Volk's Electric Railway

Volk's Electric Railway is a narrow-gauge heritage line that runs 1.6 kilometers along the eastern seafront of Brighton, serving three stations between Black Rock and Brighton Pier. The open-sided carriages travel directly beside the shingle beach, offering views of the sea and the Victorian buildings lining the coast throughout the journey.

Engineer Magnus Volk opened this electric railway in August 1883, making it the first public electric railway in Britain. Volk experimented with different track gauges and technical solutions before the current route and track dimensions became established.

Locals affectionately call the railway the "Daddy Long Legs", a name derived from an earlier experimental line that ran on stilts through shallow water. Today, families ride the open-air carriages along the promenade, enjoying the sea breeze and coastal views that have drawn visitors for more than a century.

The railway operates from Easter through September, with trains stopping at all three stations to allow passengers to board and alight. The journey takes about 10 minutes for the full route, and service may be temporarily suspended during bad weather or high seas.

The original track gauge of 2 feet 8.5 inches (82.6 cm) has been maintained, and some of the carriages in service today date from the Edwardian era in the early 1900s. Magnus Volk personally operated the railway until his death in 1937, living in a house directly beside the terminal station.

Location: East Sussex

Official opening: August 3, 1883

Website: https://volksrailway.org.uk

GPS coordinates: 50.81820,-0.12910

Latest update: December 5, 2025 22:30