Report - Birnbeck pier weston super mare31 OCTOBER 2019

[Tyyurbanberkshire]

Birnbeck Pier is a pier situated on the Bristol Channel in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, England, approximately 18 miles (29 km) south-west of Bristol. It is the only pier in the country which links the mainland to an island(Birnbeck Island a 3 acre rocky island just to the west of Worlebury hill.

The pier opened on June 5th 1867 and consisted of a 1040 foot cantilever bridge to Birnbeck island and a short jetty extending westward out from the main part of the once lively pier.

Improvements in 1872 included the 250 foot wooden north jetty. A lifeboat station was added in 1881 (the first boat-house was built in 1889), and a pavilion in 1884. A tramway transported baggage to and from the steamers. On boxing day 1897, a fire damaged the main buildings, however the switchback railway survived.

KEY DATES:
1898- lower water jetty and new pavilion added
1902-new lifeboat station added
1903-temporary shut down as gale damaged jetties
1904-reopening of pier
1910-low water jetty reopened
1923-low water jetty taken away
1941-Admiralty took over the pier
1962-P&A Campbell ran the pier
1972-sold to John Critchley
1979-last steamer department from pier
1989-sold to Philip Stubbs
1994-closed to general public
1998-sold to white horse ferries Ltd
2006-sold to Urban Splash
2011-included in “at risk buildings list”
2011-sold to Wahid Samady and Michael Ross—
2015-purchase was completed (ref-above)
2015-included in “victorian society’s top 10 most endangered buildings in ENG & wales list”
2015-sudden upsurge of public interest
2019-urgent work repair notice(if not acted upon by owners legal action will take place to resolve the situation)

If you want the support the local people and pier in their journey to bring back the pier they once loved, you can support them by visiting the Birnbeck regeneration trust website.

 

[Olkka]

I like it, thanks

 

[Bugsuperstar]

That’s different! Very good!

 

[Gsxrwayne]

Nice i've always wanted to see inside there but those boards on pier have seen better days . Some kids got stuck on there a few years ago and the coast guard was called to get them.

 

[HughieD]

Nice to see that place again. Not too many deep piers around!

 

[tumbles]

It's so fucked now. Every year I say its going to fall into the sea but somehow doesn't. That spur on the right can't have long left. Looks waaaay worse than when I last was on it!

 

[Calamity Jane]

Wow thats crumbling badly. But something different, so like this. Were once nice structures. But strangely I like the wave of the pier.

 

[westernsultan]

some nice postcards can be seen at http://www.birnbeck-pier.co.uk/gallery.html and lots more history and articles at https://piers.org.uk/pier/weston-super-mare-birnbeck-pier/ scroll down and open any blue heading for more information

 

[Calamity Jane]

some nice postcards can be seen at http://www.birnbeck-pier.co.uk/gallery.html and lots more history and articles at https://piers.org.uk/pier/weston-super-mare-birnbeck-pier/ scroll down an open any blue heading for mor information

Thanks, what a different. I love the comparisons of how things used to be.

 

[Mr Sam]

Such a waste

 

[Will Knot]

Cracking! Nice report and pics