The Economic Times

In 1885, Folkestone built a cliff railway powered by water and gravity; it carried 36.4 million passengers before closing after 132 years

Discover the remarkable Leas Lift in Folkestone, Kent, a historic water-powered funicular railway built in 1885. Using gravity and water instead of engines, the Victorian cliff railway carried 36.4 million passengers over 132 years before closing in 2017. Explore the ingenious engineering behind this energy-efficient transport system, its Grade II listed status, restoration efforts, and why this pioneering example of sustainable transit still matters today.