Funiculars Archives - Penny Travels

Scarborough is a popular North Yorkshire seaside town that many think of as on two levels. The bays are obviously at sea level, but the main part of the town with shops and accommodation is at the top of the cliff. Walking down to the bay can be quite nice, but the trip back up, especially after a long day is hard going. Even more so if you have children with you. There’s no wonder then that over the years Scarborough has had a total of five cliff lifts, or cliff railways, and two of them remain operational today. Possibly the most famous being the Central Tramway Company.

A picture of the outside of the lower station on teh Central Tramway Company. The sign reads Victorian Tramway to Town. — The entrance to the tramway on the South Bay

Where to find Scarborough’s Cliff Railway

Running on Scarborough’s South Bay the top station is located between the Grand Hotel and the Town Hall and the bottom one is next to the massive Olympia amusement arcade. For most of the year the railway runs 7 days of the week, with only some weekday closures in December and January for maintenance. Normally open by 10am, the railway runs until 9.45pm in the summer months.

The history of Scarborough’s Cliff Railway

Originally built in 1881 the Central Tramway got its name because its was centrally located between two other cliff railways in the town – the South Cliff Tramway Company (now the Spa Cliff Lift, which is still operating) and the Queens Parade Cliff Lift (closed in 1887).

Inside one of the tramcars. Fares correct as of April 2024.

The first Tramway (the South Cliff one) linked the hotels of the South Cliff Esplanade with the panoramic South Bay beach and entertainment venue of the Spa and had been so popular with tourists that local business men were keen to repeat that success.

The Central Tramway Company now holds the position of the oldest surviving Tramway Company in the UK.

Technical facts

The gauge of the railway is 4 ft 8+¹⁄₂ in (1,435 mm) and there is a track length of 248 feet (76 m). There is a gradient of 1:2. The tramway being a funicular means that both cars are attached to each other with cables and as one car ascends the other descends.

At the Central Tramway the two cars are named Grand and Olympia. They are identical (with the exception often placement of a small wooden mouse) and the names are mainly used for operational and engineering purposes to differentiate between the two. The cars are driven remotely by a driver who sits in a booth at the top station.

A carved wooden mouse sitting on a plaque on the window sill own a moving tramcar. — A wooden mouse found inside one of the tramcars

Tramway practicalities – when does it run and how much does it cost?

The Central Tramway provides an on demand service, so there is no need to book. Both stations have been through a significant refurbishment and make the most of their Victorian heritage in the way this has been done incredibly sympathetically. The two tram units themselves were refurbished in 2022 and, along with work to install a new Programmable logic controller drive system in 2019, means that the system makes the most of modern computer technology and the latest safety measures.

A picture of one of the tramcars half way down the tracks and the second car visible just starting its ascent. The bottom station and the sea can be seen in the background. — A tramcar leaving the top station in 2019

You pay for Scarborough’s Cliff Railway at the top station. If you’re coming up from the bay you pay upon exiting once at the top station. At the time of writing a return ticket costs £2.60 and one way is £1.40. Children 5 and under are free.

A picture showing the top station. The long building has a small clocktower on top, is mainly wooden in construction painted in cream and Burgundy. The words Tramway to Beach are along the side of the building and at the end it says Victorian Tramway to the beach. — The top station, located between the Town Hall and the Grand Hotel in Scarborough

At the top station is a small “shop” (more of a display unit with things to buy on it!) which is perfect if you want a little something to remember your trip from. Disappointingly, no sew on badges to be had, but sadly that seems to be the way in so many places lately.

For more details on the Central Tramway Company then take a look at their website.

Did you know?

Scarborough’s Grand Hotel, located near the Tramways top station) was spared from destruction in the Second World War as it is believed that Hitler had identified it as where he wanted to rule Britain from once he had invaded!

A fan of a cliff railway?

If you are then why not take a look at what we thought of the Southend Cliff Lift when we visited there and you can also read there about the difference between a cliff railway and a cliff lift, and so we should really be referring to this as Scarborough’s Cliff Funicular. Real cliff lift, railway and funicular fans may also be interested in this book which they were selling at the small shop they have at the top station, or this wider covering one.

A funicular or not?

The definition fo funicular is as follows:

adjective

(of a railway, especially one on a mountainside) operating by cable with ascending and descending cars counterbalanced.

relating to a rope or its tension.

The problem, in Southend’s case, being that there is only once car. However the sign at the bottom of the cliff lift says the following:

The Cliff Lift is a counter-balanced funicular railway – a funicular, also known as an inclined plane or cliff railway, is a cable railway in which a cable moves a carriage up and down a steep slope.

I’m guessing that at least makes it a discussion point! As far as 2 year old Tube Stop Baby was concerned it was a “baby train”, and one that she was very excited to be able to press the button to operate.

A two year old girl wearing a yellow coat and pink bobble hat is pressing the button to operate the lift whilst under the watchful eye of one of the volunteers who is stood next to her wearing a jacket with reflective stripes, a lanyard round his neck, a black face mask and a flat cap.

Operating the cliff lift

History of the Southend Cliff Lift

The Southend Cliff Lift originally opened on August Bank Holiday Monday in 1912, and goes between the Western Esplanade and Clifftown Parade. It only covers a distance of 40m (albeit with a 43% gradient), but at just 50p a ride you can’t complain.

A view up the tracks of the Southend cliff lift, taken from just outside the lower station and looking up the steps that run next to the tracks.

Looking up the tracks

Originally the site hosted an innovative moving walkway that as installed in 1901, but being open to the seaside elements it proved to be unreliable and was then replaced by the funicular instead. In its lifetime the cliff lift has been closed on three occasions to allow for major restorations – 1930, 1059 and 1990. In 2003 a malfunction with the counterweight meant that it was out of action for 7 years in total. Major corrosion was found in the structure, and around this time the council also received Heritage Lottery Fund funding to restore the neighbouring Cliff Gardens including the lift stations. The lift wasn’t re-opened until 2010 at which point it had not only refurbished stations, but all a new carriage, tracks. winding gear and electrical and control systems. I fear that if the Lottery funding hadn’t been there the lift might not be there today.

The lower station of the Southend Cliff Lift with the lift carriage seen ascending.

The Lower Cliff Lift Station

Visiting the Cliff Lift

Covid obviously closed the lift for a period, but when we went in November 2021 it was running with volunteers manning the lift and charging 50p a ride. The aim to open from 10am to 3pm in winter and until 6pm in summer, but this is dependent on volunteers being available. I was told the most accurate way to keep track of it they’re open or not is via their Facebook page. Technically the lift is part of Southend Museums Service.

Prittwell Gardens

There’s obviously plenty to see at the lower end of the lift with the Pier and its railway just a short walk away. At the top station we took a short walk along to the stunningly beautiful Prittwell Gardens and also spent a while looking at the statue of Queen Victoria pointing out to sea with her disproportionally long right forearm. Go and have a look and you’ll see what I mean!