 280m in length in order to allow reversal at Folkestone East.