THE steeply-graded Folkestone Harbour branch line that once played host to famous name trains is to close.

Completion of a £1.4 million upgrade of Folkestone West station in Kent to welcome Orient Express passengers has effectively sounded the death knell for the historic branch from Folkestone East Junction to the harbour.

Once travelled by boat trains to France, the branch has not been used by domestic services for some years. It is now limited to some 30 Orient Express luxury services a year and a handful of rail-tour specials.

Although maintained in a safe condition, the branch now needs a major upgrade to bring it to modern standards, and Network Rail says this expenditure cannot be justified with such light usage.

Following consultation and agreement with the Department for Transport, train operators and local stakeholders, the company has begun the formal process to close the line.

Network Rail’s route director for Kent, Andrew Munden, said: “We appreciate the history of this line, and its proposed closure has not been taken lightly, but the costs of improving and maintaining it for such a small number of trains is disproportionate.”

The closure has the full agreement of the owners of Orient Express, whose service will now operate to and from the upgraded station at Folkestone West.

Network Rail said a number of community-benefiting proposals existed to redevelop the area around Folkestone Harbour station, and land occupied by the railway was needed to realise their full potential.

- Before completion of Kent Coast electrification in 1961, heavy boat trains were hauled and banked up the steeply graded branch to the main line by up to four small 1890s vintage Southern Railway 0-6-0 tank locos, which were based at Folkestone Junction. When these wore out, they were replaced with ex-GWR pannier tank locos for the last couple of years of steam.

The branch’s last train was a steam-hauled ‘Golden Arrow’ special on 14 March 2009. It has been filmed for posterity from three Class 73 electro-diesels coupled in multiple.