Aberystwyth Cliff Railway
Encyclopedia
The Aberystwyth Cliff Railway is a funicular
railway in Aberystwyth
, Ceredigion
, Wales
. Opened in 1896, it is the longest funicular railway in the United Kingdom
.
, a Victorian development on the hill of the same name built by the Aberystwyth Improvement Company, and form of early theme park. It consisted of arcades and a restaurant at the foot of the hill, the railway, and at the top of the hill a camera obscura
and park. Constitution Hill was designed and engineered by George Croydon Marks, who later became a Liberal
peer, who at the same time designed the new pavilion for the Royal Pier
.
As part of Constitution Hill, Croydon-Marks designed into the development a meandering footpath as an alternate route. To allow this to pass over the railway on a footbridge, in the midsection 12,000 tonnes of rock were excavated to provide the railway with a lower path.
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...
railway in Aberystwyth
Aberystwyth
Aberystwyth is a historic market town, administrative centre and holiday resort within Ceredigion, Wales. Often colloquially known as Aber, it is located at the confluence of the rivers Ystwyth and Rheidol....
, Ceredigion
Ceredigion
Ceredigion is a county and former kingdom in mid-west Wales. As Cardiganshire , it was created in 1282, and was reconstituted as a county under that name in 1996, reverting to Ceredigion a day later...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
. Opened in 1896, it is the longest funicular railway in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
Development
The railway is part of Constitution HillConstitution Hill, Aberystwyth
Constitution Hill is a hill found at the northern end of the Aberystwyth promenade, overlooking Cardigan Bay in Ceredigion, Wales.Aberystwyth Cliff Railway climbs to the summit, which is home to a cafe.-External links:* *...
, a Victorian development on the hill of the same name built by the Aberystwyth Improvement Company, and form of early theme park. It consisted of arcades and a restaurant at the foot of the hill, the railway, and at the top of the hill a camera obscura
Camera obscura
The camera obscura is an optical device that projects an image of its surroundings on a screen. It is used in drawing and for entertainment, and was one of the inventions that led to photography. The device consists of a box or room with a hole in one side...
and park. Constitution Hill was designed and engineered by George Croydon Marks, who later became a Liberal
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
peer, who at the same time designed the new pavilion for the Royal Pier
Royal Pier, Aberystwyth
The Royal Pier, Aberystwyth is a pleasure pier located in Aberystwyth, Ceredigion, Wales. The first pier to open in Wales in 1865, after a series of storm attacks, it is now a much shortened version of its originally constructed length of .-Construction:...
.
As part of Constitution Hill, Croydon-Marks designed into the development a meandering footpath as an alternate route. To allow this to pass over the railway on a footbridge, in the midsection 12,000 tonnes of rock were excavated to provide the railway with a lower path.