Next Month, the Volk’s Electric Railway in Brighton, which is the World’s oldest operating electric railway, will be celebrating its 140th anniversary.

The railway has been operating on Brighton’s eastern seafront since August 1883, and to mark the occasion Brighton and Hove City Council and the Volk’s Electric Railway Association have jointly organised a number of events for Saturday, 12th and Sunday 13th August.

Saturday, 12th August

11.15– there will be a line-up of all available trains at Aquarium Station. The station is notable for being destroyed in World War 2, but fortunately, Brighton Transport Department has a redundant tram shelter that proved ideal for re-use as a station building.

11.45 – welcome speeches will be made near the statue of Steve Ovett on Marine Parade by Cllr. Jackie O’Quinn, Mayor of Brighton & Hove, and celebrities including Nicholas Owen from BBC News and Classic FM, and Tim Dunn who presents the TV programmes Secrets of the London Underground and Architecture of the Railways.

12.00 – there will be a procession of trains, including the recently-recovered ex-Southend-on-Sea car No. 9, which joined the Volk’s fleet in 1949. Throughout the procession, there will be a commentary by Ian Gledhill.

13.00 – a 140th-anniversary special train will depart from Aquarium Station.

13.30 – the railway will be open for public service.

18.00 – a ‘Twilight Special illuminated train will operate between Aquarium and Halfway stations until dusk.

Sunday 13th August.

10.15 – normal public service will start.

12.00 – there will be tours of the workshop, offices, and sheds, including a display of a model of Volk’s Railway.

18.45– Volk’s Railway car will be lined up for a photography session.

Throughout the weekend, Volk’s Railway Association members will be on hand to talk about the railway, its history, and the association.