'Very costly': Bridgnorth Cliff Railway to close for up to five weeks for street sewer repairs

The works relate to sewer repairs but the owners of Bridgnorth Cliff Railway say the attraction will be forced to close for the duration of the project, which they say could take five weeks.

The sewer repair works follow a three-week closure when the same trench was excavated in March earlier this year. 

It was agreed that they would resume their work in January, when the cliff railway carries fewer passengers. 

But Bridgnorth Cliff Railway chairman Dr Malvern Tipping said a series of closures in recent years, including the 14-month long shutdown following repairs to the retaining wall discovered in December 2023, have come close to "nearly sinking the railway".

“The situation is very frustrating for us, but we fully comprehend that the town’s sewers should be placed in good working order," he said. 

"Initially, the work was supposed to have been completed last April, but when Severn Trent Water discovered other service media in the vicinity, they realised that they had a bigger job on their hands. Hence, they are returning this January to undertake the works.

“These closures do create real challenges, because they mean a total loss of revenues, whilst the cliff railway continues to need maintenance and servicing throughout, not to mention ongoing staffing costs. 

"We still await compensation for last April’s closure for the excavation of the trench. The greatest challenge which we faced was when the cliff railway was forced three years ago to close for 15 to 16 months for works to that part of the retaining wall overlooking it. 

"That episode came very close to sinking the cliff railway for good, since no-one ever paid the cliff railway a single penny in compensation for that. All these closures prove very costly. Our team does its best to keep the show on the rails for town and passengers alike.

“Meanwhile, we will provide an update when advised of a likely re-opening date.”

A spokesperson for Severn Trent Water said: "To help minimise disruption we've worked in collaboration with the cliff railway team to align our plans to make the repairs in a quieter period.  

"The planned duration for the work is three weeks, and we remain committed to working safely, efficiently, and in partnership with local businesses and the community to deliver this essential repair.”