Scarborough is well known for being a tourist hotspot, especially in the better weather. It’s no secret however that the main shopping areas and beachfront are separated by a steep and sharp cliff face. It is perhaps no surprise that Scarborough has seen 5 funicular cliff railways built in it’s lifetime to make access between the cliff top and beachfront easier. Two of these are still operational today.
South Cliff Lift
The South Cliff lift is not only the oldest funicular in the country, it is infact the first. Originally opened in 1875, the cliff lift connects the beachfront of the South Cliff with Scarborough Spa at the summit. The railway originally used seawater to act as a counterbalance in order to allow the cars to ascend and descend, however there have been a number of modifications over the decades, most notably between 1935 and 1947 where the water system was replaced by an electric engine.
Central Tramway
Following on from the construction of the South Cliff Lift, a second company was formed with the goal of constructing another funicular, this time between Foreshore Road and St Nicholas Gardens. The Central Tramway opened in 1881 and remains operational to this day.
The main reason for opening in this location was due to the proximity to the Grand Hotel. Demand was so great at a time for the funicular, that this prompted the construction of the St Nicholas Cliff Lift in 1929 to help ease the burden. The St Nicholas Cliff Lift still exists today and is on the opposite side of the Grand Hotel however it was taken out of service in 2007. The railway tracks still remain but the railway lift cars have been raised to the top of the lift and fixed in place. It’s found a new lease of life as a café.