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Summary

Early 20th century funicular railway - inclined plane - linking Babbacombe Downs with Oddicombe Beach below.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Conservation Area (Babbacombe Downs)
• Torbay HER: MTO60140

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• RAILWAY INCLINED PLANE (Constructed 1924-26, Early 20th Century to XXI - 1901 AD to 2050 AD)

Full description

Torbay HER record (SMR record). SDV361984.

From 1890 a cliff railway was mooted to connect the downs to the beach, Sir George Newnes having offered to construct one, but opposition was so strong that the local authority at the the time, the St Marychurch Local Board (subsumed into The borough of Torquay in 1900), refused him. Repeated attempts over the next three decades were made to promote the work. In February 1923 it was announced that the Tramway Company would build in time for the 1924 season, though completion had to wait until 1926. [1]

Access to the railway is by path from Cliffside Road to the north and Babbacombe Downs Road to the south. The horizontal travel is over 200m, the vertical over 80m to sea level at Oddicombe Beach.

Ellis, A.C., 1930, Historical Survey of Torquay, p.479 (Monograph). SDV362462.

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Ordnance Survey, 2021, MasterMap 2021 (Cartographic). SDV364015.

Cliff railway shown on mapping

<1> Ellis, A.C., 1930, Historical Survey of Torquay, p.479 (Monograph). SDV362462.

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Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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