The Southend Cliff Railway is a small inclined funicular, less than 40 metres long, that lifts visitors from the lower esplanade up to Clifftown Parade and the gardens at the top of the cliff. Opened in 1912, it is one of the oldest cliff railways in the United Kingdom still in operation, and one of the few electric funiculars of its scale.
Two small cars run in counterweight on a single track, passing at the central halfway point. A return trip takes about a minute and costs only a pound or so. The view from the upper station along the seafront and across the estuary is excellent, and the cliff-top gardens are a pleasant place to sit. Closed in poor weather and through the winter.