Shipley Glen Tramway (25th September 2010)

The Shipley Glen Tramway is a historic

funicular 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 ...

tram A tram (called a streetcar or trolley in North America) is a rail vehicle that travels on tramway tracks on public urban streets; some include segments on segregated right-of-way. The tramlines or networks operated as public transport ...

way located in the wooded

Shipley Glen Shipley is a historic market town and civil parish in the City of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England, by the River Aire and the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, north of Bradford. The population of the Shipley ward on Bradford City Council taken at ...

near the village of

Saltaire Saltaire is a Victorian model village in Shipley, part of the City of Bradford Metropolitan District, in West Yorkshire, England. The Victorian era Salt's Mill and associated residential district located by the River Aire and Leeds and ...

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 ...

county of

West Yorkshire West Yorkshire is a metropolitan and ceremonial county in the Yorkshire and Humber Region of England. It is an inland and upland county having eastward-draining valleys while taking in the moors of the Pennines. West Yorkshire came into exi ...

. The lower station of the

is some by foot from Saltaire railway station, and a similar distance from the historic

Salts Mill Salts Mill (sometimes spelled Salt's Mill) is a former textile mill, now an art gallery, shopping centre, and restaurant complex in Saltaire, Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. It was built by Sir Titus Salt in 1853, and the present-day 1853 ...

, now occupied by shops and restaurants as well as the

David Hockney David Hockney (born 9 July 1937) is an English painter, draftsman, printmaker, stage designer, and photographer. As an important contributor to the pop art movement of the 1960s, he is considered one of the most influential British artists o ...

gallery.

Operation

The line is operated by volunteer staff on behalf of a charitable trust, Shipley Glen Tramway Preservation Co Ltd.

History

The line was opened on 18 May 1895 by Sam Wilson, a local publican, showman and entrepreneur. It was intended to ease access to a number of other, now long closed, attractions at Shipley Glen, including a wooden

toboggan A toboggan is a simple sled traditionally used by children. It is also a traditional form of transport used by the Innu and Cree of northern Canada. In modern times, it is used on snow to carry one or more people (often children) down a hill ...

ride and a massive fairground. As built, the line was powered by a

gas engine A gas engine is an internal combustion engine that runs on a gaseous fuel, such as coal gas, producer gas, biogas, landfill gas or natural gas. In the United Kingdom, the term is unambiguous. In the United States, due to the widespread use of ...

. Since 1920 the line has been electrically operated. In 2002, operation of the line was taken over by a charitable trust under a lease from

Bradford City Council City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council is the local authority of the City of Bradford in West Yorkshire, England. It is a metropolitan district council, one of five in West Yorkshire and one of 36 in the metropolitan counties of England ...

. The tramway was temporarily closed in 2010, to bring it up to modern safety standards. This involved fitting the two tramcars with new

chassis A chassis (, ; plural ''chassis'' from French châssis ) is the load-bearing framework of an artificial object, which structurally supports the object in its construction and function. An example of a chassis is a vehicle frame, the underpar ...

, wheels and decks, and improving braking systems on both cars and haulage drum. The line reopened in 2011.

References

External links

Shipley Glen Tramway web site

* ttp://www.bronte-country.com/shipley-glen-tramway.html Bronte-country.com: The Shipley Glen Tramway, with link to images.
Yorkshire Escapes: Shipley Glen Tramway, story and images.

YouTube: Shipley Glen Tramway filmed in 1989; 7.5 mins.

Visitbradford.com: Shipley Glen Cable Tramway, details including directions to site.

Telegraph & Argus: On track for a great day out, by Emma Clayton, 19 January 2009
Written before tramway closed down for brakes repair. {{Railway stations in the City of Bradford Funicular railways in the United Kingdom Tourist attractions in the City of Bradford Shipley, West Yorkshire 20 in gauge railways in England

Operation

History

See also

References

External links