Hastings East Hill Railway

Unlike some resorts that boast more than one funicular railway, at Hastings the two railways could not be more different despite the fact that they were both originally designed on the water-balance principle. The East Hill railway is a far more striking addition to the town, simply because it can actually be seen! This was cut into the face of the cliff, whereas the West Hill railway is largely hidden in a tunnel dug through the cliff.

Designed by borough engineer P H Palmer, with machinery supplied by Easton and Company Limited, this railway was constructed by the town's unemployed men folk. Although initially opening on 9th April 1903, the official opening ceremony took place one week later and was performed by Lady Meyrick. The two parallel tracks are 5ft (1.5m) gauge and extend for 267ft (81m) in a cutting that is 22ft (6.5m) wide and runs to a maximum depth of 120ft (36m). Each track has two 'safety' timbers running down the centre. These serve a dual purpose by constituting part of the car's emergency braking arrangements, as well as housing the rollers that support the cabling. A series of steps were constructed on the eastern side of the cutting to facilitate general works access and maintenance. Operating at an incline of 1:1.28, East Hill Railway is the steepest cliff railway in Britain.

Entrance buildings were erected at both ends of the line, again in total contrast to each other. The larger of the two buildings is found at the upper terminus, and bears a striking resemblance to that of a small castle. Constructed of brick with a stone facing, the building contained toilets, a waiting room, and an underground machinery room. The towers were designed to conceal the two 1200 gallon water tanks required to provide water for the hydraulic operation of the cars. The lower ticket office and waiting room however is more in keeping with a part-timbered country cottage, as opposed to a castle. A holding tank, for the discharged water from the descending passenger car, was constructed adjacent to the lower station. This water would be electrically pumped back up to replenish the tanks at the top station. Originally, the wooden cars used could carry 20 passengers but these were replaced in 1976 with the present cars that hold only 16.

In 1973 a water pump failure forced the temporary closure of the line, and the decision was taken to modernise the East Cliff Railway and convert it to electric winding. This major project revealed other issues that needed to be addressed, as is so often the case with an ageing structure, and it was a further three years before all work had been completed. Today the railway continues to operate all year round, with return tickets available from the lower station.

Hastings West Hill Railway

The seaside town of Hastings boasts two cliff railways, but the West Hill Railway is both the oldest working example of its type, and the most inconspicuous. Unlike its younger neighbour, the East Hill Railway, it is not immediately visible when walking or driving through the modern town due to its unique design. Almost the entire length of the railway travels through the cliff as opposed to over it. There were two other railways constructed in this manner, one at Broadstairs in Kent and one at Clifton in Somerset, but they have long since ceased operation.

The line was conceived to carry passengers from George Street on the promenade, to the ruins of Hastings Castle at the top of Castle Hill. Construction of the West Hill Railway commenced in January 1889 but met with considerable local opposition, resulting in the work taking much longer to complete than originally envisaged. This, in turn, increased construction costs by over 50% and was almost certainly responsible for the original owners, the Hastings Lift Company, going into liquidation in 1894.

Built by Messrs A H Holme & C W King of Liverpool (who subsequently built the Snowdon Mountain Railway), the railway was of a funicular type, comprising two parallel lengths of track running on a 1: 2.9 gradient, and rising some 170ft (51.5m). Some 402ft (121.8m) of the track's total length of 500ft (151.5m) is enclosed within an 18ft (5.4m) x 19ft (5.7m) cylindrical tunnel, constructed from 1.75 million bricks. In common with most railways of this type, the two cars were joined by wire cables and controlled by winding gear situated in the upper station. Messrs Waygood & Company of London (later becoming part of the Otis Group) supplied the equipment. The George Street entrance building was constructed by Elliot's Patent Stone Company, and the whole project was overseen by a local firm of engineers, F & J Plowman.

The cars are of a box-type construction, mounted on a triangular frame, and were supplied by the Midland Railway Carriage & Wagon Company. Each car could carry 16 people, 12 seated and 4 standing. Winding gear for the carriages was initially powered by a Crossley Gas engine, then replaced with a Tangye diesel engine in 1924, and is now run by an electric motor that was fitted in 1971.

Mr Wilson Noble, MP for Hastings, opened the West Hill Railway on 25th March 1891. Following the financial problems of the Hastings Lift Company, the Hastings Passenger Lift Company acquired the railway in 1894, maintaining it until they sold it on to Hastings Borough Council in 1947. To mark the railway's centenary year, the line was fully refurbished in 1991 and continues to take passengers up to the ruins of Hastings Castle, and to the 'Smugglers Adventure' located in St Clement's caves.