Aberystwyth Cliff Railway

The Aberystwyth Cliff Railway is a funicular railway on Constitution Hill in Aberystwyth. It links the town centre with the summit of the hill, rising 430 feet over 778 feet of track. The railway was opened in 1896 as part of a Victorian leisure scheme organised by the Aberystwyth Improvement Company. George Croydon Marks designed both the railway and the hillside paths. The funicular once used a water-balance system before being electrified in 1921. Its two carriages, named Lord Geraint and Lord Marks, still carry passengers today. The railway is the second longest funicular in the British Isles and has been a Grade II listed structure since 1987. It was once a busy attraction but passenger numbers fell after the Second World War. The line closed briefly in 1976 because of a braking fault. Constitution Hill Ltd, a charity, now owns and runs the railway. Income from fares and grants supports its maintenance and restoration. Visitors board the carriages at the lower station beside the town’s seafront. The upper station has a café and gift shop with views across Cardigan Bay. A meandering footpath with three surviving timber bridges offers an alternative route up the hill. The hilltop gardens and pleasure grounds include a camera obscura and a park. The railway operates mainly from April to October, with ramps and lifts making it accessible to wheelchair users.