James Gray: The Dyke, showing the aerial railway which crossed the cleft. The car conveying passengers was suspended on rollers from the steel cable. It was prone to breakdowns and had a short life, being discontinued about 1908. jgc_37_182
2019: People of all ages enjoy walking around this 100 m deep V-shaped valley. It was carved by tremendous amounts of water running off the Downs during the last Ice Age. It is part of a Site of Special Scientific Interest. (Photographer: Jane Cheema)
James Gray: This cableway had but a short life and it had ceased working by 1908. All the equipment was removed before the 1914-18 War. jgc_37_191
2019: The aerial cableway was constructed in 1894, 230 feet above the valley floor. The cars were moved by an endless cable worked by a Crossley Brothers oil engine. The cars and the endless cable passed through the rectangular gap in the two huge iron columns. It took 2 minutes and 15 seconds to cross from one side to the other. All that can be seen now are the remains of the foundations of the columns. (Photographer: Jane Cheema)
James Gray: The cable car in progress across the cleft of the Dyke. Year unknown but the photograph is attributed to Brighton photographers W. & H. Fry, so it could have been early in its short life, 1894/1908. jgc_37_178
2019: The base of the concrete pylon can still be seen. (Photographer: Jane Cheema)
James Gray: Two more photographs [jgc_37_192 and 193] of the Telpher railway across the Devil’s Dyke. It was invented by W.J. Brewer, a civil engineer, and opened in October 1894. It is thought to have been the first of its type ever built. It was powered by a Crossley oil engine which moved the cars on an endless cable. The cars took two minutes and 15 seconds to cross the Dyke. jgc_37_192
2019: The concrete pylon base can still be seen. (Photographer: Jane Cheema)
James Gray: See caption for jgc_37_192 above. jgc_37_193
James Gray: This is a copy of photograph jgc_37_193. jgc_37_160
2019: The concrete pylon bases may still be seen. (Photographer: Jane Cheema)
James Gray: This photograph is a view of the railway in 1905. It was opened on 24 July 1897, but only had a short life. The railway was 840 feet long and was worked with two 14 feet cars. All equipment was removed in 1913. Compare this with the following photograph showing the same area in 1955. jgc_37_172
James Gray: The line of the railway can still be discerned. Compare this with the previous photograph showing the same area in 1905. jgc_37_173
James Gray: No comment. jgc_37_174
James Gray: A view of the Dyke northern face, showing the steep-grade railway, about 1910. jgc_33_178
James Gray: No comment. jgc_37_176
James Gray: No comment. Additional Information: Steep-Grade Railway postcard dated 11 October 1903. jgc_37_177
James Gray: Here are two photographs of the suspension Railway that formerly crossed the cleft of the Devil’s Dyke. It was constructed in 1894, at a cost of £2000 for Mr. J.H. Hubbard, then the proprietor of the Dyke Hotel. The length from the column to column was 650 feet, while the complete span from one end to the other was 1200 feet. The car was constructed of open ironwork and held eight passengers. jgc_37_190
James Gray: The steep grade railway from the Dyke down to Poynings. This worked on a cable, on the counter balance principle, one car ascending as the other descended. It retained its popularity for several years, but closed down about 1910. The fare was 3d each way, quite an appreciable sum in those days. jgc_37_183
2019: View looking east, 206 metres above sea level, showing all that remains of the engine house. The funicular was built for the owner of the nearby Dyke Hotel, J H Hubbard, in 1897. (Photographer: Jane Cheema)
James Gray: No comment. jgc_37_175
2019: The railway ran down from where there is a blue plastic bag to the V-shape in the topography. Beyond is Poynings Road and the village of Poynings. (Photographer: Jane Cheema)
James Gray: Another view of the steep grade railway at its Downs terminus, taken from a different angle from that on the previous page. The year is unknown. jgc_37_185
2019: View looking west showing the remains of the foundations of the engine house. (Photographer: Jane Cheema)