Birmingham Airport

NGR SP185838

Britain's newest funicular, the replacement for the Maglev, which closed a few years ago, the SkyRail connects Birmingham Airport with International railway station. Opened earlier 2003 it is a horizontal funicular! The two tracks operate independently, both having an articulated car hauled by cable. Birmingham is the first airport in the world, and the only location in Europe to feature SkyRail, an Austrian-built cable-driven system, made by the Doppelmayr Cable Car company, this system is called the CABLE Liner Shuttle the first one has been operating successfully in Las Vegas since 1999. The Birmingham system has two trains, each consisting of two carriages, can carry up to 1600 people per hour between the rail station and passenger terminals and has reduced the transfer time to just 91 seconds. SkyRail is fully automated, designed for operation without driver and attendants, and is powered and driven from a central drive station. It follows the same course and elevated concrete structure as the former MAGLEV, along two new 585-metre trackways, travelling at a speed of up to 22 miles per hour. It cost £11million. Another is planned at Toronto airport.

Airport Station Airport Station Carriage Airport Station Cable Cable Carriage View from a Carriage Birmingham Int Railway Station Birmingham Int Railway Station Birmingham Int Railway Station Birmingham Int Railway Station Elevated Track Elevated Track Birmingham Int Railway Station Birmingham Int Railway Station Logo Whole Railway Airport Station Whole Railway Whole Railway Whole Railway

The Stats
Date Opened 2003Length 585.5m
Gradient 0Track Gauge 1200 mm
Number of Cars 2Open to Public Yes
Funicular Type One cabin, one loop cableOne cabin, one loop cableTrack layout Twin Track
Power Source ElectricRailway Status In Use