Volk’s Electric Railway: The Oldest Electric Railway in the World

History Notes by M Bance

If we are to believe recent news from the UK travel industry, this year significant numbers of us opted for, in their words, ‘later, closer and shorter’ breaks; leaving it later to book shorter holidays closer to home.

The question seems to have been why commit to an expensive overseas trip when you could make the best of the sunny summer (potentially one of the warmest on record) and the many options for diverse, fun and convenient holidays within the UK? This is certainly the choice made by some of our friends who have added Brighton to their list of ‘staycation’ destinations.

One couple expressed a desire for a traditional South of England seaside holiday- experience, so we pointed them in the direction of Madeira Drive and the Volk’s Electric Railway – an iconic attraction and an integral part of Brighton’s seaside heritage.

The railway opened 142 years ago and continues to carry passengers on its mile-long track beside Brighton’s beachfront and is a living testament to the extraordinary vision of inventor and electrical pioneer, Magnus Volk.

Volk was born at 35 (now 40) Western Road, Brighton in 1851 and during his long life involved himself in a raft of exciting and innovative electrical engineering projects based in and around Brighton. He came to the town’s attention in 1879 when he installed the first telephone line in Brighton from his house in Preston Road to another in Springfield Road. The following year he cemented his fame by being the first person in Sussex to light his home by electricity using a dynamo to generate his own 50-volt supply. This success led to him being awarded a contract to install electric lighting throughout Brighton Pavilion and its grounds, as well as in the Museum and the Corn Exchange.

After seeing Werner von Siemens’ demonstration of an electric railway in the grounds of Crystal Palace in 1881, Volk resolved to build such a line along Brighton seafront. He obtained consent from Brighton Council and opened his two foot gauge line on 4th August 1883, initially powered by the same dynamo he had used for his own domestic electric lighting.

The first section of line was only 300 yards long, running from the Aquarium to the Chain Pier, but it was a huge success. Many considered it a wonder of the age, as they could not see how it worked; there were no horses and no steam. Others were less sure, indeed, one Brighton vicar denounced it as the work of the devil and warned his parishioners not to go near it. Regardless, the single wooden car with striped canvas awning and seats for just 12 people carried 40,000 people in the first 12 weeks.

Realising that he had a hit on his hands, Volk decided to lengthen the line. In April 1884 a cutting was made in the shingle to carry the line under the Chain Pier to the Banjo Groyne, about half a mile to the east. Venturing further eastward towards Rottingdean was not quite so easy: the beach east of Banjo Groyne was lower and at high tide was covered by the sea. Volk’s solution was to devise the “Pioneer” (nicknamed Daddy-Long-Legs) an electric car that ran even when the rails were covered by water. This extraordinary railway with its 24 feet long tubular steel legs opened on the 28th November 1896, but was severely damaged overnight on 4th December 1896 by a storm that destroyed the Chain Pier. It was reopened in July 1897 and ran until January 1901.

Over the years there were other extensions and cutbacks, some more successful than others. In 1901, the year the new Palace Pier was completed, the line was extended to Black Rock and was now at its maximum length of around one and a quarter miles. In 1930, the western end of the railway was cut back by about 200 yards from the pier to its present

terminus, to allow for road widening opposite the Aquarium. It was cut back again in 1937, this time at the eastern end to allow for the construction of an open-air swimming pool at Black Rock. The new station which opened in 1937 was not, however, operational for long, because in July 1940 the government closed the south coast beaches fearing an invasion by German forces and all the station buildings were demolished.

The railway, owned by Brighton Corporation since Volk’s death in 1937, remained closed for the duration of the war, not reopening until 1948. New stations were then built at Black Rock and Halfway and, at the Aquarium terminus, an ex-tram shelter was moved from Victoria Gardens to the seafront where it formed the station building until a new, larger station building and visitor centre replaced it in 2018.

The varnished teak bodywork on the cars has given way to a modern paint job and operating times have been cut but, according to the Volk’s Electric Railway Association, none of the changes made over the years have altered the essential character of the railway; if Magnus Volk were to return today he would still recognise his creation. I imagine he would also be pretty pleased to know that in 2024 his railway won the Heritage Railway of the Year Award, becoming the firsts non steam railway to win this award.

There’s no need to book, just turn up and ride! http://volkselectricrailway.co.uk/about/the-railway/