Whistle, hoot, whistle

Whistle, hoot, whistle. This first BrightonBeach365 post is my humble contribution to the start of nationwide celebrations to mark 200 years of UK rail travel. The first event took place today at midday: a combined whistle blowing from all available heritage railway locomotives. And the famous Volk’s Electric Railway - which runs along the beach from the Aquarium to Black Rock - took part. The Volk’s Electric Railway Association (VERA) stated: ‘As you know our Volk’s cars don’t have whistles so we will be sounding all available warning devices (klaxons and horns) from the available Volk’s fleet outside the depot at Halfway (Peter Pans) at 12 noon.’

Though not, in fact, going back anywhere near two centuries, Volk’s claim to fame is for being the oldest operating ELECTRIC railway IN THE WORLD (or ON THE PLANET as David Attenborough might say). It was opened by Brighton born inventor Magnus Volk in 1883, passed briefly to his son on his death in 1937, and then, the year after, to Brighton Corporation (which became Brighton & Hove City Council). It’s closed for the winter, but an excellent pictorial essay on the railway’s history can be found at VERA’s website.

This New Year morning has proved an inauspicious start to the BrightonBeach365 project. I could barely cycle down to the sea front because the wind was gusting so strongly, at over 40 mph. On the pebbles it was super-windy, freezing to the hands, mist limiting not-so-distant vision, and monstrous, grisly waves rolling in, threatening DANGER banners put out by the coastguard. 

Whistle, hoot, whistle.