Southend Pier Railway

The Southend Pier Railway is a 3 ft (914 mm) narrow gauge railway in the English seaside resort of Southend-on-Sea. It runs for 1.25 miles (2.01 km) along the 1.34 miles (2.16 km) length of Southend Pier, providing public passenger transport from the shore to the pier head.

The line is owned and operated by Southend-on-Sea Borough Council, and operates every day the pier is open. The normal service uses a single train, and runs every half-hour. At peak times a two train service is operated, providing a 15-minute interval service. Trains operate between stations known as Shore and Pier Head with no intermediate stops.

Although once electrified, train service is currently provided by two diesel trains, running on 3 ft (914 mm) narrow gauge track. Each train consists of a diesel-hydraulic locomotive at the southern end, five trailer coaches and at the northern end, a driver control unit with passenger space. One train is named Sir John Betjeman, and the other Sir William Heygate.

A twin track island platform is provided at each terminus, and there is a passing loop in mid-pier, otherwise the line is single tracked. The pier head terminus is in the open air, but the shore terminus is enclosed, and also provides rail access to a workshop for maintaining the trains. The Southend Pier Museum is situated below the shore station.

The current Southend Pier was preceded by a wooden pier built in 1830. In 1851, a narrow gauge horse tramway was introduced to convey goods and visitors to the pier head.

Construction of the current pier commenced in 1887, and the plans included provision for an electric railway. Construction of the line commenced in 1888, with electrification being carried out by Colonel R. E. B. Crompton. By 1890, 0.75 miles (1.21 km) of 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) gauge single track had been laid, and a single toastrack style car was in use. By the following year the line ran the then full pier length of 1.25 miles (2.01 km) and trailer cars were in use. The system expanded, until eventually, by 1930, four trains, each made up of seven cars, were running on a line that was double track throughout.

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