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Special Trains 2009
The special excursion hauled by B.R. 'Britannia' pacific No. 70013, 'Oliver Cromwell' sets off from Folkestone Harbour station
on to the bridge and getting to grips with the start of the 1 in 30 gradient. (14th March 2009 - Photo by John Chapman)
The excursion from London Waterloo to Folkestone ventured down the short branch line from Folkestone East to the Harbour
station and made three heroic ascents of the 1 in 30 gradient back up to East before returning to London via Ashford and
Canterbury. No. 70013 was at the front of the ten coach train as it ascended the bank with minimal assistance from the
class 47 diesel at the rear of the train. It is said that this will be the last time that a steam train (or indeed any passenger train)
will travel on the branch as it is scheduled to be closed in order to be bulldozed to facilitate the building of a new road as part
of the Folkestone regeneration scheme. Whether or not it was the last train remains to be seen.
