The funicular that went where you would least expect

Stand at the summit of Devil's Dyke in East Sussex and look down.

You may just be able to make out a faint line on the hillside.

Perhaps strange to some, but here was once a funicular railway that carried day trippers and supplies up and down the steep slope.

Operating from 1897 to around 1909, historian Chris Horlock tells BBC Secret Sussex it was built to save people the "considerable walk" to and from Poynings at the foot of the dyke.

He says its carriages would not pass health and safety requirements today.

They were open to waist height with passengers - 12 at a time - behind just a bit of string, according to Horlock.

"The main part of the journey was... incredibly steep," he continues.

"So I suppose it was a bit of a thrilling ride."

Horlock tells the BBC the funicular was used by "late Victorians who wanted to spend their money a bit, have lunch and then go down to the village for a bit of afternoon tea".

"They may have even ventured as far as Bramber and seen the castle there."

But he adds: "The main thing was to come and sample the great view."

Standing more than 215m above sea level, the South Downs, English Channel and Isle of Wight can all be seen from the popular tourist attraction.

Almost impossible to picture now, the funicular ran to an amusement park on the top of Devil's Dyke.

The person behind this idea was James Henry Hubbard.

Sheila Marshall, a local historian, tells BBC Secret Sussex she was shocked to find out that Hubb parents were formerly enslaved people in the US.

She explains they did well for themselves when freed and James' brother William invented a portable bread oven, which the pair used to get rich.

Visiting Brighton from London, Marshall says that Hubbard saw the amazing view and decided to create the amusement park.

"He built a massive fun fair," adds Horlock. "It really was very, very extensive".

Horlock details that Hubbard built a full-sized carousel, swing boat, slot machines, shooting range and coconut shy.

One day the businessman claimed 30,000 people "sampled the delights" of the amusement park, he adds.

"But, as you can imagine, maintenance of the whole estate was costly and, of course, very seasonal," he continues.

"It all proved a little bit difficult for him."

Marshall explains that things also went "downhill" because the attractions became less and less popular and did not bring in the money.

"Hubbard went bankrupt," she said.

The funicular railway "staggered on for a bit", but the company that was running it threw in the towel.

It was stopped in 1908 and stood derelict for a while.

"It was not successful, which is a great shame, because I think people now would flock here for the novelty ride," Horlock adds.

"I reckon in 20, 30 years all traces of the scar [from the railway] will be gone."

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