West Hill Cliff Railway
Encyclopedia
The West Hill Cliff Railway, or West Hill Lift, is a funicular railway
located in the English
seaside town of Hastings
. It runs largely in tunnel, and provides access to Hastings Castle
and St Clement's Caves from George Street, on the town's sea front. The West Hill overlooks the sea to the south, the Old Town to the east, and the current central business district
of Hastings to the west.
The line is owned and operated by Hastings Borough Council and has the following technical parameters:
Construction of the line was started in 1889 by a private operator, the Hastings Lift Company. The line met with local opposition, which meant that the work took longer to complete than originally envisaged, and construction costs were over 50% higher than envisaged. The line finally opened in 1891, and was originally powered by a gas engine
.
The first operator went bankrupt in 1894, probably as a result of the construction delays and cost overrun. The Hastings Passenger Lift Company took over and operated the line until 1947, when Hastings Borough Council bought the line. It was converted to electric operation in 1971. To mark the railway's centenary year, the line was fully refurbished in 1991.
The West Hill Lift is complemented by the East Hill Cliff Lift
, giving visitors access to Hastings Country Park
.
Funicular
A funicular, also known as an inclined plane or cliff railway, is a cable railway in which a cable attached to a pair of tram-like vehicles on rails moves them up and down a steep slope; the ascending and descending vehicles counterbalance each other.-Operation:The basic principle of funicular...
located in the English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
seaside town of Hastings
Hastings
Hastings is a town and borough in the county of East Sussex on the south coast of England. The town is located east of the county town of Lewes and south east of London, and has an estimated population of 86,900....
. It runs largely in tunnel, and provides access to Hastings Castle
Hastings Castle
Hastings Castle is situated in the town of Hastings, East Sussex .Before or immediately after landing in England in 1066 William of Normandy ordered three fortifications to be built, Pevensey Castle in September 1066, Hastings and Dover, a few days after the battle. Hastings Castle was originally...
and St Clement's Caves from George Street, on the town's sea front. The West Hill overlooks the sea to the south, the Old Town to the east, and the current central business district
Central business district
A central business district is the commercial and often geographic heart of a city. In North America this part of a city is commonly referred to as "downtown" or "city center"...
of Hastings to the west.
The line is owned and operated by Hastings Borough Council and has the following technical parameters:
- Length: 500 feet (152.4 m)
- Height difference: 170 feet (51.8 m)
- Gradient: 33%
- Cars: 2
- Capacity: 16 passengers per car
- Configuration: Double track
- Gauge: 6 feet (1.8 m)
- Traction: Electricity
Construction of the line was started in 1889 by a private operator, the Hastings Lift Company. The line met with local opposition, which meant that the work took longer to complete than originally envisaged, and construction costs were over 50% higher than envisaged. The line finally opened in 1891, and was originally powered by a gas engine
Gas engine
A gas engine means an engine running on a gas, such as coal gas, producer gas biogas, landfill gas, or natural gas. In the UK, the term is unambiguous...
.
The first operator went bankrupt in 1894, probably as a result of the construction delays and cost overrun. The Hastings Passenger Lift Company took over and operated the line until 1947, when Hastings Borough Council bought the line. It was converted to electric operation in 1971. To mark the railway's centenary year, the line was fully refurbished in 1991.
The West Hill Lift is complemented by the East Hill Cliff Lift
East Hill Cliff Railway
East Hill Cliff Railway, or East Hill Lift, is a funicular railway located in the English seaside town of Hastings. It provides access to Hastings Country Park via the East Hill, which overlooks the Old Town and Rock-a-Nore, an area to the east of Hastings...
, giving visitors access to Hastings Country Park
Hastings Country Park
Hastings Country Park was formed in 1974 and covers east of Hastings in England. Sandstone cliffs, glens covered with gorse and trees, footpaths, nature trails, picnic areas and ample car parking are some of the features at the country park...
.
External links
- Article on Hastings Cliff Railways from The Heritage Trail web site
- Article on Hastings Cliff Railways from the Funicular Railways of the UK web site