Fisherman's Walk Cliff Railway
Encyclopedia
The Fisherman's Walk Cliff Railway, or Southbourne Cliff Railway, is a funicular railway
located in Southbourne
, a seaside suburb of the English
seaside resort
of Bournemouth
. The line serves to link the seaside promenade and beach with the cliff top and the town behind.
The line is owned and operated by Bournemouth Borough Council
and has the following technical parameters:
Opened in 1935 by Bournemouth Corporation, Fisherman's Walk Cliff Railway is the most recent of the town's three lines. Traction was originally provided by a 21 hp electric motor
, although this was replaced in the 1960s.
The Fisherman's Walk Cliff Railway is one of three such cliff railways in Bournemouth, the other two being the West Cliff Railway and the East Cliff Railway
. All three operate between April and October.
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 Southbourne
Southbourne, Dorset
Southbourne is a suburb of Bournemouth. It is the most easterly part of the borough, between Boscombe and Christchurch, Dorset. The area was previously known as Stourfield....
, a seaside suburb of 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 resort
Seaside resort
A seaside resort is a resort, or resort town, located on the coast. Where a beach is the primary focus for tourists, it may be called a beach resort.- Overview :...
of Bournemouth
Bournemouth
Bournemouth is a large coastal resort town in the ceremonial county of Dorset, England. According to the 2001 Census the town has a population of 163,444, making it the largest settlement in Dorset. It is also the largest settlement between Southampton and Plymouth...
. The line serves to link the seaside promenade and beach with the cliff top and the town behind.
The line is owned and operated by Bournemouth Borough Council
Bournemouth (borough)
Bournemouth Borough Council is the local authority of Bournemouth in Dorset, England. The council is now a unitary authority, although between 1974 and 1997 it was an administrative district council with Dorset...
and has the following technical parameters:
- Length: 128 feet (39 m)
- Gradient: 1:1.49
- Cars: 2
- Capacity: 12 passengers per car
- Configuration: Double track
- Gauge: 5 in 8 in (1.73 m)
- Traction: Electricity
Opened in 1935 by Bournemouth Corporation, Fisherman's Walk Cliff Railway is the most recent of the town's three lines. Traction was originally provided by a 21 hp electric motor
Electric motor
An electric motor converts electrical energy into mechanical energy.Most electric motors operate through the interaction of magnetic fields and current-carrying conductors to generate force...
, although this was replaced in the 1960s.
The Fisherman's Walk Cliff Railway is one of three such cliff railways in Bournemouth, the other two being the West Cliff Railway and the East Cliff Railway
East Cliff Railway
The East Cliff Railway, or East Cliff Lift, is a funicular railway located in the English seaside resort of Bournemouth. The line serves to link the seaside promenade and beach with the cliff top and the town behind....
. All three operate between April and October.
External links
- Article on Bournemouth's Cliff Railways from The Heritage Trail web site
- Article on Bournemouth's Cliff Railways from the Funicular Railways of the UK web site