The lower station was opposite the paddle steamer landing ferries in Hotwells, Hotwells railway station of the Bristol Port Railway and Pier, a terminus of Bristol Tramways and the Rownham ferry enabling connections across the river Avon.

[4] After this strong start, passenger numbers steadily declined until 1908, when the company was declared bankrupt.

[1] During the Second World War blast walls were installed in the tunnel, which was used as offices by BOAC, as a relay station by the BBC, who also constructed seven emergency studios there,[6] and as an air-raid shelter for local residents.

[4] There were four cars in two connected pairs, essentially forming two parallel funicular railways, one being for exclusively first class passengers; the journey took just 40 seconds.

[2] A voluntary group, which in 2008 became a charitable trust, aims to preserve and restore the railway and wartime structures.