Volk's Electric Railway
| Volk's Electric Railway | |
|---|---|
Aquarium Station
|
|
| Overview | |
| Locale | Brighton, East Sussex, United Kingdom |
| Operation | |
| Opened | 1883 |
| Owner | City of Brighton and Hove |
| Operator(s) | City of Brighton and Hove |
| Technical | |
| Line length | 1.02 miles (1.64 km) after line shortened in 1990 |
| Track gauge | 2 ft 8 1⁄2 in (825 mm) |
| Old gauge | 2 ft (610 mm) (1883-1884) |
| Electrification | 110 V DC by inside off-set third rail |
Coordinates: 50°49′06″N 0°07′45″W / 50.8182°N 0.1291°W
Volk's Electric Railway (VER) is a narrow gauge heritage railway that runs along a length of the seafront of the English seaside resort of Brighton. It was built by Magnus Volk, the first section being completed in August 1883, and is the oldest operating electric railway in the world. Although it was preceded by Werner von Siemens's 1879 demonstration line in Berlin and by the Gross-Lichterfelde Tramway of 1881, neither line is still operational.
Operated as a historical seafront tourist attraction, the railway does not usually run during the winter months, and its service is also liable to occasional suspension due to severe weather or maintenance issues.
In 1883 Magnus Volk opened a short, 2 ft (610 mm) electric railway running for 1⁄4 mile (402 m) between Swimming Arch (opposite the main entrance to Brighton Aquarium, and adjacent to the site of the future Palace Pier) and Chain Pier. Electrical power at 50 V DC was supplied to the small car using the two running rails. In 1884 the line was extended a further 1⁄2 mile (0.8 km) beyond the Chain Pier to Paston Place (now known as Halfway), and regauged to 2 ft 8 1⁄2 in (825 mm). The electrical supply was increased to 160 V DC and the power plant was installed in the arch built into the cliff face at Paston Place. In 1886 an off-set third rail was added to minimise current leakage.
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