VOLK'S ELECTRIC RAILWAY

The Original Volk Electric Railway Car of 1883

On the 4th of August 1883 Great Britain's (and probably the world's) first public electric railway began carrying passengers along the seafront in Brighton . The railway was the brain child of one Magnus Volk , the son of a German clockmaker , who had already distinguished himself in the field of electrical engineering by lighting his own home , and the Royal Pavilion in Brighton with the then 'new' electric light .

The original railway was 2 foot gauge with only one four wheel car running upon it . The line in this form only lasted for one season , firstly because Magnus was always restless to extend and improve his projects , and secondly due to storm damage to the railway owing to it's exposed position . Storm damage was to be a recurring theme in the line's history .

So within weeks of the line opening Magnus was describing it as 'the old line' and actively planning the 'new' line . This was no doubt spurred on by the line's obvious success . On the first Bank Holiday of operation the little car carried around 1000 passengers and a total of about 30,000 were carried by the end of the season , no doubt amply repaying Volk's original investment .

In January 1884 Magnus began construction of the new line which would run from Palace Pier eastwards to Paston Place . The gauge was increased to two feet eight and one half inches and two new cars were built . The line was an immediate success and a subsequent extention futher eastwards to Black Rock was completed in 1901 . Despite being cut back a little in subsequent years at both ends , the railway continues on this route to this day .

One of a pair of open cars at Black Rock in 1976

From 1892 onwards Magnus aided by his eldest son , Herman , continued to build more cars for the railway , eventually standardising on a forty seat open or semi open design which is still seen on the railway today . In 1930 the eleventh and final car , an all steel winter saloon , was constructed , but it did not fare well in the salt atmosphere of a beach railway and was scrapped in the late 1940's . The original two rail power supply system was altered to an offset centre third rail power supply after a few years of operation .

A 1/19 scale model of the Volk Winter Saloon , No.5 of 1930

Magnus Volk lived to see the railway celebrate it's 50th aniversary in 1933 and the opening of a new terminus at Black Rock in 1937 , he died later that year at the age of 86 .

The Brighton Corporation took over the railway in 1940 and after having been closed for the duration of the Second World War a refurbishment programme took place that has allowed the line to run every summer since , despite the variable tourist traffic over the last 30 years .

Today during the summer season you can still ride on one of Magnus Volk's electric railway cars from Palace Pier to Black Rock on a 1 mile journey much as Magnus would have known it . In 1998 another fine new terminus was built at Black Rock , again shortening the line slightly , but showing a willingness on the part of the Corporation to continue to run and maintain the line . And just in case the Corporation's resolve should slip a little , the line now has a guardian angel in the form of the Volk's Electric Railway Association .

A 1/19 scale model of a Volk semi open car