Scarborough's cliff lift celebrates its special day

Central Tramway Company, Scarborough’s iconic cliff railway on the South Bay, will be celebrating National Cliff Railway Day with Victorian costumes, music, talks and children’s activities on Saturday May 11

The day has been organised with Scarborough Museum’s Trust at Woodend.

Visitors in Victorian costume will be able to travel for free on the day.

This is the second year of celebrations and the event is expanding with thanks to a new link with the local museum trust.

Operations manager Andrew Martin said: “Cliff Railway Day is a celebration of the fantastic Victorian engineering that has lasted over a century here in Scarborough.

"We are proud of our connections to other cliff railways around the country and wanted to join with them for a day to recognise this achievement. The link with Scarborough museum’s trust will enable us to run activities for children, including making your own model tramway.”

The day will run from 9.30am to 4.45pm at Central Tramway with treats for children, music and fun.

The activity workshops will run at Woodend between 10am and 1pm, and between 2pm and 4pm, where children will be able to build a model, colour and draw the trams. As part of the 200th birthday celebrations for Queen Victoria, families will also be able to dress up in Victorian costume, have a picture taken (cost £1) and redeem a free family ride on the tram with their photo.

During the day there will also be two time-travelling talks beginning at Central Tramway at 10am and 2pm and ending at the Seastrand Café, formerly the bottom station of the St Nicholas Cliff Lift.

Places are free but limited, and must be booked in advance by emailing: [email protected].

The talks will be a journey back in time taking in the South Bay of 1881 lead by a Victorian visitor from the period. The era of The Greatest Showman, Scarborough was buzzing with exciting attractions and fantastical sights, and the Victorian visitor will explain why the Central Tramway and other funiculars were built at this pivotal time in British seaside history.

Tess Willoughby, owner of the Seastrand Café said: “We are thrilled to be involved with this fantastic day and with Central Tramway. Having transformed the old Bottom Station on St Nicholas Cliff Lift into a coffee and treats stop in 2015, it seems fitting that the time travelling talk will be presented upon our roof terrace. With seagazing views, we look forward to welcoming you with half price drinks for adult participants and free squash for accompanying children.”

Book: www.centraltramway.co.uk