Southwold Pier

Infobox_Pier
Pier_name= Southwold Pier

caption= Southwold Pier.
official_name=Southwold Pier
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type= Pleasure Pier
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design= W Jeffrey
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owner=Iredale family
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length= 190
width=
clearance=
below=
traffic=
open= 1900
closed=
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Southwold Pier is a pier in Southwold, Suffolk, East Anglia, England.

The pier was built in 1900, when it extended for a distance of 810 feet (247 m) and finishing with a T-shaped end. The pier end was practically destroyed by a gale in 1934, with the T-shaped end being swept away. A series of events during the Second World War and a further major storm in 1979 reduced the pier to approximately 100 feet (30 m).

A major refurbishment program was started in 1999 in order to rebuild the pier. This was completed in 2001 almost 100 years after it was first opened. In 2002 the T-Shaped end was additionally added, bringing the pier to a total length of 623 feet (190 m). This additional length now allows the pier to accommodate visits by Britain's only surviving sea-going steam passenger ship, the PS "Waverley" paddle steamer and its sister ship the M.V.Balmoral.

Whilst many English seaside piers are in decline, Southwold Pier is enjoying renewed popularity. It includes a collection of modern coin-operated novelty machines designed and constructed by the inventor Tim Hunkin.

Awards

*2002 National Piers Society - Pier of the Year

External links

* [http://www.southwoldpier.co.uk/history.htm History of Southwold Pier]
* [http://www.timhunkin.com/75_southwold_pier_arcade.htm Southwold Pier Arcade Archive]
* [http://www.timhunkin.com/63_southwold_water_clock.htm Southwold Pier Water clock]
* [http://www.theheritagetrail.co.uk/piers/southwold%20pier.htm History of Southwold Pier]
* [http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=Southwold+Pier&m=tags&s=int Pictures of Southwold Pier]