Born in 1949 in Cheriton, Brian Hart’s connection to Folkestone, and particularly its cliff lifts, stretches back to a childhood shaped by the town’s coastline, character and quiet engineering marvels. 

“Folkestone gave me a particularly wonderful and interesting boyhood. Blessed with such varied and stunning scenery, a busy cross-channel harbour, seaside attractions, a benign climate - no wonder the town became so well-loved. 

Its railway history always fascinated me, but the Victorian ingenuity of the Leas Lift was just captivating. Sunday afternoon family walks in the 1950s invariably included seeing the lift. 

At the top we’d watch the tanks being filled before the car began gently descending, whilst if we were going up, I loved hearing the deep sound emanating from the engine room when pumping water. The 1890 lift with its inclined stepped seating was always my favourite and I longed to discover as much as possible about the Leas Lifts, especially being a unique twin installation.” 

That early fascination would go on to shape Brian’s work, culminating in the publication of Folkestone’s Cliff Lifts in 1985, a book that remains an important record of the town’s unique transport heritage. 

While researching the lifts, Brian uncovered moments of ingenuity that still stand out today. One revealed the extraordinary lengths taken to ensure passenger safety. 

“During my research at the Public Record Office (now National Archives) the biggest surprise was discovering how, in 1885, they tested the emergency braking in the unlikely event of the lift’s steel cables snapping. 

They hauled one car a few feet up the incline, before attaching a hemp rope which was then allowed to take the full weight. At the Board of Trade Inspector’s instruction, they then cut this rope, whereupon the automatic safety clamps immediately stopped the car to within half an inch. 

I hasten to add it wasn’t carrying any passengers!” 

Brian’s book was written to coincide with the Leas Lift’s centenary, a moment that also marked the beginning of his own writing career. Yet even then, there were uncertainties about what the future might hold for the lift. 

“The Leas Lift’s centenary in 1985 happily coincided with my embarking on a writing career after my first book (The Elham Valley Line) was published - and it was a story I simply had to relate after discovering my great-grandfather ‘Bumpy’ Kedwell was employed on the Sandgate Hill Lift. 

I must admit, I had nagging doubts in that centenary year whether we would end up with electric operation, as with Hastings, or whether the Leas Lift itself even had a future in the 21st century. 

My hope was the book would rekindle interest far-and-wide in this much-loved Folkestone installation, hence the centenary postcards I produced, as well as the signboard (I was a signwriter by trade). 

Today’s restoration of the Leas Lift is beyond my wildest hopes, and the town is extremely fortunate in having such a dedicated team, both earnest and proud in its endeavours to save this astonishing and much-loved Victorian artefact. 

Unlike historic listed buildings or half-forgotten monuments, the public will be able to continue being thrilled by the experience our Victorian forbears had of hearing and watching the water flushing into the tanks, then that exciting moment when it starts to move.” 

At the heart of Brian’s work is a belief in the importance of recording and preserving stories like these, not just for today, but for the generations that follow. 

“I believe there is no future without history, and the Leas Lift is a tangible example of how our eminent antecedents sought to improve and advance our lives. 

I never take anything for granted and in all my railway histories I’m at pains to pay tribute to those individuals possessing vision and capital, as well as those of humbler means whose physical efforts and endurance deserve recording. 

I know future generations will be truly thankful for what is being achieved today.” 

Brian’s book may now be a rare find, but its legacy continues, not just on the page, but in the ongoing restoration of the Leas Lift itself.