BridgnorthCliffRailway01bottom-entrance.jpg (158419 bytes)

The bottom station of the Bridgnorth Cliff Railway is accessed through this unassuming passageway. Photo by Chris McKenna 31/12/2004

BridgnorthCliffRailway02botom-station.jpg (132693 bytes)

The bottom station of the Bridgnorth Cliff Railway. Photo by Chris McKenna 31/12/2004

BridgnorthCliffRailway03car-at-top.jpg (130261 bytes)

One of the cars of the Bridgnorth Cliff Railway waits at the top station for more passengers. These cars date from 1955 when they replaced the much heavier original 1890s wooden ones. Photo by Chris McKenna 31/12/2004

BridgnorthCliffRailway04inside-carriage.jpg (127747 bytes)

Inside one of the cars of the Bridgnorth Cliff Railway at the top station. These cars date from 1955 when they replaced the much heavier original 1890s wooden ones. Photo by Chris McKenna 31/12/2004

BridgnorthCliffRailway05information.jpg (105231 bytes)

A slightly blury photo of the information board about the history of the Castle Hill Railway (Bridgnorth Cliff Railway), outside the top station. Photo by Chris McKenna 31/12/2004 I have transcribed the information below. Note: this text may be copyright! I believe this is "fair use" but check before using it elsewhere History of The Castle Hill Railway Construction started November 2nd 1891 and the railway was opened on July 7th 1892 by Mayor William Burton. A public holiday was proclaimed. The Engineer was George Croydon Marks (later Lord Marks of Woolwich) who patented the design of the railway in 1888 with George Newnes MP (later chairman of the Castle Hill Railway Co.) and a Mr. Jones of Lynton, Devon. Three other railways were built in Britain to the same basic design – Clifton Rocks Railway in Bristol; Lynton and Lynmouth Railway in Devon and Aberystwyth Constitution Hill Railway. Originally the system was designed as a funicular railway. Water was pumped into a 2,000 gallon tank under the car at the top station until its weight (a maximum of 11½ tons) overcame that of the lower car. When the car reached teh bottom station the water was emptied and pumped up to a 30,000 gallon tank on the top of the upper station. The process was then repeated. The railway was rebuilt as electric operation and re-opened on November 9th 1944 by Mayor T.C. Pembro who had taken office only 2 hours before. The original cars were replaced by the present design in 1955. The length of the line is 201ft with a gradient of 1 in 1.8 and a rise of 111ft at an angle of 33 degrees. The Castle Hill Railway is Britains only inland electric cliff railway and is the steepest and the shortest in Britain.

BridgnorthCliffRailway06loking-down.jpg (159043 bytes)

Looking down from the top station of the Bridgnorth Cliff Railway. The car on the left of the photo is decending, as the other one makes its way up hill. Each journey takes about one and a quarter minutes, with about 200 trips being made on an average day. Return tickets cost 70p, but group discounts are possible. No single tickets are available (presumably to gain more downhill customers!). Photo by Chris McKenna 31/12/2004

BridgnorthCliffRailway07looking-up.jpg (108945 bytes)

Looking up from the bottom station of the Bridgnorth Cliff Railway. The gradient of 1 in 1.8 makes it the steepest funicular railway in the country. The red spots on the photograph are just a reflection of the Christmas tree lights in the bottom station. Photo by Chris McKenna 31/12/2004

BridgnorthCliffRailway08top-station.jpg (133078 bytes)

The top station and winding house of the Bridgnorth Cliff Railway. Photo by Chris McKenna 31/12/2004

BridgnorthCliffRailway09view-from-town-bridge.jpg (132954 bytes)

A view of the Bridgnorth Cliff Railway from the town bridge. Photo by Chris McKenna 31/12/2004

CliffRailway.jpg (144149 bytes)

A cabine of the Bridgnorth Cliff Railway arriving at the upperstation in Bridgnorth, England. august 2002 Photo and scan: Henk van Vuren Website : Henks Picture Gallery