Sir John Betjeman train on the pier at Southend on Sea, Essex. At miles long it is the longest pleasure pier in the world
n the early 19th century, Southend was growing as a seaside holiday resort. At the time, it was thought that spending time by the sea was good for one's health, and since it was close to the capital, many Londoners would come to Southend for this reason. However the coast at Southend consists of large mudflats, so the sea is never very deep even at full tide (between four and six metres), and recedes over a mile from the beach at low tide. Large boats were unable to stop at Southend near to the beach and no boats at all were able to stop at low tide. This meant that many potential visitors would travel past Southend and go to Margate, or other resorts where docking facilities were better. To counter this trend local dignitaries pushed for a pier to be built. This would allow boats to reach Southend at all tides.
Size: 4256px × 2832px
Location: Southend Pier Southend on Sea Essex England United Kingdom
Photo credit: © pictureditor / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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