Swansea Constitution Hill Incline Tramway

Swansea Constitution Hill Incline Tramway

Junction of Hanover Street and Constitution Hill, the site of the Cable Tramway
Operation
Locale Swansea
Open 27 August 1898
Close 5 October 1901
Status Closed
Infrastructure
Track gauge 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm)
Propulsion system(s) Cable
Statistics
Route length 0.175 miles (0.282 km)

The Swansea Constitution Hill Incline Tramway operated a cable tramway service on Constitution Hill in Swansea between 1898 and 1902.[1]

History

The Swansea Constitution Hill Incline Tramway Company developed this tramway with consulting engineer George Croydon Marks, 1st Baron Marks. It was built by George Webb and Company.[2] It operated along Constitution Hill between the lower terminus at St. George Street which is now Hannover Street and the upper terminus at Terrace Road. There was an average gradient of 1 in 5 with a maximum of 1 in 3.5. The total elevation was 185 feet (56 m). It opened for service on 27 August 1898[3] but was closed on the same day when a problem was discovered in the clutch mechanism.[4]

Two counterbalanced cars built by the Brush Electrical Engineering Company were fixed to the steel cable, guided by pulleys in a conduit. At the top of the hill the winding house contained two Tangye gas engines.

Closure

On 3 October 1901 the following statement appeared in the Evening Express:

It is stated to be the decision of the directors of the Swansea Cliff Railway up Constitution-hill to discontinue the service after this week, the line failing to be renumerative. An offer of the line has been made to the Swansea Corporation[5]

It closed for traffic on 5 October 1901.[6] The offer of the line to the Swansea Corporation was declined[7] and the line was removed shortly afterwards. The cars, machinery and rails were purchased by Mr. Lowndes.[8]

References

  1. The Golden Age of Tramways. Published by Taylor and Francis.
  2. "Swansea Cliff Railway". South Wales Echo. Wales. 4 February 1897. Retrieved 6 November 2016 via British Newspaper Archive. (subscription required (help)).
  3. "Swansea". South Wales Daily News. Wales. 29 August 1898. Retrieved 6 November 2016 via British Newspaper Archive. (subscription required (help)).
  4. "Swansea Cliff Railway". South Wales Daily News. Wales. 3 September 1898. Retrieved 6 November 2016 via British Newspaper Archive. (subscription required (help)).
  5. "By the Way". Evening Express. Wales. 11 October 1901. Retrieved 6 November 2016 via Welsh Newspapers Online. External link in |newspaper= (help)
  6. "Cliff Railway". The Cambrian. Wales. 11 October 1901. Retrieved 6 November 2016 via Welsh Newspapers Online.
  7. "Cliff Railway Acquisition". Evening Express. Wales. 3 April 1903. Retrieved 6 November 2016 via Welsh Newspapers Online. External link in |newspaper= (help)
  8. "Unsuccessful concern disposed of at last". The Cambrian. Wales. 12 June 1903. Retrieved 6 November 2016 via Welsh Newspapers Online.
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