On 18 May 1895, Sam Wilson opened the Shipley Glen Tramway, a cable-hauled narrow-gauge tramway with two cars. It connects Saltaire (at the back of Roberts Park) with what was then a fairground and various attractions on Shipley Glen. The fairground is long gone but Shipley Glen is still a lovely area to walk or picnic, and the Tramway is still there. It has been restored and is operated by volunteers. For £2.50 (adult fare) you can ride up and down all day if you so choose, but just a single ride from the bottom saves a steep walk uphill.
On 18 May 2025, they celebrated its 130th birthday with an open day and events in Thompson Lane Field. It was lovely to see queues of people waiting for a ride (and it must have helped bring in some much needed income to keep it going. It's been very close to closing completely, many times over the years).
I've ridden it lots of times but I still enjoy the experience and enjoy, too, the delight of other passengers, especially the children. The two cars pass each other halfway along the ride and everyone waves! Good, wholesome, simple fun in a complicated world.
Great alternative to walking such an incline!
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