Visit to Cliff Railway, Bridgnorth

The Bridgnorth Cliff Railway is England’s oldest and steepest electrical operational cliff railway which has been transporting the people of Bridgnorth up and down the 111 ft of sandstone cliffs that separate High Town from Low Town and the River Severn for over a century. It is first and foremost a working railway; its importance to both the townspeople of Bridgnorth and to visitors to the town is undiminished by age. The Cliff Railway is now owned by Steward Malvern Tipping and his family.

The railway operates two cars on parallel tracks. Connected by steel ropes, the carriages serve to counterbalance each other – as one rises to the top station, the other runs to the bottom station. The cars are now powered by an electric winding engine but were originally driven by a system of water balance, each carriage carrying water in a tank beneath the passenger compartment.

The proposed programme is as follows:

10.45 Meet at the base station of the Cliff Railway
11.00 Travel to the top station
11.30 Return to the base station, where Malvern Tipping or one of his
staff will talk about the history of the Cliff Railway
12.30 Lunch at The Down Inn (see sample menu after Booking Form).
14.00 Visit to Bridgnorth for a guided tour of the Town
15.30 Visit ends.

Limited accommodation has been booked at The Down Inn for the nights of Monday 14th and Tuesday 15th May for those Liverymen who have previously requested it. Guests are responsible for settling their own accounts for accommodation and meals (except for the lunch and a glass of wine, which is included in the cost of the visit). Accommodation at The Down Inn costs approximately £80 for double occupancy and £60 for single occupancy of a double room. If more than 8 rooms are required, additional accommodation will be sought.

Menu (for information only. Food orders to be taken on the day):
Starters: Chef’s homemade soup of the day
Prawn & salmon salad
Pate
Pan-fried mushroom
Mains: Carvery (turkey, beef or joint of the day) including. variety of vegetables
Salmon with parsley sauce
Mushroom, cranberry and Brie Wellington
If time permits, homemade puddings / coffee can be ordered on the day and paid for
separately.

Bonus trip

For those who intend to arrive in Bridgnorth around lunchtime on Monday 14th May, Malvern Tipping has offered to take a group on The Severn Valley Railway. The time of the trip, pulled by a steam locomotive are:
Leave Bridgnorth @ 1445, returning from Kidderminster at 1655, arriving back at Bridgnorth at 1805.
The cost is:
Pre-book and save: £19.50 per person, with a booking fee of £1.75 / booking.
Purchase on the day: £21.00 per person.
For further information, see the website: www.svr.co.uk