U.K. Field Trip Part 6 – Severn Valley: The Bridgnorth Cliff Railway
Click on each image for a closer look!
The railway heritage of Bridgnorth is not limited to the Severn Valley Railway, as the town is split in to into the “High” town on the rocky outcropping, and the “Low” town built along the river, getting between the two parts has been a challenge. Numerous narrow staircases and alleys climb the cliff, but in typical Victorian ingenuity, to address the 200 step climbs, in 1890 a project was commenced to construct a funicular railway linking the two parts of town. Opened in 1892, the Cliff Railway remains an important part of the transportation network for local residents, and a tourist attraction in its own right. The line consists of two compartments, which are linked together and using gravity and a cable pulley system, as one car descends the cliff, the other rises up. The railway operates 362 days a year, and a trip up or down takes about 1 minute and 15 seconds.
Description of images:
#1 – Cliff Railway
#2 – Looking up the cliff
#3 – On the way Up
#4 – Compartment and low town
#5 – Cable System
Click here to read the next posting in this series.
Posting and pictures by Stephen Gardiner and Heather Meger