Screen Archive South East is a public sector moving image archive serving the South East of England. The archive's collections of magic lantern slides, films, videos and associated materials capture the many varied aspects of life, work and creativity from the early days of screen history to the present day and serve as a rich and invaluable historical resource.
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Folkestone's Leas Lift Cliff Railway and the Crab & Winkle line.
A triple treat for rail fans is featured here with signalbox action, a seaside cliff-railway and an eerie walk along the ghost of a line - plus a bonus for aviation enthusiasts
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Overview
We start at RAF Manston, where the Spitfires on show remind us of its role in the Battle of Britain. Next, with Canterbury Cathedral in the distance, we trace the course of the old Crab & Winkle Line before moving to Folkestone's Lees Cliff Railway, hauling tourists up to the town from where they can see Channel ferries. Finally, we move to the signal boxes at Canterbury West and Sturry. Here, we see signalmen setting their levers as service trains pass by on the mainline.
The Crab & Winkle line, more properly known as the Canterbury and Whitstable Railway, was the South East's earliest opening in May 1830, to serve both passengers and freight. The world's first season ticket was issued for travel on this railway in 1834. It used a mixture of cable-haulage using, stationary steam engines alongside the line and locomotives to work the line's level sections. Its first locomotive was 'Invicta', built by Robert Stephenson and shipped to Whitstable by sea. However, 'Invicta' was not a success and was donated to the city. She can be seen today in Canterbury Museum. The line, which finally closed in 1953, also featured the world's oldest railway bridge but this was demolished in 1969.
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