After not looking at https://cliftonrocksrailway.org.uk/ for some years, was a bit surprised today to read that the railway has been sold and then to find here https://www.cliftonrocksrailway.com/inf ... our-story/
the new ownerÔÇÖs aspiration ÔÇÿget it back up and running day to dayÔÇÖ
Do any members know more about this?
Clifton Rocks Railway
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Robin Summerhill
- Posts: 94
- Joined: Tue Sep 24, 2019 9:36 am
Re: Clifton Rocks Railway
This came up recenty somewhere but I can't remember where.
The point was made that a major hurdle to any reopeing proposal would be the lack of any circulation area at the bottom station. Since it closed the Portway has been built and it is now a major access route from the M5 to the city centre. H&S regulations would not be happy with a reopened station and a very narrow pavement immediately adjacent to a major trunk road.
The point was made that a major hurdle to any reopeing proposal would be the lack of any circulation area at the bottom station. Since it closed the Portway has been built and it is now a major access route from the M5 to the city centre. H&S regulations would not be happy with a reopened station and a very narrow pavement immediately adjacent to a major trunk road.
Re: Clifton Rocks Railway
Presumably they could just do return tickets with no alighting at the bottom station. A bit like circular journeys on things like the Ashton Court railway.Robin Summerhill wrote: Sat Oct 09, 2021 10:31 pm The point was made that a major hurdle to any reopeing proposal would be the lack of any circulation area at the bottom station. Since it closed the Portway has been built and it is now a major access route from the M5 to the city centre. H&S regulations would not be happy with a reopened station and a very narrow pavement immediately adjacent to a major trunk road.
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Robin Summerhill
- Posts: 94
- Joined: Tue Sep 24, 2019 9:36 am
Re: Clifton Rocks Railway
I think the problem with that would be the general public simply saying "why bother to go?"madhattie wrote: Sun Oct 10, 2021 11:19 am
Presumably they could just do return tickets with no alighting at the bottom station. A bit like circular journeys on things like the Ashton Court railway.
At least with circular railways or heritage railways where the end pont is not in a station (eg Ongar to nearly Epping) the punterrs get to see the countryside. In the case of the Clifton Rocks Railway you would be taking them on a trip in what is almost a vertical tunnel.
In fact it would not be too dissimilart to going up the Empire State Building in a lift and not being allowed to get out at the top!
Re: Clifton Rocks Railway
Granted, it's hard to imagine that a reopened Rocks Railway could recoup the considerable cost of reconstruction and subsequent maintenance, even in the unlikely event that it could be made safe and practicable for punters to join or leave at the bottom station. (In the more likely event that there is no commercial lower station access, I imagine there would still need to be an emergency exit that unltimtely led to a pedestrian exit at Portway level, and that could be pretty expensive bit of civil engineering)
I can think of one existing attraction which takes punters money for an out and back trip with no destination and nothing to see- Speedwell Cavern in Derbyshire, which basically offers an undergound boat ride with witty historic commentary by a guide. I used to take school groups there, and those went down well.
If an RR ride involved several stops en route down for the guide to tell the history in stages, getting off to view an exhibition in the (restored) bottom entrance / booking hall, then returning to the top to exit- at a stretch that just might be marketable at a price that's viable for an operator.
The company involved, Bristol Venues, also runs the Clifton Observatory; looking at the photo online https://cliftonobservatory.com/ the Observatory seems a much more up-market and venue-ish than I remember! Perhaps an RR ride would only be available as part of an expensive experience that included the Observatory and a meal?
I can think of one existing attraction which takes punters money for an out and back trip with no destination and nothing to see- Speedwell Cavern in Derbyshire, which basically offers an undergound boat ride with witty historic commentary by a guide. I used to take school groups there, and those went down well.
If an RR ride involved several stops en route down for the guide to tell the history in stages, getting off to view an exhibition in the (restored) bottom entrance / booking hall, then returning to the top to exit- at a stretch that just might be marketable at a price that's viable for an operator.
The company involved, Bristol Venues, also runs the Clifton Observatory; looking at the photo online https://cliftonobservatory.com/ the Observatory seems a much more up-market and venue-ish than I remember! Perhaps an RR ride would only be available as part of an expensive experience that included the Observatory and a meal?