CONSTITUTION HILL

ABERYSTWYTH

The Aberystwyth Cliff Railway opened in 1896 and operated on a water balance system until electrification in 1921. A powerful motor and high-tensile steel cables, supported by a sophisticated electronic safety system, haul the carriages to the summit at a stately 4 miles per hour.

As the train climbs steadily its passengers are treated to breathtaking views over the seaside town of Aberystwyth and the surrounding West Wales landscape. In the mid-section of the journey the railway is in a deep cutting where 12,000 tons of rock were excavated during construction to allow the winding footpath to cross overhead on a series of bridges.

The unique design of the undulating track and tilted carriages are the work of George Croydon Marks, a man who played a key role in several projects during the golden age of funicular construction and later made his name in politics as Lord Marks the liberal peer.

Constitution Hill was the Victorian predecessor of our modern-day theme parks and is still amongst the most popular attractions in the area. The visitors to the Victorian 'Luna Park' accessed the hilltop recreation area via the cliff railway and a century later it is still possible to retrace the steps of our ancestors on this funicular steeped in history.

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