Railway in lightning safety move
Monday 21st April 2008, 6:59PM BST.
Safety measures are being put in place at England’s only remaining inland electric cliff railway and one of Shropshire’s most historic sites to protect it from lightning.
Bosses at Bridgnorth Cliff Railway said following a health and safety check they were now looking at installing a lightning conductor mast.
An application has been sent to Bridgnorth District Council this week.
Chris Preece, ciff railway manager, said: “Health and safety recommended that we had a lightning conductor and we said we’d look into it.
“It’s very early stages yet, we’re just looking at all the different varieties and costs to see which if any we would have. They are all different shapes and sizes and it depends which one you have but they could cost thousands.
“They have to be put on the highest point of the building, so it would go on the railway building itself.
“With all the machinery we have here, if we got struck by lightning it could cause a lot of damage,” he added.
“As far as I’m aware we’ve not been struck by lightning since the cliff railway has been here.”
Richard Fortune, council planning officer, said he had not yet seen the full application but he assumed it would be a simple metal pole on the building.
The cliff railway was opened on July 7, 1892.
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