Lynton and Lynmouth Cliff Railway

The Lynton and Lynmouth Cliff Railway is a water ballast train that connects the neighboring towns of Lynton and Lynmouth on the north coast of Devon with each other.

Prehistory

The high cliff that separates the two neighboring towns, in the 19th century was a major obstacle to the economic development of the region. Because of the remoteness of this area and difficult terrain, coal, lime, food and other essential goods were usually delivered by sea and then had to pack horses and carts are made ​​up the steep hill to Lynton.

Also presented for the emergence of tourism the cliff represents a problem since about 1820 tourists came from Bristol, Swansea and other ports on the Bristol Channel with paddle steamers into Lynmouth. You were ponies, donkeys and carts available, but due to the steep paths the animals had only a short working life.

The first proposals for a funicular railway for the transport of persons and goods were made in 1881, but they saw steam drive before.

Construction

The water ballast train was by George Marks (later Baron Marks of Woolwich, 1858-1938 ) designed and predominantly from the publisher Sir George Newnes ( 1851-1910 ) financed. This had at the nearby Hill Hollerday a large estate and also supported the construction of the Lynton & Barnstaple Railway and the Town Hall of Lynton.

The works, which were made entirely by hand, began in 1887 and were completed in less than three years.

Operation

The cable car was opened on Easter Monday in 1890 and has since been in operation. An Act of Parliament called in 1888 the Lynmouth & Lynton Lift Company into being, another gave the company perpetual rights to the water in the Lyn Valley.

Unusually for such a train is a breakpoint with road access below the top station. This was used to transport more cargo. To the construction of the carriage can be removed in order to obtain a flat bed. The first cars were made ​​up the mountain. In the winter of 2006 rails were replaced, the breakpoint served as a much -used access and storage space.

The web is now a protected monument.

Technology

The two cars to the cable car, each of which can accommodate 40 people, are connected together by a revolving cable. This runs at each end of the line via a deflection roller of 1.7 m diameter.

Through a pipe of 130 mm diameter water is led by more than a mile distant West Lynn River in the tank under the floor of the upper carriage. Each car has a fuel tank of 3.2 cubic meters capacity. Thereafter, as long as water is drained from the lower carriage until the upper car is heavier and begins to roll down. On each car travels with a brakeman and controls the speed.

The cable car runs on two adjoining tracks with a gauge of 3 ' 9 "( 1143 mm). Only half-way between the tracks is larger, so that the cars can pass each other. The track is 263 meters long and covers a difference in altitude of 150 meters, which corresponds to a slope of 57%.