Post cards from Karel

An ‘Auto’biography of History

This Month’s card is from the Promenade in Aberystwyth, a coastal town in Wales on the West Coast of the UK. the MG is of course the Red Midget. It is interesting to note that this post cards is from a time when most cars that you saw on the road in England, where indeed from English car manufacturers. I am not sure what the brand and model of the car next to the horse is, but it appears that all other cars are Morris, Austin, Mini etc.

In the background is Constitution Hill with its cable car railway that has taken passenger to the top since 1896. Although the top of the hill is only 430 ft. up, the track has a grade of over 50%. the original cable car was water-balanced, that means that there was no power to propel the cars. the system has two cars, connected with a strong, steel, cable. Each cable car had a water tank that was filled to compensate for the passengers plus a little bit extra in the car at the top to make slightly heavier that the car at the bottom. And voila… the two cars moved slowly and gently, all by to self, one up and one down. In 1921 the funicular system, as it is officially called, was replaced with electricity, but it is still in operation.

~~ Reinout Vogt