East Hill Cliff Railway, or East Hill Lift, is a

funicular railway A funicular (, , ) is a type of cable railway system that connects points along a railway track laid on a steep slope. The system is characterized by two counterbalanced carriages (also called cars or trains) permanently attached to opposite en ...

located in the

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

seaside town of

Hastings Hastings () is a large seaside town and borough in East Sussex on the south coast of England, east to the county town of Lewes and south east of London. The town gives its name to the Battle of Hastings, which took place to the north-west ...

. It provides access to

Hastings Country Park Hastings Country Park was formed in 1974 and covers east of Hastings in England. Sandstone cliffs, glens covered with gorse and trees, footpaths, nature trails, picnic areas and ample car parking are some of the features at the country park. Set ...

via the East Hill, which overlooks the

Old Town In a city or town, the old town is its historic or original core. Although the city is usually larger in its present form, many cities have redesignated this part of the city to commemorate its origins after thorough renovations. There are ma ...

and Rock-a-Nore, an area to the east of Hastings. The line provides views over The Stade, home to the largest beach-launched fishing fleet in Europe. The line is owned and operated by Hastings Borough Council and has the following technical parameters: *Length: ' *Gradient: ''78%'' *Cars: ''2'' *Capacity: ''16 passengers per car'' *Configuration: ''

Double track A double-track railway usually involves running one track in each direction, compared to a single-track railway where trains in both directions share the same track. Overview In the earliest days of railways in the United Kingdom, most lin ...

'' *Gauge: ' *Traction: ''Electricity'' The line was opened in August 1902 by Hastings Borough Council. It was originally operated on the

water balance The law of water balance states that the inflows to any water system or area is equal to its outflows plus change in storage during a time interval. In hydrology, a water balance equation can be used to describe the flow of water in and out of ...

principle, and the twin towers of the upper station contained water tanks for this purpose. The line was modernised between 1973 and 1976, during which time it was converted to electric operation and new cars were provided. The line was shut in June 2007 because of an incident where a fault in a control panel caused the cars to fail to stop at the correct point, resulting in damage to both cars and stations. In 2008, Hastings Borough Council decided on a major refurbishment involving new cars and new control and safety systems, together with repairs to the damaged stations. The line reopened in March 2010. Following the closure of lines in

Broadstairs Broadstairs is a coastal town on the Isle of Thanet in the Thanet district of east Kent, England, about east of London. It is part of the civil parish of Broadstairs and St Peter's, which includes St Peter's, and had a population in 2011 of ...

and

Margate Margate is a seaside resort, seaside town on the north coast of Kent in south-east England. The town is estimated to be 1.5 miles long, north-east of Canterbury and includes Cliftonville, Garlinge, Palm Bay, UK, Palm Bay and Westbrook, Kent, ...

,Margate Cliff Railway (Cliftonville Lido)
(1913-1970s) the East Hill Cliff Railway is now the steepest funicular railway in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...

. It is complemented by the

West Hill Cliff Railway The West Hill Cliff Railway, or West Hill Lift, is a funicular railway located in the English seaside town of Hastings. It runs largely in tunnel, and provides access to Hastings Castle and St Clement's Caves from George Street, on the town' ...

, which provides access to

Hastings Castle Hastings Castle is a keep and bailey castle ruin situated in the town of Hastings, East Sussex. It overlooks the English Channel, into which large parts of the castle have fallen over the years. History Immediately after landing in England ...

and the Smugglers Adventure in St. Clements Caves. A model of the East Hill Cliff Railway is on public display at the

Brighton Toy and Model Museum Brighton Toy and Model Museum (sometimes referred to as Brighton Toy Museum) is an independent toy museum situated in Brighton, East Sussex (registered charity no. 1001560). Its collection focuses on toys and models produced in the UK and ...

References

External links

Article on Hastings Cliff Railways from ''The Heritage Trail'' web site
* ttp://www.hastingschoice.co.uk/HASTINGS-PHOTOS/days-gone-by/html/Cliff-Railway.htm Archive photo looking down railway from top station (c1925)br>Article about sound installation in the East Hill Cliff Railway as part of the 2018 Coastal Currents Art Festival

{{Hastings Transport in Hastings Funicular railways in the United Kingdom Tourist attractions in East Sussex Former water-powered funicular railways converted to electricity 5 ft gauge railways in the United Kingdom Railway lines opened in 1903

See also

References

External links