page_title: Scarborough funiculars
section_title: South Cliff Lift
hierarchical_section_title: Scarborough funiculars / South Cliff Lift
caption_attribution_description: Scarborough South Cliff Lift.
context_page_description: The British town of Scarborough has had a total of five cliff railways, or funiculars, two of which remain open to the public. Two of these funiculars were on Scarborough's North Bay and three on South Bay; both of the North Bay railways have been demolished, and one on South Bay is extant but out of use since 2006. The other two South Cliff lifts are still operational.
context_section_description: The first funicular railway in the United Kingdom, the Scarborough South Cliff Tramway Company Limited was created in 1873.
  The system to link the South Cliff Esplanade to the Scarborough Spa, was designed and engineered by Mr Lucas. Constructed by Crossley Brothers of Manchester for a cost of £ 8000, the track is 4 ft 8 ¹⁄₂ in (1,435 mm) wide and 284 feet (87 m) long, on 1 in 1.75 gradient. Metropolitan Carriage of Birmingham constructed the two cars, each capable of carrying 14 seated passengers, to the bottom of which is attached a water tank. Each car is also attached to a twin-steel cable rope, which is operated by a brakeman at the top station.
  Using seawater pumped by two Crossley gas engines through a hydraulic system designed by Tangye Ltd in Smethwick, Birmingham, the upper car's water tank was filled until the counterbalance point was reached. The cars then proceeded along their individual tracks, with speed and safety controlled by the brakeman. When the upper car reached the bottom of the incline, both cars were braked, and the seawater released. The procedure was then repeated.
  The railway opened on 6 July 1875. The gas engines were replaced by steam pumps in 1879, and after refurbishment in 1947 the water system was replaced by 90 hp electric engine. The cars were replaced by two built by Hudswell Clarke & Company in 1934-1935.
  Scarborough Borough Council bought the funicular from its owners in 1993. In 1997, the lift was modified to be completely automatic.
caption: Spa Lift.
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