I thought this high speed link to Folkestone was already confirmed? A chum in the world of news just sent this:
The SRA announced that the following stations will be served by high-speed CTRL domestic services: Ramsgate, Minster, Sturry, Canterbury West, Wye, Folkestone Central, Folkestone West, Sandling, Ashford International, Broadstairs, Margate, Birchington on Sea, Herne Bay, Whitstable, Faversham, Sittingbourne, Rainham, Gillingham, Chatham, Rochester, Strood, Higham, Gravesend, Ebbsfleet, Stratford International, Kings Cross St Pancras, and Dover Priory (provisional).
More here... main announcement today was that the four preferred bidders can now submit detailed bids, or something. Man these documents are boring... Still it's nice to read that Transport Secretary, Alistair Darling, said:
The CTRL domestic services will operate on both domestic railway tracks and the new high speed channel tunnel rail link track where they will reach speeds of 140 mph. Journeys from Ashford to central London will be reduced by 40 minutes each way.
This is part of my website The Folkestone Gerald that I built in a fury of excitement when I first came here in approximately 2004. I'd been a frequent visitor for a while before that but I am technically one of those DFLs you get nowadays. The site was a lot more dynamic with a calendar of events and voting for favourite places and things, and I hear it was a useful resource for those who were moving to the area. Now I've moved out of Folkestone again (though only a couple of miles) it doesn't get as much love as it used to. Ironic really as The town is now becoming the exciting place we knew it was just about to. My name is not Gerald by the way, the name comes from a pretend newspaper in an episode of Brasseye or something, the Portsmouth Gerald, and how there is a local paper here called the Folkestone Herald. Puns like this are great aren't they? Do get in touch if you have anything to offer, email anythign @ this domain, or try @folkestone or @pauly on the twitter.