The Woodworker & Woodturner – September 2019

http://www.getwoodworking.com September 2019 The Woodworker & Good Woodworking 3

WELCOME

Secret Brighton
Although I’ve lived in Brighton (and Hove) for the best
part of 20 years, there’s still so much of the city and
surrounding areas I’ve never seen. We all know how
the years fly by, but a newly released book called Secret
Brighton recently caught my eye. It is a fascinating read,
packed full of interesting historical information, detailing
hidden treasures I’ve never even heard of. From the
relatively well-known to the downright bizarre, unusual
and underground, this handy pocket guide accompanied
me on a jaunt around the city as I took off one Sunday
afternoon, very excited to see what I could find.

Old-fashioned fun
My first port of call was Marine Parade, where I could
tick a few hidden gems off my list, the first being the
Madeira Lift, a Grade-II listed Victorian architectural
marvel, which, according to author Ellie Seymour, “was
restored to its former glory back in 2013. In its heyday,
the lift carried thousands of Victorians, dressed up in
their seaside finery, from grand whitewashed Regency
homes down to the beach for their daily constitutional.”
It was originally operated using a hydraulic pump, and
up to 15 people could be carried at any one time for a
halfpenny each way. Made out of cast-iron, the lift was
intended to resemble the oriental design of the Royal
Pavilion and has four griffins and an ornate dolphin
weather vane on the top.

Brighton’s eccentric inventor
Inventor of the infamous Volk’s Electric Railway,
built back in 1883 and which remains a popular
working tourist attraction to this day, Mr Magnus
Volk, the entrepreneurial and creative son of a German
clockmaker, set up his intriguing yet bizarre wooden
offices and workshop in the side of a cliff at Paston
Place. Still used today, entering the building is like
stepping back in time and the store is jam-packed with
all kinds of spare parts and wonderful old power tools. As
well as inventing and building Volk’s Electric Railway, he
also came up with the idea for the ill-fated ‘Daddy Long
Legs’, remnants of which can still be seen near Brighton
Marina at low tide. When Volk realised he couldn’t extend
his electric railway any further, he decided to turn his
attention to a new venture: a completely new railway
that could travel through the sea, called the Brighton

Welcome

We endeavour to ensure all techniques shown in this issue are safe, but take no responsibility for readers’ actions.

Take care when woodworking and always use guards, goggles, masks, hold-down devices and ear protection, and above all, plenty of common sense. Do remember to enjoy yourself, though

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Te g a n Fo ley

Group Editor

Phil Davy

Technical & Consultant Editor

and Rottingdean Seashore Railway. Originally built back

in 1894, it was 5.5m wide to carry a ‘salt water tram’, called

Pioneer. It weighed 45 tonnes and was supported on 7m

high struts, allowing it to travel through the water. With

its gangly appearance, Pioneer quickly earned the nickname

‘Daddy Long Legs’. During its short life, the railway carried

around 44,000 passengers a year.

The oldest English elm trees in Europe

Venturing further into the city to visit the ‘Preston Twins’

in Preston Park, I was surprised to learn that Brighton and

Hove is home to more types of elm tree than any other

city in the world. The park is considered a living museum

as it’s home to around 30 different types, including those

mentioned above. Thought to be the oldest English elm

trees in Europe – and possibly the world – these hollow

giant(s) are estimated to be around 400-years-old. What

the book neglected to mention, however, is that sadly, one

of the twins collapsed back in August 2017 and suffered

catastrophic structural damage with a major portion of

the crown snapping off in two large sections. Some parts

luckily still remain, and council specialists worked tirelessly

to maintain and manage this historically important tree.

So, it just goes to show that, no matter where you live,

every town and city has its own, unique history. I hope

you’ve enjoyed my little glimpse into some relics of the past!

The Madeira Lift, which is still operational today

The ‘Preston Twins’ prior to collapse... ... and after

The Brighton and Rottingdean Seashore Electric Railway, or ‘Daddy Long Legs’ as it was also known