Clifton Rocks Railway, Underground funicular railway in Clifton, United Kingdom
The Clifton Rocks Railway is a decommissioned funicular railway that runs through a limestone tunnel carved into the Avon Gorge. It once linked Clifton with Hotwells and Bristol Harbour using a clever water-balance system for propulsion.
Built between 1891 and 1893 by engineer George Croydon Marks, the railway used a water-balance system for movement. It operated for four decades before closing in 1934 as transport preferences changed.
The name comes from its location within the Clifton Rocks of the Avon Gorge, where it carved through the limestone landscape. Visitors today can experience how this transport link once served as a vital daily connection between two busy parts of Victorian Bristol.
The Clifton Rocks Railway Trust manages the site today and offers guided tours through the preserved sections. You can walk through parts of the tunnel and learn about how the system worked from experienced guides.
After the railway closed, the tunnel was repurposed as a secret BBC transmission base during World War II. The hidden station maintained crucial broadcasting links throughout the conflict using the existing tunnel infrastructure.
Location: City of Bristol
Official opening: March 11, 1893
GPS coordinates: 51.45400,-2.62547
Latest update: December 10, 2025 15:58
Clifton Suspension Bridge
194 m
Avon Gorge
196 m
White Lion Inn
92 m
House Adjoining And Part Of St Vincent's Rocks Hotel
28 m
St Vincent's Rocks Hotel And Attached Front Area Walls, Railings And Piers
29 m
The Portcullis
178 m
Arc Lamp Post Approximately 3 Metres East Of Number 11
89 m
113, Princess Victoria Street
113 m
Number 9 And Attached Area Railings And Gates
109 m
Numbers 1 And 2 And Attached Front Area Railings
304 m
Gas Lamp Post Approximately 2 Metres West Of Number 2
296 m
1-10 Princes Buildings
154 m
Number 8 And Attached Area Railings And Gates
96 m
The Clifton Spa Pump Room
24 m
Arc Lamp Post Approximately 3 Metres East Of Number 6
147 m
121, Princess Victoria Street
100 m
18 And 19, Wellington Terrace
106 m
Numbers 4 And 5 And Attached Area Railings And Piers
61 m
Number 7 And Attached Area Railings, Gates And Piers
83 m
Numbers 2 And 3 And Attached Area Railings, Gate And Piers
49 m
Number 6 And Attached Area Railings, Gates And Piers
71 m
Arc Lamp Post Approximately 5 Metres West Of Number 1
41 m
Numbers 1 To 14 (consecutive) And Attached Front Area Railings
260 m
The Colonnade And Attached Front Garden Railings
144 m
Number 9A And Attached Area Railings
114 m
Raised Pavement , Piers And Attached Railings Fronting Numbers 1 To 10
179 m
4 And 5, Wellington Terrace
164 m
Arc Lamp Post At West End Of York Gardens
213 mVisited this place? Tap the stars to rate it and share your experience / photos with the community! Try now! You can cancel it anytime.
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