It has been running along Brighton seafront since 1883 and has become a major tourist attraction in its own right but according to a “leading architect” the Volks Electric Railway is “in the way” and needs to be moved to allow for the major regeneration of the sea front. The claims were made by Nick Lomax ahead of a public meeting into the future of Brighton and Hove’s seafront as a whole.
In an article published in the Brighton Argus Mr Lomax claimed that the Volks Electric Railway “does nothing for that part of the beach” and that he “would prefer to see it relocated.” He has a vision for the seafront which includes the construction of a raised monorail and that vision means that over 130 years of history should just be ripped up apparently. Mr Lomax goes on to say: “The whole seafront naturally divides into a number of sections. Each section has its problems and therefore its solutions. I would maintain it is the Volk’s Railway that has prevented the development of that part of the seafront. What else could it be? You can’t put it in the air – I don’t see it working. It’s uncomfortable and slow. I don’t have any great love for it, I have to say.” (To be honest we don’t think he needed to make the last comment as it blatantly obvious he doesn’t have a great love for the railway!)
Fortunately it is pretty unlikely that Mr Lomax will get his wish as in September of last year the Heritage Lottery Fund awarded £1.65 million towards restoring the railway which will hopefully cement its position on Brighton’s seafront and show that it can be a tourist asset and not just “get in the way” as the great architect seems to think.
In the same Brighton Argus article Ian Gledhill, chairman of the Volk’s Electric Railway Association, commented: “The charm of it is that it’s a delightful ride along the seafront. If you put it anywhere else it would just be a funfair ride. It’s a historic monument. There are 13 crossing places on the railway so you don’t have to walk too far to get to the beach. I don’t see it as a problem. Where would you relocate too? We have just been awarded £1.6 million from the Heritage Lottery Fund and if we moved the railway we would have to give that back.”
Clearly the gentleman in question does not consider Brighton’s history as important. In addition, the old failed chestnut of a monorail is brought up again. This 1950s-style futurism is long since discredited – he should note how long the monorail ran in Sydney, Australia, before it was torn down as a failure. If the Volk’s Railway was torn up, the inevitable objectors to the monorail would ensure that nothing was done, and then the area would have no transport at all along the front. It is easier to destroy than to create.
Volks Railway lost out when the Marina was constructed and also when the new sewage outfall was constructed. The railway was cut back from it’s original eastern terminus when it should have been run into the Marina complex. I accept that there was a difference in levels and there was concern that the railway’s cars would not be able to manage a steep gradient. However there was plenty of room to allow a long shallow grade to be built. Another lost opportunity by the then Brighton council.
Sounds like MOSIesque management has rturned up elsewhere!
Take him to the old pier and chuck him off! We don’t need any more of his sort here!
In the early 1960s, an architect was employed to ‘brighten up’ the High Street at Maidstone. He recommended that the trolleybuses be abolished, because he didn’t like overhead wires. So many architects are autocratic, demanding that their ‘vision’ be implemented, because controversial buildings bring publicity and further their careers.
Anyone who dislikes overhead wires should go to Japan. All the towns and city streets are festooned with overhead wires. These are not just for trams but for electricity, telephones etc.