MAGNUS VOLK had a yearning to extend his railway to Rottingdean, but to do this would mean a fierce climb to the cliff top or an expensive viaduct or embankment along the base of the unstable chalk cliffs. Neither of these routes was very satisfactory. Then it occurred to him that he might go along the shore. To maintain service at high tide, the cars would have to be capable of moving through the sea. This was the sort of challenge that Volk loved.
He gave a great deal of thought to the design of the cars, first proposing
battery traction, but later deciding in favour of an overhead trolley wire.
Perhaps the whole project was slightly dotty, but it was a delightful concept
and once started, it gathered momentum and enthusiasm. Financial backing
was secured, notably from E. 0. Bleackley, of Kemp Town, who became chairman
of the new company. The other directors were Volk. J. J. Clark and S. Beard.
An Act of Parliament was
obtained in July. IS93. authorising the line, with capital of £20,000
plus borrowing powers to £5,000. Further capital was authorised in
an Act of I896 (£5,000 plus £2,000 loan), together with extensions
of time.
Construction had begun in I894. From a point about 100 yards out from the Madeira Drive at Banjo Groyne, a double track of 2 ft. 8.5 in. gauge line was laid, the tracks being set 18 feet apart. The railway remained some 60-100 yards from the shore all the way to Rottingdean 2.75 miles to the east, where a light steel pier 100 yards long was built out to meet it. There was an intermediate landing stage at Ovingdean Gap. The rails were set in 5 ft. by 3 ft. concrete blocks morticed into the chalk bedrock and spaced at intervals of about 3 feet. To provide maximum stability, there were a large number of fishplates and tie rods.
Gradients were slight, not above 1 in 300, and the curves were of 40 chains
radius. At high tide this remarkable permanent way was awash in some 15
feet of water. Alongside the track on the landward side were set Dawson's
patent trolley standards, carrying the 00-gauge trolley wire. The construction
of this strange line, no mean achievement, was undertaken by British Thomson-Houston
Co. Ltd.
A delightful vehicle to run on the sea railway was made by the Gloucester
Railway Carriage & Wagon Co., surely the
strangest thing that firm ever produced. Looking at it, one came to the
inescapable conclusion that its ancestors were respectively an open-top
tramear, a pleasure yacht and a seaside pier. It weighed 40 tons, and consisted
of an elliptical platform or deck 50 ft. by 33 ft., supported by four braced
legs 23 ft. long. Each leg ended in a small truck with four 33-
inch wheels, encased in steel plates, and somewhat resembling a midget submarine.
These trucks had scrapers to push aside seaweed and shingle from the track. The two legs and trucks on the landward side rested on the track on that side and the other two ran on the other track. On the deck was a large saloon with design features evincing a charming mixture of maritime, railway and tramway practice. The centre of the saloon was taken up by a well-padded knifeboard type seat, with plants and flowers set between the seat backs. Some of the windows had railway-type blinds and straps, but on the seaward side there were heavy curtains. The furnishing was compleled by a carpet and a pretty electrolier.
A short stairway outside led to an open deck on the roof of the saloon.
Here was another knifeboard seat, and in the summer, canvas awnings were
erected over the top deck and around the saloon. Encircling both decks were
ship's rails, and the maritime flavour was further enhanced by the presence
of lifebelts, flag, ship's bell and a lifeboat swinging from
davits. Presumably, the latter was intended for women and children only,
as it could not possibly have held the full
complement of passengers. Both life-belts and boat were lettered 'Pioneer
Brighton' and the flag bore the legend Brighton and Rottingdean.
The tramcar touch was evident in the twin trolley poles which extended from the car on the landward side and the tram-type controllers at each end of the main deck. The legs and bracing looked like nothing so much as a broken-off piece of seaside pier. Some 150 passengers could be carried. The correct classification of this oddity must have caused some headaches at the Board of Trade. The "legs" were drawn steel tubes. 11 inches in diameter. Two of them contained shafting packed in grease which carried the motion from two G.E. 800 25 h.p. motors placed on the deck, to work the bevel gearing which moved the wheels. The other two shafts contained the brake rodding.
Electricity was produced from a plant under Rottingdean Pier consisting
of a direct-acting Sissons high-speed compound
engine driving a direct-coupled 60 kW four-pole compound dynamo providing
the line voltage of 500. Steam was raised by a return-tube marine boiler
burning anthracite peas.
For the Board of Trade inspection in September, 1896, the car was run through
15 feet of water in a stiffish wind. It was
also required to run at low water so that various obstacles (piles of timber
and concrete, heaps of flint and chalk and iron
bars) could be placed on the tracks. These were all pushed aside in a most
satisfying manner. The Inspector was also shown the telephone fitted to
the car to summon marine assistance in an emergency. He pronounced himself
satisfied subject to some minor modifications.
The ceremonial opening took place at noon on Saturday, November 28th, 1896,
at low water, in sunshine and a bitterly
cold east wind. After a few minutes, the car returned to Banjo Groyne to
deposit the local M.P.) who had another engagement; it then proceeded to
Rottingdean, taking about 35 minutes.
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