136 years full of ups and downs

With a gentle jolt it’s down you go, a vertiginous drop, from the top to the bottom in 34 seconds. The Central Tramway has been operating from St Nicholas Cliff to South Bay seafront for 136 years and while it might offer a practical way to negotiate Scarborough’s ups and downs, it’s also an important slice of the resort’s heritage. This feat of engineering has been part of the town’s holiday culture since it was dubbed Queen of Spas in the late 1800s and is as much loved and used today as it was when it was first opened.

“We believe it is the busiest funicular in the country. We carried 470,000 people last year and hope to make it 500,000 this year,” says operations manager Andrew Martin. In August, the cliff lift carries 4,000 people a day.

It is certainly Britain’s oldest surviving cliff tramway company. Its custodians, Andrew and his team, are passionate about the historic funicular. Gordon Taylor, who worked for McCain for 27 years, has been there four years and appreciates his “job outside of an office”.

Alan Braidley is a general maintenance worker and has been a fixture for three years. He joined the Navy in 1959 and worked on fighter bombers aboard aircraft carriers. When he left the Navy in 1972 he settled in Scarborough and did everything from working for Bell Fruit to a stint in estate agency.

“It is interesting work. We’re very busy at times and we meet lots of people and the bosses are nice lads. This is a dream job with no pressures and a beautiful view,” he says.

There were five funiculars in Scarborough at one time – three on the south side, one halfway round Marine Drive and one on the north side. The Spa lift is the only other still in working order.

It’s one of the Yorkshire coast’s most frequented landmarks. It’s also one of its most historic. Sue Wilkinson takes a trip back in time on the Central Tramway. Pictures by Richard Ponter.