Funicular carriages back on tracks after works

Two funicular carriages which transport people from the Folkstone seafront to the promenade have been lifted back on to their tracks after undergoing a revamp.

The coaches were removed from the Leas Lift in February 2025 and have since undergone an extensive rebuild, including improvements to safety, durability and accessibility.

Workers had initially planned to restore the carriages' timber tops, but once removed and inspected, it became clear they were beyond repair and would not have been safe to reinstate.

Cathy Beare, Chair of Trustees of the Folkestone Leas Lift Company Charity, said: "Seeing the carriages return to Folkestone is a hugely significant moment."

The carriage restoration has been supported financially by the Rochester Bridge Trust.

Each carriage carries about 12 people.

The next stage of work will see the lift's new sheave wheel installed, as the charity continues to work towards reopening to the public in spring 2027.

The Grade II* listed funicular first opened in 1885 and, once restored, will be one of only three remaining water-balanced lifts in the country.

Beare added: "They are such an important part of the Lift's identity and have been carefully rebuilt so they can continue to be enjoyed by future generations.

"It's wonderful to see another major piece of this historic landmark back where it belongs."

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