Historical Bridgnorth Cliff Railway gets plaque

The railway says it has become a "major tourist attraction"

The heritage of England's last historical inland funicular railway has been recognised with a plaque.

Bridgnorth Cliff Railway in Shropshire was honoured with a Red Wheel plaque by the Transport Trust, a national charity that promotes the preservation of transport heritage.

The railway's owners described the plaque as "an honour and a privilege".

The trust said only ten such awards were made each year.

The railway says it provides a "vital transport link"

Dr Malvern Tipping, chairman of the railway, said it had opened in 1892 and provided a "vital transport link" between the high town and the low town.

He said it had also become a "major tourist attraction".

Dr Tipping and his family bought the railway in 2011.

There are only 10 such plaques awarded each year

He said he had only recently discovered he was related to the railway's founder, George Croydon Marks.

Lord Marks, the hydraulic engineer who started the railway, was Dr Tipping's great grandfather's third cousin but he only discovered this through research he did after the purchase.

The railway's current owners did not realise they were related to Lord Marks

"We had no idea about that when we bought the railway," he said. "It was just one of those quirky, historical things that caught our imagination, little realising we already had a link to it."

Peter Stone, from the Transport Trust, said the railway was only the 78th site to be awarded one of the plaques.

Sir William McAlpine, president of the Transport Trust, said he was pleased Bridgnorth Cliff Railway was owned by a family concern.

He added it was also pleasing it was back in the hands of relations of the original founders.