ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Brighton and Rottingdean Seashore Electric Railway

Okay, so imagine you're at the beach. You love the sand, the waves, and maybe even searching for seashells. But what if you could go on a train ride along the beach, so you didn't have to walk so much?

That's exactly what the Brighton and Rottingdean Seashore Electric Railway was! It was a really special train that ran along the seashore in England, way back in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

Now, this train was not like other trains you might see. It wasn't powered by steam, like most trains back then. Instead, it ran on electricity. Do you know what electricity is? It's like magic power that can make things light up, heat up or cool down, move around, and lots of other amazing things.

So this train had special tracks and wires that helped it run on electricity. People could hop on and off at different stops along the beach, and it was really popular with tourists and locals alike.

The train was also really cool because the cars were shaped like little boats! They had roofs to keep people dry if it rained, and even little paddlewheels on the sides. It was like you were riding on a boat on the beach!

Unfortunately, the Brighton and Rottingdean Seashore Electric Railway didn't last forever. After about 10 years of service, the tracks and the trains started to wear down, and it became too expensive to keep them running. But lots of people still remember how special it was to ride that train on the beach.