How the Cliff Railway Works

It takes a 68Kw generator to run the 75hp lift motor, which powers the worm drive lift machine taking the cars up and down the 240ft drop.

The cars are connected to four cables which pass round the traction mechanism in the station at the top of the hill. Another four cables are fixed to the bottom of the cars and pass through a pulley mechanism under the station at the bottom of the hill. These cables help keep the cars stable.

Operators at the top and bottom are able to keep in contact with one another and can signal when the doors are safely shut and their car is ready to go. The controller then starts the cars running. Safety devices control the maximum speed of the cars and switches automatically slow down the entry of the cars to the stations at the top and bottom, bringing them gently to rest.

In 1993 £60,000 was spent in relaying and replacing the track and the cars and stations now sport the emerald and yellow corporate colours of Torbay Council.

Each cable - and there are four of them - is capable of holding around 20 tons so it is inconceivable that a cable, let alone four of them should fail.

But in the unlikely event of this happening, the original design engineers in the Twenties installed a safety device which clamps the cars to the track and brings them to an instant stop.

Electro-mechanical locks fitted to the station car entrances also prevent the cars moving if the doors are opened and the speed of the cars is governed to stop them travelling too fast.

The safety of the passengers is always the prime consideration of Torbay Council and apart from regular and routine maintenance, safety inspections are frequently carried out on the railway by the Health and Safety Executive.