The line had a speed limit of and no damage was done to the flask, though the carrying locomotive was slightly damaged. The occupants of the car did not suffer any serious injuries. On 24 January 2019, the Marshlink line was closed after a person was hit by a train. All services between Ashford International and Bexhill were cancelled for part of the day. Rolling stock Since the Marshlink line is not electrified, it uses different rolling stock from most of the nearby rail network. The line was originally operated by 4-4-0 locomotives. When the railmotor service was introduced, it used stock from Kitson and Company; following the failure of this service, the line switched to using a variety of tank engines. In 1962, Class 205 "Thumper" and Class 207s diesel units were introduced. Southern planned to withdraw this rolling stock after completing electrification of its remaining diesel lines, but the Strategic Rail Authority rejected the £150 million cost as prohibitive. Instead, the company introduced Class 171 "Turbostar" DMUs in 2003. The diesel-only line prevents other rolling stock being used, including the Class 375 trains used elsewhere on the South East Mainline, and the Class 395 "Javelin" trains on High Speed 1. In the event of a breakdown, the lack of available Class 171s can mean disruption or cancellation of services. The Class 171s are maintained at Southern's depot in Selhurst, some distance away from the line. In November 2017, it was suggested that the line could use British Rail Class 802 electro-diesel multiple unit trains, allowing direct running between HS1 and Hastings. Damian Green, MP for Ashford, endorsed the suggestion as it would allow more services running from St Pancras to Ashford International generally. Future The line is strategically important, as electrification and junction improvements would mean that High Speed 1 trains could travel directly from to Hastings. In 2015, Amber Rudd, then Member of Parliament for Hastings, campaigned for electrification works to start within the next two years. The aim is to reduce times to London from Hastings to 68 minutes, and from Rye to under an hour. This would require remodelling Ashford International station so the existing Marshlink line could connect to HS1, installing power systems, and adding a grade-separated diversion from Rye to the west, all in addition to requiring new trains. An alternative proposal was put forward in 2016 that involved hybrid overhead / battery