Saltburn Cliff Railway

In a nutshell

Gauge:         4' 8½" (so not strictly narrow gauge - but deserves an honorary mention)

Length:      207'

Opened:     1884 (previously 1870 - 1883)

Location:   

Lower Promenade
Saltburn
TS12 1HQ 

Web:      http://www.redcar-cleveland.gov.uk/accommodation.nsf/TouristList/F6737A1C45441CC7802579CF00558787?OpenDocument

Tel: 01287 622528 

Date of visit:     23 July 2017

Key Facts

• It is the oldest operating water-balance funicular cliff railwayin the United Kingdom
• It was first built in 1870, shortly after the Stockton and Darlington Railway (the first passenger carrying railway in the world) reached Saltburn
• It was rebuilt in its present form in 1884
• It is a water-balanced funicular railway, which means that each passenger car has a large water tank beneath the passenger compartment. When a car reaches the top of the lift, water is poured into the tank. The weight of the water counterbalances the weight of the other car which is connected to the first car with a cable. When the car reaches the bottom of the lift, the water is released from the tank and the process is repeated.
• The cars carry up to 12 passengers
• Their water tanks each hold 240 gallons (1100 litres)
• The water released at the bottom of the lift held in a large reservoir tank and the water is pumped back up to another reservoir tank at the top of the lift.
• The lift was refurbished in 1955, 1979, 1991, 2014 and 2018.

Route

 

My Impressions

Having visited Saltburn to photograph and ride on the Saltburn Miniature Railway, I felt I must travel on the Cliff Lift which is only a short walk from the railway. Although the lift is not narrow gauge, I felt its history and status warranted inclusion on my blog - a sort of honorary narrow gauge railway.

After watching the cars rise and descend a couple of times ......

... we paid our fare at the ticket booth at the base of the lift and made our way into the carriage.

The first thing which caught our attention was the stained glass windows which had been reinstated when the lift was refurbished in 1991.

Within a few minutes our carriage filled with passengers and the doors were closed by the attendant.
Very gently, the carriage made its way up the track, passing the descending car at the half-way point.

We then reached the booth at the top of the lift, passing beside the water-filling mechanism.

We watched the attendant at the upper booth going about the business of operating the water filling machinery and braking system as the cars ascended and descended.

Finding the whole process fascinating.

Although the cost per mile of the ticket is probably quite substantial, we felt it was well worth the modest outlay to help ensure that the lift is kept operational in its original condition. The staff are clearly very proud of this piece of Victorian technology and were willing to knowledgeably discuss its maintenance and operation.

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Southend Cliff Lift

In a nutshell

Gauge:          4' 6"

Length:        130' (40m)

Opened:       1912 (replacing moving walkway opened in 1901)

Location:    

View Narrow Gauge Railways in a larger map  

Web:      http://www.southend.gov.uk/info/733/local_attractions/1284/cliff_lift/2

Email:   council@southend.gov.uk

Date of visit:     9 September 2013

Key Facts

• The cliff railway or 'cliff lift' takes passengers vertically 57' (17m) from the Western Esplanade to the Cliffton Terrace rising at gradient of 43.4% (1:2 or 26 degrees)
• It is a funicular railway, being operated by a cable attached to a counterbalance weight which lowers as the passenger car rises.
• The passenger car can hold up to 18 passengers
• It is fairly unique in design as the tracks run on steel girders mounted in parallel with the cliff face
• The lift has been renovated four times, in 1930, 1959, 1990 and more recently in 2010 (at a cost of £3m)
• The lift was built originally by Waygood & Co. which is now part of of the Otis Elevator Company
• The journey costs £1.00 (50p concessions).
• The lift operates daily from May to September and at weekends between October and April.

Route

 

My Impressions

The railway is in a commanding position, a short walk from Southend Pier. As it has been recently refurbished (in 2010) through a Lottery Grant, it is in very good condition.

The passenger car was at the summit when I reached the lower station, but after pressing the button (as one would do to summon a lift) it began its descent.

Access to the lift is well considered for wheelchair users. The lift is operated by an attendant, who informed me that I was his first passenger of the day (it was now 3:00pm), which seems a great pity as the fare is not particularly large and the experience of riding in such an interesting piece of technology is well worth it.

Perhaps the lift would get more custom if it was closer to the pier or at the end of the main street in Southend. However, as it has been on the site for over 110 years it's probably too late to move it now.

The ride was very smooth and, despite the weather, there was a good view along the sea front as we reached the summit. 

The architecture retains its Edwardian elegance and the refurbishment has done a great deal to enhance its appearance.

Possibly not as exhilarating as a ride on a roller coaster, but to lend support for the continuation of a piece of our transport heritage, £1.00 does seem a small price to pay.

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[In preparation] 

London Funicular Railway / Millennium Inclinator

In a nutshell

Gauge:         1 metre

Length:        26.85m

Opened:       5 December 2003

Location:

View Narrow Gauge Railways in a larger map

 

Date of visit: 16 May 2013

 

Key Facts

• The railway has a gradient of 13.6°
• It was constructed by Maspero Elevatori of Italy
• It is electrically powered with a speed of 0.5m/s and a maximum capacity of four passengers weighing 700kg
• Although it resembles an inclined lift and is referred to as 'an inclinator', it can just about be classed as a funicular railway, hence its inclusion in this blog.

 

Route

View The Millennium Inclinator in a larger map

My Impressions

Having walked along the South Bank from Westminster, we had a pleasant cup of tea in the cafe on the top floor of the Tate Modern. This gave us a fine view of the Millennium Bridge and a tantalising glimpse of the Millennium Inclinator at its far end.

After crossing the bridge the inclinator hove into view on the right hand side. The cabin looked very much like a lift cubicle and on closer inspection the track appeared to be flat steel.

Looking down the track the guides for the cable can be seen on the centre, there appears to be a guide rail to the right of centre and at the edge is a folding cable guide.

Travelling down the inclinator takes around a minute - with the same sort of announcements one hears in a lift (or elevator).

The view from the bottom of the inclinator shows its proximity to St Paul's Cathedral. I waited around for a good ten minutes or so but no one seemed interested in taking a ride in the inclinator - and so I decided to make a return trip

From documents posted on the web, it would appear that the inclinator experienced some operational problems in its early days. It was certainly working faultlessly on the day I visited. The system seems uncomplicated and given that it seems to have very little use, one must assume that it will continue to give fairly reliable service.

Video

National Coal Mining Museum for England

In a nutshell

Gauge:     2' 6" and 2' 3" 

Length:   750 metres

Opened: 1988

Location:

National Coal Mining Museum for England,
Caphouse Colliery,
New Road,
Overton,
Wakefield
WF4 4RH

View Narrow Gauge Railways in a larger map

Web:   http://www.ncm.org.uk/

Email. http://www.ncm.org.uk/contact
Tel:      01924 848 806 

 

Date of visit: 9 September 2012

 

Key Facts

• The museum was formerly the Caphouse Colliery which dates back to the 1770s
• The timber headgear at Caphouse and the wood framed building at Hope Pit date from between 1905 and 1911
• The colliery closed in 1985, re-opening in 1988 as the Yorkshire Mining Museum
• The museum became the National Coal Mining Museum of England in 1995
• There are free guided underground tours where visitors can experience the working conditions of miners and view their tools and machines
• The visitor centre houses exhibitions including the artwork of former miners
• It is also possible to view the pit-head baths, steam winding house, boiler house, coal screening plant and pit ponies
• A battery powered 2 '6" gauge 'paddy train' takes visitors on a short journey around the park
• There is also a 2' 3" gauge cable (funicular) railway showing how coal tubs were raised from the drift mine

¼  ½  ¾

Route

View National Coal Mining Museum Railways in a larger map

Red = Cable powered funicular railway (2' 3" gauge)

Blue - Battery powered 'Paddy' train (2' 6" gauge)

My Impressions

My first impression was that it was a great pity there were not more people at the museum. There is so much there to see and the museum depicts in good detail what was for many years a key industry in the history of the country. What's more, the café is well stocked and serves a very nice cup of coffee.

There was a modest fee (£1.00 return) to travel on the railway and the staff manning the former pit railway were extremely helpful and knowledgeable. The battery powered Bo-Bo locomotive was very powerful and very well turned-out.

We boarded the converted miners' coaches (the roofs of which have been raised to improve comfort for non-mining passengers).

At a sedate pace the train clanked its was across the park .....

 .... passing static exhibits of impressive-looking mining machinery.

 Before long we arrived at the furthermost terminus of the railway .......

.... where we alighted to explore some of the outdoor exhibits .........

.... such as the pump houses and winding engines.

There are also some intriguing remnants of the past such as this drift mine or adit ......

...... and a scrap yard of former mining equipment which is slowly and sadly rusting into decay.

Returning to the main station, it's possible to explore the main exhibition hall and descend into the mine for an accompanied tour - all of which is free!!

Beside the paddy train is the rope-hauled funicular railway, showing how wagons were extracted from the drift mines in the past. This exhibit wasn't operational when I was there, but the museum has special events during the year when sometimes this railway is working.

 What a fascinating place this museum is and on my initial visit I hardly scratched the surface of what can be done and seen. Another visit is certainly on the cards and when one compares what's freely available here with what has to be paid for at other so-called visitor attractions, they bear no comparison.

Video

The Great Orme Tramway

 In a nutshell

Gauge: 3'6"

Length:  Lower section - 872 yd.
               Upper section - 827 yd.

Opened:  8th July 1903

Location:

 

View Larger Map

Victoria Station,
Church Walks,
Llandudno,
LL30 2NB 

Tel. 01492 577877

Web:   http://www.greatormetramway.com/index.asp 

Email. tramwayenquiries@conwy.gov.uk 

 

Date of visit: 11 May 2012

 

Key Facts

• Great Britain's only remaining cable operated street tramway.
• One of only three surviving in the world.
•  Only one fatal accident in its history in 1932 when a car became detached from the cable, derailed and the driver and a 12 year old girl died.
• The line is divided into two sections with the winch house situated between the lower and upper sections
• The lower section climbs 400 feet with a maximum grade of 1:3.6. The upper section climbs 150 feet with a maximum gradient of 1:10.3.

 

My impressions

Despite having visited Llandudno many times I had never ridden on the tram. I must admit that I had not really considered the tramway to be a 'proper' railway and therefore paid very little attention to it. However, having now travelled on the tramway and explored the mechanics of its traction system, I am now very impressed. It was a delightful experience.

After buying my ticket, I boarded the tram at the lower (Victoria) station:

The lower section of the tramway winds its way up the centre of a very narrow street (Old Road) ......

 .... before crossing a traffic light controlled junction with Ty Gwyn Road

and then passing the descending tram at the half way point of the lower section.

Then climbing up the next part of the lower section until......

.... the Half Way station was reached where we detrained ......

....and walked through the winding-house

where there is a display of information and viewing windows to see the electric-powered winches.

We then boarded the upper tram......

 

........ before arriving at the Summit Station (by which time it was raining).

After visiting the souvenir shop, I boarded the next tram .......

 ..... and descended (now in glorious sunshine) .......

 .......... to the Half Way Station where I examined the cable system.

I decided to walk the rest of the way down and take a few pictures.

I was particularly interested in how the cable was guided through the channel down the centre of each track -

  particularly how the curves were catered-for with a series of large pulley wheels.

and also how the passing-loop was organised.

It also provided me with an opportunity to record some video.

Overall, I would certainly recommend a visit to The Great Orme Tramway. There is plenty to see which is well presented for its intended audience. My suggestion would be to buy a single ticket to travel up the tramway and then walk back down to get a lineside view.

Video