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.
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