214 Vacation: UK – Bridgnorth Cliff Railway

Bridgnorth Cliff Railway

Opened: 7 July 1892

Length: 201 feet. Vertical Rise: 111 feet. Incline: 33 degree.

Total Time: 1 and a quarter minutes.

It is one of the steepest and shortest railways in the country.

Bridgnorth is a small town in Shropshire, England, situated on the Severn Valley. The town is split into High Town and Low Town, by River Severn. The High Town and Low Town are named on account of their elevations relative to the River Severn. The Bridgnorth Cliff Railway links the High Town [adjacent to the ruins of Bridgenorth Castle], with the Low Town [adjacent to the River Sever].

Bridgnorth Cliff Railway is a funicular railways. It is one of the four inland furnicular railways in UK, other inland being: Clifton Rocks Railway in Bristol [closed]; the Lynton and Lynmouth Cliff Railway in Devon, and the Constitutional Hill Railway in Aberystwyth, Wales [closed]. There are about 15 more at English seaside towns.

Originally the railway was powered by a simple system using water and gravity, but were converted in 1943-44 to run on electricity. Then in 1955 new cars were installed on the railway; able to carry 18 passengers each, these cars are still in use today.

Length: 201 feet.
Vertical Rise: 111 feet.
Incline 33 degree.
Total time taken: 1 and a quarter minutes
The Railway help avoid the climb of 200 steps from Low to High Town.