Babbacombe Cliff Railway: a brief history

The Babbacombe Cliff Railway opened in April 1926 and has been ferrying visitors down the 240ft drop to Oddicombe Beach ever since – almost continuously, with breaks only for war service and a 2018 cliff fall.

Built by the British Electric Traction Company, it uses the original counter-balance principle: two carriages, one going up while the other goes down, water ballast tanks adjusted to handle the weight difference. The 60-degree gradient is steep enough to make first-timers gasp; the carriages themselves are pre-war and feel it.

It is still owned and run by Torbay Council. A return ticket is under a fiver. The journey takes about 90 seconds each way, but the queues in August can take an hour – go in May or September if you can.

At the bottom: Oddicombe Beach, a long pebble cove with a beachside cafe, kayak hire, and the calmest swimming water in the bay because the headland breaks the prevailing winds. Worth the trip for the beach alone; the railway is the bonus.

Watch a tour:

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=babbacombe+cliff+railway