Bridgnorth Cliff Railway

The Bridgnorth Cliff Railway, or Castle Hill Railway, is a funicular railway in the town of Bridgnorth in the English county of Shropshire. The line links the Low Town of Bridgnorth, adjacent to the River Severn, with the High Town, adjacent to the ruins of Bridgnorth Castle.

The line is one of four funicular railways in the UK built to the same basic design (the others were the Clifton Rocks Railway in Bristol; the Lynton and Lynmouth Cliff Railway in Devon; and the Constitution Hill Railway in Aberystwyth, Wales). It is one of the steepest railways in the country, and at least one source (the information panel outside the top station) claims it is both the steepest and shortest.

History

Following a public meeting in 1890 to discuss an alternative method of communication between the two parts of Bridgnorth to the 200 steps between High Town and Low Town, a proposal to build a Patent Cliff Railway was put to the town council. Plans were accepted for funicular railway on the current route, "The Bridgnorth Castle Hill Railway Company Ltd" was registered in 1891, and construction started on 2 November 1891. The railway was opened on 7 July 1892 by Mayor William Burton, with a public holiday being proclaimed to celebrate the occasion.cite web | url = http://www.bridgnorthcliffrailway.co.uk/engineer.htm | title = History of the Railway | publisher = Bridgnorth Castle Hill Railway Company Ltd | accessdate = March 9 | accessyear = 2007]

Originally the railway was powered by a simple system using water and gravity. Water was pumped into a 2000 imperial gallon (9000 litre) tank beneath the top car until its weight, a maximum of 11.5 long tons (11.7 metric tonnes ), overcame that of the lower car. When the car reached the bottom station the tank was emptied and pumped up to a 30,000 imperial gallon (136,000 litre) tank on the top of the upper station.cite web | url = http://www.bridgnorthcliffrailway.co.uk/engineer.htm | title = History of the Railway | publisher = Bridgnorth Castle Hill Railway Company Ltd | accessdate = March 9 | accessyear = 2007]

Between 1943 and 1944 the system was rebuilt to use electricity, with an official re-opening on 9 May 1944 by Mayor T.C. Pembro — who had taken office only 2 hours previously. In 1955 the original heavy wooden cars were replaced by the 'up-to-date' stronger and lighter (5.4 long tons, 5.5 metric tonnes) aluminium monocoque ones still in use today. Each car can carry up to 18 passengers.cite web | url = http://www.bridgnorthcliffrailway.co.uk/engineer.htm | title = History of the Railway ~ Part 2 | publisher = Bridgnorth Castle Hill Railway Company Ltd | accessdate = March 9 | accessyear = 2007] cite web | url = http://www.bridgnorthcliffrailway.co.uk/engineer.htm | title = Engineering Aspects | publisher = Bridgnorth Castle Hill Railway Company Ltd | accessdate = March 8 | accessyear = 2007]

The rails were replaced in about 1972 with the bullhead design formerly used on mainline railways.cite web | url = http://www.bridgnorthcliffrailway.co.uk/engineer.htm | title = Engineering Aspects | publisher = Bridgnorth Castle Hill Railway Company Ltd | accessdate = March 8 | accessyear = 2007]

Current situation

A vital part of the town's infrastructure the railway operates 362 days a year (it is closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day). Each journey takes about 1 and a quarter minutes, and on an average day approximately 200 trips are made. As of May 2008 return tickets cost 90p with discounts available for groups . Single tickets are not available.

The line has the following technical parameters:cite web | url = http://www.bridgnorthcliffrailway.co.uk/engineer.htm | title = Engineering Aspects | publisher = Bridgnorth Castle Hill Railway Company Ltd | accessdate = March 8 | accessyear = 2007] cite web | url = http://www.funiculars.net/line.php?id=26 | title = Bridgenorth Castle Hill Lift | publisher = Funiculars.net | accessdate = March 8 | accessyear = 2007]

*Length: "201 feet (61 metres)"
*Height: "111 feet (34 metres)"
*Maximum Steepness: "64%"
*Cars: "2"
*Capacity: "18 passengers per car"
*Configuration: "Double track"
*Track gauge: "3 foot 6 inches (1067 mm)"
*Traction: "Electricity"
*Operation: "Manually driven from upper station"

The railway is owned and operated by a private company, the "Bridgnorth Castle Hill Railway Company Limited", which was incorporated in 1970.cite web | url = http://www.bbc.co.uk/shropshire/features/places/bridgnorth/funicular_railway.shtml | title = A tale of two towns | publisher = BBC | accessdate = March 9 | accessyear = 2007] cite web | url = http://www.ukdata.com/numbers/00034916.html | title = Bridgnorth Castle Hill Railway Company Limited | publisher = UK Data Ltd | accessdate = March 9 | accessyear = 2007]

ee also

*Funicular railway
*List of funicular railways

References

External links

* [http://www.bridgnorthcliffrailway.co.uk/ Official site]
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/shropshire/features/places/bridgnorth/funicular_railway.shtml BBC Shropshire article]