Deutsch
Français
Italiano
Česky
Nederlands
Lift-Database » Lifts in the world
120-FUC CairnGorm Funicular
Car near the valley station
Car descending to the valley
Summer stop at Ptarmigan
| General information | |
|---|---|
| Place | Reindeer House |
| resort | CairnGorm Mountain |
| Region | Scotland |
| Country | |
| Name of lift | CairnGorm Funicular |
| Type | 120-FUC |
| Lift manufacturer | Doppelmayr |
| Year of construction | 2001 |
| Commissioning date | Dec 23, 2001 |
| Infos for handicapped persons |
|---|
| Fully accessible to wheelchair users. Bottom and Top Stations have lift access to all facilities. |
| Characteristics |
|---|
| The CairnGorm Funicular is just under 2km in length, the majority is carried on a concrete viaduct, but the top 350m is in a tunnel. The haul rope is complimented by a lower tension rope and a short section of track between the bottom and middle station has a shallow reverse gradient. The middle station is not at the passing loop, thus the Funicular must stop twice if both the up car and down car are picking up or dropping off passengers. This increases journey time from 3.5min (full speed) to around 7 to 8minutes. Incorporated in the Top Station is the Ptarmigan Restaurant, Mountain viewing terrace, Mountain Exhibition and Shop. The wide 2m track gauge is due to the high winds that often affect CairnGorm Mountain. The Funicular is permitted to operate for uplifting skiers in wind speeds up to 70mph (112km/h). It can be used for evacuation in higher wind speeds at reduced line speed. The highest wind speed recorded at the Tunnel Mouth since opening is 176mph (284km/h). The CairnGorm Funicular made it's inaugural journey on 23rd December 2001, 40 years to the day that the White Lady Chairlift (which the Funicular replaced) was inaugurated. The first full day of public operation was Christmas Day 2001. The Funicular was a direct replacement for the White Lady and Carpark Chairlifts (1960s 2-CLD side facing GMD Mueller chairs). Outwith the ski season the Funicular operates in a 'closed system' and the funicular can not be used to access the Summit Plateau, however walkers and climbers who make their own way up the mountain may take the Funicular down. During the ski season the funicular provides access to the high level nursery slopes at the top of the ski area as well as uplift for the mid and lower slopes. The total cost of installation was £19.5million but around 1/3rd of the cost went on environmental impact mitigation. In some cases tower founds had to be dug by hand to avoid damage to sensitive peat bogs which are home to rare plants. Rocks with rare lichens and mosses had to be photographed, numbered, carefully stored and the returned to the same location they were removed from after construction! |
| geometric data | |
|---|---|
| Height of valley station | 645 m |
| Height of middle station(s) | 760 m |
| Height of mountain station | 1097 m |
| Vertical rise | 453 m |
| Route distance | 1970 m |
| Horizontal length | ?? m |
| Average incline | 23 % |
| Largest incline | 40 % |
| Trackwidth drive | ?? m |
| Trackwidth line | 2 m |
| Trackwidth return | ?? m |
| Angle of wrap (drive wheel) | ?? ° |
| Drive altitude of site | ?? m |
| Maximum capacity | 1200 Pers/h |
| Travel time | 3,5 min |
| Driving speed line | 10,0 m/s |
| electrical data | |
|---|---|
| Electrical control | Frey |
| Remote control and telemonitoring system | ?? |
| Power control system | ?? |
| Number of drive | ?? Stk |
| Drive power (Start) | ?? kW |
| Drive power (Operation) | ?? kW |
| Brake power | ?? kW |
| Continuous brake power | ?? kW |
| Driving station | Mountain station |
| Drive type | ?? |
| Traction of drive | ?? |
| Emergency drive | ?? |
| Traction of emergency drive | ?? |
| cabins data | |
|---|---|
| Grip type | ?? |
| Cab manufacturer | Gangloff |
| Cab model | ?? |
| Seating | none |
| Seat heater | no |
| Heater | ?? |
| Aircon | ?? |
| Persons per cab | 120 |
| Number of cabs | 2 Stk |
| Carriage Operator | ?? |
| rope data | |
|---|---|
| Rope manufacturer | ?? |
| Length of haul rope | ?? m |
| Length of counter-rope | ?? m |
| Total weight of haul rope | ?? t |
| Total weight of counter-rope | ?? t |
| Haul rope diameter | ?? mm |
| Counter-rope diameter | ?? mm |
| Nominal strength of haul rope | ?? N/mm² |
| Nominal strength of counter-rope | ?? N/mm² |
| Breaking strength of rope | ?? kN |
| Breaking strength of counter-rope | ?? kN |
| Tensionstation haulrope | Valley station |
| Tension type | hydraulical (controlled) |
| Tension way | ?? m |
| miscellaneous data | |
|---|---|
| Transport uphill | 100 % |
| Transport downhill | 100 % |
| Construction costs | ?? |
| Currency (Construction costs) | ?? |
| Construction period | 30 months |
| Seasontime | ❄ ☀ all-season |
| Type of turnout | ?? |
| Integrated rescue system | ?? |
| Asset number (Trail map) | ?? |
Updates
Datas: Apr 25, 2023
PHOTOS: ??
Lift-Statistics
14861 visit(s) since Sep 22, 2003
Last visit May 25, 2025
LIFT-WORLD IDs
Lift-ID: 1220
Place-ID: 323
https://www.seilbahntechnik.net/en/lifts/1220/datas.htm
Datas: Apr 25, 2023
PHOTOS: ??
Lift-Statistics
14861 visit(s) since Sep 22, 2003
Last visit May 25, 2025
LIFT-WORLD IDs
Lift-ID: 1220
Place-ID: 323
https://www.seilbahntechnik.net/en/lifts/1220/datas.htm