SALTBURN PIER CLIFF LIFT

30L Aluminum reservoir complete with:
• Sight glass
• Return filter c/w 10-micron filter element

Tank mounted pump and motor set
• 2.2kW motor complete with anti-vibration mount
• 5LPM gear pump

Control manifold with the following valves:
• Hand operated load and unload valve
• Hand operated control valve for the left and right-hand cylinders
• Safety relief valve
• Test points to monitor the pressure

Electrical control panel
• 240v supply
• Start/stop button
• Isolator
• Overload protection

2x Hydraulic cylinders
• 2 tonne pushing force

Overview

The Saltburn Cliff Lift is a funicular railway at Saltburn-by-the-Sea. It is powered by a combination of water hydraulics and cable traction designed to operate on the steep 71% incline between the town and the pier below.

The system uses two counterbalanced, track-guided passenger cars permanently attached to opposite ends of a single cable, which is looped over a pulley at the upper end of the track.

Each car is fitted with a 1,500 litre water tank. The carriage at the top of the 120ft incline has its tank filled with water until it overbalances the weight of the carriage below and gently descends while the lower car ascends. When the carriage reaches the bottom, its water is re-pumped to the top and the process begins again.

The operation is controlled by the brakeman from the cabin at the top station, with IMH commissioned to upgrade the lift’s existing hydraulic emergency brake system.

The Hydraulic Emergency Brake Challenge

The original emergency braking arrangement required a hand pump to individually drive two 3-tonne wooden structures to the top of the lift, taking the emergency brake off before it was latched into position.

The system uses two lengths of wood per track, which can be dropped into position in an emergency to stop the carriage safely.

With the original hydraulic emergency brake system, the operator also needed to manually move the hydraulic cylinder between each track.

This made operating and testing the system labour intensive, particularly during the monthly testing procedure. IMH was therefore tasked with developing a safer solution that reduced the amount of manual handling required by the operator.

Designing the New Hydraulic Brake System

IMH designed a new electrically driven hydraulic brake system that removed the need to manually pump each of the two wooden brake structures to the top of the lift.

The new design incorporated an electric hydraulic power unit with two cylinders and hand valve control. This allowed each brake to be operated individually using electrically driven hydraulics rather than requiring the operator to move a single hydraulic cylinder between the two tracks.

The hydraulic power unit incorporated a 30 litre aluminium reservoir, 2.2kW motor and 5LPM gear pump alongside the control manifold and associated safety and monitoring equipment.

Two hydraulic cylinders were installed, each providing a 2 tonne pushing force.

Integrating the Funicular Hydraulic System

The new braking equipment needed to work alongside the existing water-powered operation of the historic cliff lift.

IMH’s funicular hydraulic system solution focused specifically on modernising the emergency braking arrangement while retaining the established operating principle of the lift.

The change in design philosophy provided a safer arrangement for the operator and reduced the manual labour required when carrying out the monthly emergency brake testing procedure.

The system also incorporated a dedicated electrical control panel with a 240v supply, start/stop controls, isolator and overload protection.

Installation and Testing

IMH’s team took two weeks to build the new hydraulic power unit before moving on to the installation phase at Saltburn Cliff Lift.

A further four days were spent on site implementing and testing the new system.

This allowed the team to confirm the operation of the new electrically driven hydraulic braking arrangement and ensure each brake could be controlled individually.

Project Outcome

IMH successfully replaced the Cliff Lift’s labour-intensive emergency braking arrangement with a new electrically driven hydraulic system.

The new system reduced the manual work required from the operator, removed the need to move a hydraulic cylinder between the two tracks and provided independent operation of each emergency brake.

The project demonstrates how modern hydraulic engineering can be integrated into historic infrastructure to improve operation and safety while retaining the fundamental design and character of the original system.

Simon Daws, Project Engineer at IMH, commented: “This was a really interesting project to be part of, not just because of the engineering challenge but also because it gives that extra bit of satisfaction knowing you are supporting a facility with rich history and local interest.”