National Piers Society:-  www.piers.org.uk

The first, wooden pier was replaced by a 600 foot iron structure designed by Eugenius Birch. It opened in September 1867 and facilities included a saloon, a central observation tower for viewing shipping on the Mersey, refreshment rooms, shelters and an orchestra. The pier was bought, in 1928, by Wallasey Corporation for £13,000. They spent £31,354 replacing rather than repairing all the buildings, including the pavilion.

The pier was closed in 1965 but was later leased to a subsidiary of Fortes who re-opened it in June 1968. However, although an estimated £200,000 was spent on improvements, the pier was closed in November 1972. The pier became unsafe and permission for demolition was granted by the Environment Secretary in 1977. Work took place later that year.  (Ref: National Piers Society:-  www.piers.org.uk)

A pier was first suggested in the 1840s but a company was not created until 1859. Work began the same year. Designed by James Brunlees, the 3600 foot pier opened in 1860. Waiting and refreshment rooms for boat passengers were added in 1862. A baggage line opened on May 7th 1863 but was re-laid the following year when the pier was widened and extended. It was upgraded to a cable-operated tramway in 1865. A further extension, in 1868, brought the length to 4380 feet. Storm damage and fires (in 1933 and 1957) reduced the length to the present 3633 foot, the second longest in Britain.

The tramway was re-laid in 1893 and electrified on April 3rd 1905. Southport Corporation took over in 1936, and rebuilt the tramway's rolling stock. When the town lost its DC electricity supply in 1950, the tramway's 3 foot 6 inch gauge line was replaced with one foot eleven and a half inch gauge using diesel stock.

A 1990 report estimated that it would cost £900,000 to secure the pier's future, with £250,000 needed every five years for repainting. A demolition proposal was rejected (by one vote) by Sefton's Leisure Services Committee. A Charitable Trust was established in 1993, and a Friends' group in 1994. The pier's forecourt was officially re-opened in 1994, after improvements. In 1995, the Trust were awarded a £641,000 European grant for structural and general improvement work. In 1996, a £2.8 million bid was submitted for Lottery funding and, in 1997, an initial £34,000 was awarded to pay for a major structural survey.

By 1999 sufficient funding had been obtained from the Heritage Lottery Fund and European Merseyside Objective, together with contributions from Sefton Council and the Southport Pier Trust, to restore the complete structure. Phase one, which included the restoration of the main structure and the construction of a new pavilion, was completed in May 2002 and the full length of the pier was re-opened to the public.

In 2005, a new 100-seater tram, using advanced battery-driven technology, was introduced, funded by Mersey Waterfront, Sefton Council and the Southport Pier Trust. The tram travels the mile long journey to the seaward end pavilion housing a variety of attractions including an interactive display and exhibition of the local wildlife and coastline, plus traditional, old-fashioned penny arcade amusements. The large 'Funland' amusement hall is situated at the pier entrance and the famous vintage 'Golden Gallopers' carousel on the pier forecourt.

On August 2nd 2010, the pier celebrated its 150th anniversary with live music, free rides on the Pier Tram, and lots of family entertainment throughout the day. In August 2011, the wheels of a heavy lorry delivering drinks to the pier fell through the deck and became stuck. Repairs to the damaged pier were said to cost £10,000.  (Ref: National Piers Society:-  www.piers.org.uk)

Constructed by the Lytham Pier Company Ltd., work began in 1864 to the design of Eugenius Birch. The 914 foot structure opened on Easter Monday 1865. It had cost £5,890. Facilities included a shelter at the pier-head. In 1892, the pier was reconstructed at a cost of £12,000 and now included a pavilion.

In October 1903, the pier was sliced in two by drifting barges. Repairs were estimated at £1,400. The pavilion, which had once housed minstrel troupes and amateur dramatic societies, was in use as a cinema when it was destroyed by fire in 1927. It was not replaced.

The pier closed in 1938, except to anglers. There were some repairs to the entrance buildings but the pier had become an eyesore and was in a dangerous condition. Despite a petition, it was demolished between March and April 1960 at a cost of £7,320, including £4,000 paid in compensation to its owner.  (Ref: National Piers Society:-  www.piers.org.uk)

The 914 foot pier was built at a cost of £18,000 for the St Anne's-on-the-Sea Land & Building Company Ltd. It opened on the 15th June 1885 to the design of A.Dawson. Extensions costing a further £30,000 were opened on April 2nd 1904 and included the famous 1000-seat Moorish Pavilion and various kiosks. The mock-Tudor lodge at the entrance had opened a few years earlier and the Floral Hall (in use by 1910) housed concerts, operas and vaudeville acts. Gracie Fields, George Formby, Russ Conway and Bob Monkhouse all performed at the pier. An amusement arcade was added to the entrance in 1954.

The children's theatre was damaged by fire in 1959. In 1960, the pier was re-decked and a restaurant was added. In 1962, the Amalgamated Investment & Property Company bought the pier for £240,000. The entrance pavilion, Floral Hall, landing jetty and children's section were all renovated.
Another fire in 1974 destroyed the Moorish Pavilion and the pier company went into liquidation. After a buyer was found, restoration work began. In July 1982, the Floral Hall was also destroyed by fire and 120 feet of the pier's seaward end had to be removed, reducing the length to 600 feet. Refurbishment took place in the early 1990s.

The historic mock-Tudor entrance contains shops, amusements and a cafe. The enclosed amusement building has window seating and provides ten-pin bowling. In November 2010, new lights were installed on the front of St Annes pier pavilion as part of a wider scheme to illuminate the town at night. The £20,000 scheme, jointly funded by the pier’s owners, Fylde Council and the Lancashire and Blackpool Tourist Board, was aimed at boosting tourism by making the town centre more attractive at night. (Ref: National Piers Society:-  www.piers.org.uk)

A company was formed in 1890, and work began in 1892 to the design of T.P.Worthington. The 492 foot Victoria Pier (renamed ‘South’ Pier in 1930) opened on Good Friday 1893 to the accompaniment of a 50-piece orchestra, a choir and two brass bands. The Grand Pavilion opened on 20th May. Facilities included 36 shops and various shelters. There was also a 40 piece orchestra.

The Grand Pavilion was damaged by fire in 1954 and 1958. Repairs following the second fire cost £100,000. In 1963, the Regal Theatre (the front pavilion) became the Beachcomber Amusement Arcade. Another fire, in 1964, destroyed the Grand Pavilion but a new £90,000 theatre had been built within twelve weeks. In February 1990, storms left a 12 foot gap across the pier entrance, which was subsequently repaired. In early 1998, the theatre was demolished to make way for the pier’s own ‘white knuckle’ ride.

The pier provides an excellent vantage point for viewing Blackpool’s famous Pleasure Beach roller coasters. Attractions currently include two covered arcades, a family bar, traditional waltzers, the ‘Skycoaster’ and the reverse bungee – Skyscreamer.

In July 2010, the owners, Six Piers Ltd, announced plans for an £8m redevelopment of the pier. The current pier building would be transformed into a 45,000 sq ft family entertainment centre featuring a full-size ten-pin bowling alley, large soft play area, food court and American pool lounge. There would also be a new bar area with sea views.  (Ref: National Piers Society:-  www.piers.org.uk)

The 'Blackpool South Jetty Company' was formed in 1864 and work began in 1867 to the design of J.I.Mawson. It opened on 30th May 1868 as the South Pier, changing its name when the Victoria (now South) Pier opened. Its 1518 foot length included a 400 foot low-water jetty. The entrance was altered in 1877 and 1903.The overall length was reduced to 1118 feet when the jetty was demolished in the 1970s.

The 'People's Pier' was renowned for its entertainment, particularly open-air dancing which was very popular before World War Two. Most of the centre platform became an open-air theatre in 1949, and the pier-head dance floor became the New Theatre in 1967. Dancing was moved indoors to the shoreward end White Pavilion (built 1903) until 1966 when it was demolished to make way for the Dixieland Palace/Golden Goose complex which opened in 1967. This was damaged by fire in 1973 but was rebuilt. Today, this entrance building houses an arcade and a nightclub.

In 1986, the theatre was modernised as part of a £400,000 scheme and became "Maggie May's". A 108 foot Big Wheel was added in 1990 after strengthening: total cost estimated at £750,000. Other facilities include dodgems, waltzers, a family amusement centre, kiosks and fishing for permit holders.  (Ref: National Piers Society:-  www.piers.org.uk)

Residents met in December 1861 to discuss a new pier and work began in June 1862. Designed by Eugenius Birch, it opened on May 21st 1863. A landing/fishing jetty was added in 1866 and extended in 1869, bringing the pier’s length to 1410 feet.

The pier was damaged in 1867 by wreckage from Nelson’s former flagship, the ‘Foudroyant’, which had been moored off the pier for an exhibition. In the 1870s, the pier-head was enlarged and the Indian Pavilion and bandstand were built. There were further ship collisions with the pier in 1892 and 1897. The deck was widened in 1896, and shops and an arcade were added to the shoreward end in 1903. The Indian Pavilion was destroyed by fire in 1921, but a new pavilion was built, unfortunately also being destroyed by fire in 1938. However, a new 1500 seat theatre was completed in 1939. Also in the 1930s, the bandstand became the sun lounge.

In the 1960s, amusements and the Merrie England bar were opened. In the 1980s, £350,000 was spent rebuilding the entrance in Victorian style, and in 1991, a 35 foot carousel and a pier tramway were installed. There were helicopter rides from the jetty, which re-opened in 1991 after severe storm damage in 1987. Leisure excursions resumed in September 1992 when MV Balmoral called at the jetty.

The pier suffered further, severe storm damage in December 1997, severing the jetty from the main structure and leaving the pier theatre perilously close to the edge. The owners did not propose to repair the damage, instead pledging £1,000,000 towards general improvement of this listed structure. The North Pier still had much to offer, from its majestic theatre and the beautiful Carousel bar, through the Sunlight Lounge and traditional carousel ride, right up to the top of the pier with its arcade amusements and Merrie England Bar.

Then in April 2011, the pier was sold by Six Piers Ltd to Blackpool family firm, Sedgwick's, which also owned amusement arcades and the big wheel on Blackpool's Central Pier. Mr Sedgwick vowed to restore the pier to its former Victorian look, bring back its tram and remove the entrance tolls. In September 2011, the theatre was closed and the summer show cancelled to enable the backstage renovation work and modernisation of dressing rooms and windows to begin.  (Ref: National Piers Society:-  www.piers.org.uk)

Plans for a pier at Fleetwood were originally proposed by Richard Edmunds in 1892 but were rejected. Revised plans from G.T.Lumb were submitted and approved in 1909. The 492 foot pier opened on Whit Monday 1910. A pavilion was added in 1911 and further improvements took place in 1930 and 1938. A projection room became a pier facility in 1942 and the decking was reconstructed in 1946.

On August 25th 1952, a disastrous fire that could be seen for up to 20 miles, left a tangled network of steel girders and charred beams. Rebuilding the so-called 'New Super-Pier' began the following year. The pier had a £70,000 facelift in 1972. The pier, then owned by Fleetwood Amusements Ltd, contained Jollies Bar, a large arcade, a snack bar and a vast bingo hall. There was seating alongside each side of the pier-neck and angling took place from the older concrete pier-head. Fleetwood Amusements Ltd, eventually closed the pier in 2000, after going into liquidation.

In 2003 the new owners, Persian Leisure, were granted permission to redevelop Fleetwood Pier and by December of the same year it was once again open to the public. The pier later closed once again for safety reasons and was bought by a local businessman in 2007 who submitted an application to build flats on the pier. A severe fire broke out in the early hours of September 8th 2008. On September 26th 2008, Wyre Borough Council, citing safety concerns, announced that the pier would be completely demolished and on October 10th 2008, the Council confirmed that the pier would not be rebuilt.  (Ref: National Piers Society:-  www.piers.org.uk)

Work began in 1893, with J. Harker as engineer. It opened in 1896, to a length of 1800 foot and was extended in 1898.

It was breached in two places by a storm in February 1903 and further storm damage occurred in 1907, washing away 180 foot of the extension. The pavilion was wrecked by fire in 1917. After a further storm, on 18th October 1927, the pier measured just 900 foot. It remained, however, a centre for a variety of entertainment despite the loss of the concert building (host to the Viennese Orchestra in 1912). Open-air dancing was popular after the Second World War.

In November 1977, further storm damage wrecked a third of the pier and isolated the open-air dancing and roller-skating area. Repair costs were estimated at a prohibitive £500,000 and the pier was demolished in 1978.

A plan for a new West End pier was not adapted.  (Ref: National Piers Society:-  www.piers.org.uk)

Proposals for a pier were publicised in 1867 and construction began in 1868. It opened on 25th March 1869 having cost £10,000. It was enlarged in the early 1870s at a cost of £5,000.The 912 foot structure included a large pier-head, ideal for the steamers that called until 1914. In 1897/8, a pavilion was added but it was destroyed by fire on 31st July 1933 and a new, 2000-seat pavilion/ballroom was built in 1935/6 at a cost of £25,000. Other facilities included open-air roller-skating, the Marine cafe and motorboat cruises around the bay.

The pier closed at Easter 1986 after decking collapsed at the seaward end. A fire on 4th February 1987 damaged the amusement arcade at the shoreward end and, in November 1989, the owners were instructed by the Council to either upgrade or demolish the structure. The pier was sold in January 1990 and repair work began. However, in March 1991, a Council report effectively condemned the pier. The ballroom was destroyed by fire on Easter Sunday 1991 and demolition began in March 1992.  (Ref: National Piers Society:-  www.piers.org.uk)

The pier opened on 19th August 1869, John Dixon of London's Cannon Street being both designer and contractor. Construction had taken just five months.

It had originally been thought that it was sold to a group of North Wales businessmen in 1895/6 , dismantled and re-erected at Rhos-on-Sea near Colwyn Bay. However, in the book 'Piers of Wales' written by Martin Easdown and Darlah Thomas, it has been conclusively proved that the Douglas Iron Pier never went to Rhos-on-Sea, Colwyn Bay. The Douglas pier was closed in 1891 and acquired by the the council who offered it for scrap as they wanted to widen the promenade at the foot of Broadway. A number of resorts (such as Penarth and Abergele) had a look at the pier with a view to re-erecting it at their resorts (it was up for sale at £1,300) but that failed to happen. In the early part of 1894 demolition of the pier began by a Manchester scrap metal merchant, which was completed by May.

So the pier was never re-erected at Rhos. This wrong information came about because one author claimed it happened in a book published in 1952 and everyone took his word for it.  (Ref: National Piers Society:-  www.piers.org.uk)

The 2241 foot pier was built for the Isle of Man Harbour Board for £45,000. It opened on 22nd July 1886. Designed by Sir John Coode, construction was by Head Wrightson and Co. of Stockton-on-Tees. The 3 foot gauge tramway, originally used to carry building materials, was now used for baggage transport. A new landing stage opened in 1899 and an enclosed passenger van entered service that August. The railway was hand propelled until 1937 when the 8hp Planet (a small petrol locomotive) entered service. A new Wickham Railcar followed in August 1950, while 1955/6 saw the replacement of the two diverging track spurs with a short straight section on to the road. This gave the line a length of 2080 feet.

In 1956, the pier entrance was rebuilt. In 1969, a mere 3054 steamer passengers disembarked, a fall from 36,000 per year prior to 1914. After the 1970 season, the pier was closed to steamers but remained open to anglers and holidaymakers. The tramway continued to operate.

By 1979, the wooden berthing head was fenced off and the cafe and tramway only traded during the summer. The tramway closed in 1981. In 1990, the main berthing head had separated from the pier and was awaiting removal by a government workforce. Repairs by the Department of Highways, Ports and Properties (DHPP) enabled the pier to re-open for the 1990 season but, within 48 hours of opening, the repair work had been vandalised. In 1991, the DHPP stated that they would close the pier if there was further vandalism. The pier did close, with restoration costs estimated at over £2.5 million and demolition estimated at over £1 million.

The 'Friends of Ramsey Queen's Pier' were formed in 1994, and a section was opened for National Piers Day in June 1996. Also in 1996, divers removed broken tie rods, cleaned the bracketry and installed new ties. The cost of these repairs was met from the pier's £40,000 annual provision. In 1999, a report commissioned by the Friends of Ramsey Queen's Pier found that the Pier was in much better condition structurally than many British piers and full refurbishment would cost £1.273 million. However, for almost the next ten years, progress was painfully slow, consisting primarily of just a series of reports and little actual movement, much to the dismay of the Friends of the Pier. Finally, in January 2009, a Council of Ministers Working Group decide that Queen's Pier is of national heritage significance and should be refurbished. In July 2009, Tony Wills and Tim Wardley visited the pier and were fully supportive of the Friends campaign to restore the pier. However, in September 2009, consulting engineers BWB Consulting were commissioned by the Steering Group established by the Council of Ministers to progress options to secure the future of the pier. The Steering Group finally produced a recommendation in May 2010 that the pier be saved from demolition - but would remain closed to the public as there was no money for its restoration. The cost of £1.8m for this option was agreed by the Tynwald.   (Ref: National Piers Society:-  www.piers.org.uk)

©1999-2010 Copyright Ian Boyle/Simplon Postcards (all pages on web site)
All Rights Reserved

Free Web Counter
Times viewed since 19/05/2009: