Herne Bay Pier.....

I had a trip to Sittingbourne to pick my new Laptop up for work as the company IT guy was there and it's only 73 miles from the works.
While I was in Kent I decided to have Dinner out at Herne Bay and that ticks another one off, that makes 29 I am half way to my Projects end of 58 existing Seaside Piers.

Herne Bay Pier.
The first pier opened in 1832. It was 3633 feet long and had cost £50,000. Designed officially by Thomas Telford, much of the work is credited to local carpenter Thomas Rhodes. A baggage line was added, and a sail-powered car made its maiden run on June 13th 1833.

London steamers ceased in 1862, and damage caused by toredo worm and winter storms led to closure. The pier was sold for scrap in 1871.

A new 320 foot wood and iron pier opened on August 27th 1873 to the design of Messrs. Wilkinson and Smith. It had cost £2,000. A theatre was added in 1884.
World War One ended steamer services and the old tramcars were used as shelters. After the war, steamer and tram services resumed, with petrol-engine vehicles entering service on August Bank Holiday 1925. These were replaced by a battery car in 1935.
On 11th January 1978, storms destroyed the main neck, leaving only a short section intact. The pier-head still remains isolated out at sea.

Originally the second longest Pier at 3787ft but now is a shadow of it's former self at 320ft.

Travelling around the country doing these Pier Shots brings me into contact with a lot of Weatherspoon Pubs, some better than others, this one was very average.