TR 23 NW 83 - Sandgate hill cliff railway - Historic Environment Record

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Monument record TR 23 NW 83 - Sandgate hill cliff railway

Summary

Sandgate Hill Cliff Railway was built sometime between 1873 and 1898 (possibly 1891). It had closed by 1938 and the tracks appear to have been lifted and removed, as shown on an Ordnance Survey Map (1938, 1:2500). It was operated on the water-balance principle, where the weight of a full water tank beneath the descending car was used to draw up the ascending car whose water tank was empty. It was controlled using brakes.

Location

Grid reference	TR 20 35 (point) LO
Map sheet	TR23NW
Civil Parish	FOLKESTONE, SHEPWAY, KENT
County	KENT
District	FOLKESTONE AND HYTHE, KENT

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Type and Period (1)

CLIFF RAILWAY (CLIFF RAILWAY, Post Medieval to Modern - 1873 AD to 1938 AD)

Full Description

c. TR 210354. Cliff railway serving Sandgate Hill. Sandgate Hill Cliff Railway was built sometime between 1873 and 1898. It had closed by 1938 and the tracks lifted, or left derelict. It was operated on the water-balance principle, where the weight of a full water tank beneath the descending car was used to draw up the ascending car whosewater tank was empty. Control was by brakes. (1) This cliff railway may be the switchback refered to by Brodie and Winter in England's Seaside Resorts. This states that it was 40 feet (12 metres) high, opened in 1891 and was dismantled between 1919-20 [2]

<1> Ind Arch of SE Eng 1978 18 (A J Haselfoot) (OS Card Reference). SKE44216.

<2> Allan Brodie, Gary Winter, 2007, England's Seaside Resorts (Monograph). SKE54781.

Sources/Archives (2)

<1>XY SKE44216 OS Card Reference: Ind Arch of SE Eng 1978 18 (A J Haselfoot). [Mapped feature: #45349 Railway, ]
<2> SKE54781 Monograph: Allan Brodie, Gary Winter. 2007. England's Seaside Resorts.