SOUTHPORT BRICKS
Southport Pier is a Grade II listed building in Southport. At 1,216 yards (1,112 m) it is the second longest in Great Britain after Southend Pier.
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.
June 2015 saw the end of the line for Southport Pier’s tram service. The tram would be replaced by the smaller land train which had its route modified to incorporate the length of the pier. The move was made as part of ongoing council cost cutting measures and rising maintenance costs for the tram, which Sefton Council deemed to be too much to maintain.
In August 2015, Sefton Council announced that they would be carrying out essential maintenance work on the pier throughout September. The work would involve timber repairs and painting as well as scaffolding under the Pier. However, the pier would not be closed and the concessions on the pier would remain open.
In March 2016, Southport’s iconic tram was removed from the pier and held in a secure compound until it could be sold. The tram service was withdrawn in June 2015 to help reduce maintenance costs caused by wear and tear on the timber Pier deck.
Source: National Piers Society
My View:
Southport Pier is probably the most iconic landmark of the town and is instantly recognisable and I have to admit I never tire from seeing it.
It's a pity that more use is not made of it but I suppose on the other hand we should be glad that it was demolished some years ago.
It provides a perfect subject for photographers and you could spend all day finding different angles and I will continue to add my favourites on this page.