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Volk's Electric, Brighton? Any news of opening?

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Howardh

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Hoping it will be re-open by the beginning of August but nothing on their website. Anyone know anything up-to-date? Cheers!
 
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hexagon789

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Hoping it will be re-open by the beginning of August but nothing on their website. Anyone know anything up-to-date? Cheers!

Their twitter page says they are in talks with local government and as soon as they have a date they will update. The last post dates from the 8th July, so hopefully not too long until they can sort out a method of opening that satisfies requirements and then a re-opening date.
 

Howardh

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Their twitter page says they are in talks with local government and as soon as they have a date they will update. The last post dates from the 8th July, so hopefully not too long until they can sort out a method of opening that satisfies requirements and then a re-opening date.
Thanks, finger's crossed.
 

Howardh

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Going to the Volk's twitter feed, I found this which I had no idea about, and is brilliantly barmy. Obviously will be on this site somewhere (Search doesn't bring it up) but if anyone's unaware, its a video something which sits on tall legs and is dragged through the sea on rails by chains powered by electricity hung on cables overhead.

Can't see any problems there?

 

mr_jrt

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The Volks railway was built from the Aquarium to Banjo Groyne alongside the sea wall, largely on trestles, and when Magnus wanted to extend it, the only way seemed to be further out (I suspect because there was not much of a sea wall beyond there at that point, so the trestle would have been quite exposed). So he built the Daddy Longlegs on rails set in concrete on the seabed. It didn't fare very well and was damaged by storms, and the final nail came when the groynes needed to be extended and they cut across the trackbed. So Magnus too advantage of this to extend his original railway through the shed (Bakerloo line style) over the Banjo Groyne along the sea wall (again, on trestles), all the way to Black Rock. Shame he wasn't able extend it all the way to Rottingdean when the undercliff defences were built in the 1930s, but there you go.

The track rremnants are under the greatly-expanded shingle beach on the near side of the marina, were obliterated by the Marina in the 1970s, but can be clearly seen at low tide (and on Google Maps!) from the eastern marina arm all the way to Rottingdean.
 

Howardh

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The Volks railway was built from the Aquarium to Banjo Groyne alongside the sea wall, largely on trestles, and when Magnus wanted to extend it, the only way seemed to be further out (I suspect because there was not much of a sea wall beyond there at that point, so the trestle would have been quite exposed). So he built the Daddy Longlegs on rails set in concrete on the seabed. It didn't fare very well and was damaged by storms, and the final nail came when the groynes needed to be extended and they cut across the trackbed. So Magnus too advantage of this to extend his original railway through the shed (Bakerloo line style) over the Banjo Groyne along the sea wall (again, on trestles), all the way to Black Rock. Shame he wasn't able extend it all the way to Rottingdean when the undercliff defences were built in the 1930s, but there you go.

The track rremnants are under the greatly-expanded shingle beach on the near side of the marina, were obliterated by the Marina in the 1970s, but can be clearly seen at low tide (and on Google Maps!) from the eastern marina arm all the way to Rottingdean.
Visions of today's congestion problems being solved by trains on stilts where the traffic could flow underneath!
 

Midnight Sun

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Report on the Volks Seashore railway on Coast

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="
" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
 

Howardh

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Report on the Volks Seashore railway on Coast

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="
" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Oh my, I want that model!!
 

Howardh

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Had a ride on the railway on Wednesday, nice experience! Bit pricy though, (un)luckily I'm now classified as a senior so that helped!
 

Bedpan

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The Volks railway was built from the Aquarium to Banjo Groyne alongside the sea wall, largely on trestles, and when Magnus wanted to extend it, the only way seemed to be further out (I suspect because there was not much of a sea wall beyond there at that point, so the trestle would have been quite exposed). So he built the Daddy Longlegs on rails set in concrete on the seabed. It didn't fare very well and was damaged by storms, and the final nail came when the groynes needed to be extended and they cut across the trackbed. So Magnus too advantage of this to extend his original railway through the shed (Bakerloo line style) over the Banjo Groyne along the sea wall (again, on trestles), all the way to Black Rock. Shame he wasn't able extend it all the way to Rottingdean when the undercliff defences were built in the 1930s, but there you go.

The track rremnants are under the greatly-expanded shingle beach on the near side of the marina, were obliterated by the Marina in the 1970s, but can be clearly seen at low tide (and on Google Maps!) from the eastern marina arm all the way to Rottingdean.
One thing I will always remember from my early childhood was my father cutting his knee on one of the concrete blocks to which the rails had been secured whilst he was swimming at Ovingdean. I would have been about 4 or 5 at the time and until then I had no idea that grown ups ever grazed their knees like children did. The fact that it was known as the Daddy Long Legs railway was equally captivating to a lad of my age. I don't suppose the remains at Ovingdean have changed very much in the 60+ years since then.
 

malc-c

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I'm not local to Brighton, but have very fond memories of Volks Railway. For those of a certain age will remember that it was tradition back in the day for most (if not nearly all non-essential) factories to shut down for two weeks, normally the first two in August for a holiday. These two weeks were spent holidaying in Brighton, and it almost became a tradition to travel via the railway to the pools at Black Rock.

Here's one from the album, Circa 1965
 

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mr_jrt

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One thing I will always remember from my early childhood was my father cutting his knee on one of the concrete blocks to which the rails had been secured whilst he was swimming at Ovingdean. I would have been about 4 or 5 at the time and until then I had no idea that grown ups ever grazed their knees like children did. The fact that it was known as the Daddy Long Legs railway was equally captivating to a lad of my age. I don't suppose the remains at Ovingdean have changed very much in the 60+ years since then.
I live in Brighton, and the concrete is still there in places. Slightly fewer in number after the heavy storms of the last few years, but the line is still reasonably clear to see.
 
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