| Aberystwyth Cliff Railway | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Overview | |
| Locale | Aberystwyth |
| Transit type | Funicular railway |
| Number of stations | 2 |
| Operation | |
| Began operation | 1 August 1896 |
| Operator(s) | Constitution Hill Ltd |
| Technical | |
| System length | 778 feet (237 m) |
| Track gauge | 4 ft 10 in (1,473 mm) |
The Aberystwyth Cliff Railway (Welsh: Rheilffordd y Graig) opened on 1 August 1896. It is a 778 feet (237 m) long funicular railway in Aberystwyth and is the second longest funicular railway in the British Isles, after the Lynton and Lynmouth Cliff Railway. Since November 1987, the Aberystwyth Cliff Railway has been a Grade II listed structure.
The Cliff Railway was developed as an element of Constitution Hill, a Victorian business venture by the Aberystwyth Improvement Company in the 1890s. The funicular took visitors to the top of the hill, where attractions such as a camera obscura were established. The cliff railway was originally a water balance system, but it was electrified during 1921. Passengers numbers were high during its initial decades, but dropped after the outbreak of the Second World War and stayed depressed for decades. The cliff railway is now owned and run by Constitution Hill Ltd, a registered charity. It is open to passengers during the summer months, typically operating between April and October, with a reduced timetable during the rest of the year.