The Southend Pier Railway

Earlier this year the new battery electric trains were in service but yesterday one of the Diesel ones was in use and one of the staff at the pier head station said that there is a problem with the new ones at the moment. The locomotive from the second Diesel train is parked in the second platform at the pier head while the bodies from the five coaches are now used as shelters on the pier, two on the station platform and three more further down the pier. I didn’t see the coach with the driving cab from this train. Both of the new battery electric trains and the single battery car were stored in the left platform at the shore end station.

Thanks for this. I grew up near Southend and often rode on the pier railway AC Cars trains.
If you like quirky, you really ought to visit the Hythe Pier Railway near Southampton.

Awesome! Having been a railway enthusiast for decades I have never heard of this pier railway. Great to see it still running, unfortunately not like the one at Southport which appears to be in the process of removal. Thanks for posting. 👍

Went on it once - and once only - in the mid 70's.

Dad wasn't for going on it twice as he thought it was way too dangerous - it rattled snd creaked alarmingly as it went along - I think he may have had a point too ...

I went there in July and saw the new train on the siding at the northern end.

very nice

I was trying to remember when I’d been there then realised I only saw it on gurgle street view…

Maybe time for an up-date Jago! Since they have indeed now replaced the trains with new ones?

From the longest to possibly the shortest pier railway: the Hythe Pier railway which seems so short as to beg the question why?

This is Southend’s version of Ryde Pier Head on the IOW

You're have to come back and film our new trains

Really enjoyed this one..... Being an East End lad, trips to the seaside were by railway. The old District Line R or CO/CP stock to Barking for a 'new' BR blue EMU to Chalkwell (for the beach), then later on an Eastern National Bristol open top bus to Southend. Peter Pans playground and a trip along the pier were always part of the day out. This was from around 1970 to after the pier fire. I rode the green & cream trains, there were two tracks when i first rode it and two or more trains operated in high summer. I remember they still ran after the fire because we went to the end to see the destruction. Some of the stall holders down there had burnt 2p coins which they showed us kids, there had be an amusement arcade at the end, along with a ghost train ride (where the fire supposedy started) and a pavilion. Happy days (well, not the fire obviously...) that i remember well.......

I have lived in the area for a number of years and have many fond memories of catching the last train back after a hard evenings fishing lol

Excellent commentary as usual from you. I live in Leigh-on-Sea so the pier and it’s trains are very relevant to me. The new ones are a tribute to the (in my opinion) the best looking ones, the old green and cream version. Keep up the good work.

How about taking a look at The Crouch Valley Railway from Wickford to Southminster, Essex. Mostly single track with some interesting Station names along the way. Battlesbridge has nothing to do with a military conflict as I recently discovered, but I'll leave you to do the research. I'm a new subscriber working my way through your videos.
Thank you.

Happy memories of holidays there in the 60's

"It sticks out a mile" and a quarter!

But what happened to the child who fell through the pier in 1971?

Least used Elephant and Horse Drawn Trains ?
A NEW VIDEO ?

When I was a boy, back in the sixties, we sometimes stayed with my Aunt and Uncle, who lived behind the Kursaal in Southend. At that time, the joints in the pier railway line were not staggered, and I would lie in bed in the evening listening to the 'thump, thump, thump' of the trains running up and down.

I learned a lot. Never even guessed that ppl traveled by ship to south end.

1986 - On June 30th the tanker MV Kingsabbey sailed off course and cut through the pier between the old and new Pier Heads, there was a passenger footbridge connecting the two, for a while. Also major fire in 2005 burnt out the station and buckled the tracks. No elephants hurt.

The new trains are now in the sidings, raring to go. The Sir John Betjeman is out of service as well, so the end is nigh for the current stock.

The train I remember was that nice green and cream AC streamline one around late 71 and listening to Elton John singing Tiny Dancer on my tranny courtesy of Radio Caroline and the carriage reeking of fish as the only other passenger was a fisherman who seemed to have caught every fish and crustacean from the North Sea.

I remember the old electric trains. Going to the end of the pier for fish and chips in the café at the end. It's no good I will have to go and look at the new diesels soon.

Maybe you could consider reviewing Hythe Pier Railway?

I remember the 1949 trains. They would have been relatively new when my dad took me for a ride on one.

There was also a wonderful little pier railway at Walton-On-The-Naze but it must have shut sometime in the 70's as I can remember it but it's not there now.

Stagecoach national express C2C and Greater Anglia operating services from London to Southend on sea

Somebody should remix the sound these trains make

Southend pier is 1 mile and 1/3 long

I’d love to see a video on the Glasgow underground!

Fascinating. I could see why they needed the pier. When I went on the train in the 1960s I remember it was low tide and there was a huge expanse of black sticky mud. On another track how about doing the Welsh narrow gauge Steam lines like the Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland. They have a marvellous quirky character and wondrous scenery. And when the tide is out the sands are a distinct improvement on the Southend mud. And your inimitable style would be just the ticket.

About the elephants: Look up the story how an actual circus elephant fell off the suspension railway in Wuppertal, Germany, and fell into the river Wupper. It's name was Tuffi which is now the brand of a dairy company based in Wuppertal.

Going on past record, he’d announce as part of hs3, we are extending Southend pier to Rotterdam, and going to run an express train service. He likes a nice bridge, does Boris..

Elephants ...

I live there.
Lol

Have you ever been to the Great Cockrow Railway in Chertsey, Surrey?

It is a miniature layout with many stations, bridges and a tunnel running real miniature steam engines (and some diesel!)

Carry on Jago, spread your wings!

Someone's already mentioned the Hythe pier railway, where I grew up as a young boy and mother took me shopping in Southampton using the ferry. The question was always walk or ride? Very interesting rolling stock and still in use!

I’m waiting for the Sail Powered Railway and the Elephant Pulled Railway that will pull the crowds in.
During lockdown Southend has had to car park as too many visited so it still has it appeal plus a Real Rossi’s Ice Parlour and Coffee Shop on the Seafront

A lovely video and very informative, many thanks. I used to visit Southend in the 50s & 60s and loved the pier and so pleased to see the railway is operational. Long may it do so! :)

There just missing one thing and that’s a steam loco

Jago, Are you sure it needed refurbishing badly? Or perhaps it badly needed refurbishing! I hope that's helpful. Simon T

🖖

Didn't Southend Pier catch fire again this millennium? The story I heard was that firefighting was hampered by the fact the plastic water mains melted.

I am from southend-on-sea and I love my town but this man makes it sound bloody boring.
How about a bit more enthusiasm in your tone when you talk?....