Tuesday 19 May 2015

Volk's Electric Railway - A taster!

Having a couple of hours to kill in Brighton this week I went looking for a historic little railway that runs along the seafront.

Volk's Electric Railway car No.9 approaches the Aquarium Station, 12/5/15Volk's Electric Railway car No.9

The Volk's Electric Railway was the brainchild of one Magnus Volk, the son of a German clockmaker born in Brighton. An inventor and engineer, he was the first person in Brighton to equip his house with electric light and he went on to win the contract to provide the Royal Pavilion with the same.

In August 1883 he opened an electric railway running from the Aquarium to the Chain Pier. The line was later extended considerably and even though it was shortened in 1990 it still runs for over a mile!

I'm certainly planning to revisit this, the world's oldest operating electric railway, in the near future…

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