Of the several inclines railways built in the Hamilton area, the first was built not on the edge of the escarpment, but on the edge of Hamilton Harbor.
Bayview park was a picnicing and amusement park located on the north shore of Hamilton Harbor. Opening in 1883, the park was connected to the city of Hamilton by a ferry dock with ferry service running every 15 minutes. However the park was at the top of a steep hill above the ferry dock. To overcome this hill in 1886 an incline railway was built between the ferry dock and the park.
Running over 100m in length (335 feet), the incline railway had two cars each with seating for 12 passengers. Connected by a 3/4 inch steel cable, the incline operated as a tandem incline: as one car went down, the other went up. At the top of the incline was an engine house containing a large pulley and a steam engine built by George Morrison.
This incline did not operate for long as Bayview Park closed down around 1900. In the 1920s the site became the home of the Bayview Cemetery, Crematory and Mausoleum.
Newspapers
Hamilton Spectator
"Midwinter's Inclinded Railway - From the Wharf Up the Mountain Side at Bayview Park" May 13, 1886, pg 4
"Queen's Birthday - Some of the Ways in Which Hamilton People Will Observe It" May 22, 1886, pg 4
Watson, Paul "Bay View Park - the climb was steep, the thrills were cheap" July 3, 2018, pg G1
