Further to yesterday’s what3words post here are few more photos of the Southend on Sea pier and railway. The pier extends 1.33 miles (2.14 km) into the Thames Estuary, and the first one, made of wood, was opened in 1830 to enable steamers carrying day tripping Londoners to stop at Southend. Even that had a primitive tramway. In 1889 it was replaced with an iron structure and since then the track and trains have developed to today’s 3ft narrow gauge track and modern battery electric trains.
Naming a train after Sir John Betjeman was to commemorate his involvement in saving the pier from demolition back in 1980, just as his campaign saved St Pancras Station featured in a recent post.
“The Pier is Southend, Southend is the Pier”. Sir John Betjeman.
John's Postcards 