The Folkestone lift is to be closed the first week in November in order to replace a number of track sleepers.

This essential maintenance work will be carried out by E & P Engineering of New Romney.

While the lift is out of operation, staff from the community interest company that operates the lift will be carrying out cleaning of the drainage sump around the Victorian pumps that recycle the water which drives the lift.

Terry Begent, a director of the company said: “This job is one of many that we will be carrying out in the near future as part of the process of turning the lift into a visitor attraction and living museum.

"Every time we carry out this kind of work we discover something new about the installation and are gradually working our way backwards through time so that we can restore the lift, as far as possible to what it looked like when it first opened in 1885.

"At times it is almost like an archaeological dig as we peel away the years and uncover little clues to its past. If Industrial Archaeology doesn’t already exist as a science I suppose we have just invented it.

"Our most recent discoveries are two galvanised buckets that were under the wooden floor in the pump room. They each weigh about 50lbs and are unusual because they have a drainage pipe and valve fitted to the bottom.

Company director, Darren Hughes, with one of the buckets in the pump room at the lift

"They were apparently attached to the end of a rope and pulley system that had some function in operating the pumps in the early days when they were driven by engines that ran on town gas but we haven’t figured out just what that function is yet.

"We are always pleased to hear from anyone who can help with this kind of information and desperately need people to get in touch if they have old photographs, maps, plans or technical notes about the lift."

The lift is expected to be closed for at least a week whilst the work is carried out.

Hawkinge Gazette and Channel Coast News 2011©