The Volk’s Electric Railway is the World’s oldest operational electric railway built by Magnus Volk and opened in 1883.
The railway runs along the top of the beach in Brighton for just over a mile from Aquarium Station near the pier to Black Rock Station near the marina. Services cross at Halfway Station and there are additional passing loops between each terminal station and Halfway.
The railway still uses some of the original C19th cars and the return trip takes about 30 minutes.
There is an interesting exhibition about the Railway in the visitor centre. Volks was quite a kiddy and a prolific Victorian inventor. He brought the first telephone system to Brighton. He was the first person to install electricity in his house and this led to him being asked to illuminate the gardens of the Royal Pavilion. He installed a hydraulic clock in the clock tower as well as an early fire alarm system which connected police and fire stations.
Brighton was developing rapidly as a sea side town and Volk’s spotted an opportunity to develop an electric railway along the sea front. It was an immediate success and soon extended.
The railway is now run by Brighton Corporation and is as popular today with visitors of all ages. Some just go for the ride. Others use it to save the walk from Aquarium Station to Black Rock.
Website
https://volksrailway.org.uk/
