Hythe Pier
Southampton WaterSolent Landmarks Hythe Pier The railway
| A
Quick History
Restoration of the wooden boarding is ongoing with planks being sponsored by members of the public and local organisations. Inscriptions and messages are engraved upon the new planks. A worthwhile way of becoming part of the piers history. |
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| A Few dates | A Victorian Pier and a world war one train | |
| Buiding the pier
1870 First of several plans mde to build a pier 1879 Work started on pier 1880 Pier built 1881 Pier opened 1st
January 1881
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The pier was built at a cost of
£7000 to replace the gravel hard that was use previously. An
improvement that allowed passengers to board ferries at all states of the
tide whilst not to get their feet wet.
This gravel hard was one of natural
features that made Hythe the ideal place for a ferry crossing and allowed
the village to grow.The first reference to a ferry service was in 1575.
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| Improvements
1909 Track laid for hand powered trolly. 1922 Today's Electric train service started. 1947 Pier head reconstructed. 1970 Pier head building
modernised.
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Collision.
Being fixed on the seabed has not saved the Pier from ships running into it. The following vessels have all had the indignity of running into the structure. 1885 Schooner Annie 1915 Sailing barge Itchen 1945 A landing craft |
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| The future.
The wooden buildings at the end of the pier are largely disused and not in the best of condition. They ferry company promotes the service to visitors. Hopefully future customer numbers will allow the pier to carry on in the 21st century, the age of car travel. |
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