Scarborough funiculars

During 1873, the Scarborough South Cliff Tramway Company Limited was created to construct the first funicular railway in the United Kingdom. the upper car's water tank was filled until the counterbalance point was reached. Since opening, it has been refurbished several times; during 1879, the original gas engines were replaced by steam pumps. Between 1935 and 1947, operations were suspended for a time prior to the completion of another refurbishment, which involved the replacement of the water system by 90 hp electric engine. The cars were replaced by two built by Hudswell Clarke & Company in 1934–1935. During 1993, Scarborough Borough Council purchased the funicular from its owners. In 1997, the control infrastructure of the lift were extensively modified, enabling operations to be handled entirely by its automated systems. == Central Tramway ==

During the late 1870s, the Central Tramway Company, Scarborough Limited was formed with the goal of constructing another funicular, the Central Tramway. == St Nicholas Cliff Lift ==

The St Nicholas Cliff Lift () was built by the Medway Safety Lift Company Ltd in 1929 and opened on 5 August of that year. Completed at a cost of £6,000, the Saint Nicholas Cliff Lift is located on the other side of the Grand Hotel from the Central Tramway, near the Aquarium. The track is long on a 1 in 1.33 (75%) gradient, the track gauge is . The cost of demolishing the lift was estimated to be around £150,000. The lower station was converted into an ice cream parlor called The Seastrand. The rails the cars ran on are still present. == North Bay Cliff Lift ==

During early 1930, the North Bay Cliff Lift was constructed by the Medway Safety Lift Company Ltd as one element of the wider development of Peasholm Gap. Opening for the first time in August of that year, this lift was the only funicular serving the north bay throughout its operating life. The funicular was operated by a pair of cars running on parallel tracks, which had a length of and a width of . The propulsion system used an electric drive system. During September 1996, it was decided to close the lift permanently rather than undertake a series of repairs to correct mechanical issues and address corrosion, which had an estimated cost of £75,000 to complete. Over the following two years, it was entirely dismantled, with the remaining elements being donated to the Launceston Civic Society in 1998. Much of these assets are presently in storage at the Launceston Steam Railway in Launceston, Cornwall. == Queens Parade Cliff Lift ==

Observing the South Bay's first cliff railway, opened in 1875, to have been a success, proposals were rapidly actioned for a similar funicular to serve the neighboring North Bay. This first North Bay railway had two cars running on parallel tracks. In many respects, its configuration was that of a typical funicular. Its propulsion system involved a pair of counterbalanced water tanks, one underneath each car; these were alternatively filled and emptied while the cars were in either station to change the weight of the cars and thus move the cars via gravity alone. However, the Queens Parade Cliff Lift experienced a series of particularly unfortunate events. The opening day was marred by one of the carriages having broken free and crashed into the lower station, with the resulting damage forcing the immediate closure of the funicular. It was not able to reopen until repairs were complete during the following year. This apparent bad luck continued through a series of accidents, including multiple landslips and equipment failures. The quick succession of misfortune caused the railway's management to conclude that the venture was untenable, resulting in operations being permanently ceased during 1887, barely nine years after opening. The neighbouring pier was also ill-fated, being destroyed by a gale in 1905. == Ticketing ==

File:Scarborough St Nicholas Cliff Lift - Adult single down ticket.jpg|St Nicholas Cliff Lift ticket File:Scarborough South Cliff Lift - Adult single up ticket.jpg|South Cliff Lift ticket File:Scarborough South Cliff Lift - Adult single down ticket.jpg|South Cliff Lift ticket ==See also==