# Birnbeck Pier, Weston super Mare, Somerset. - Oct 2011



## Collingwood (Oct 28, 2011)

_Birnbeck Pier, Weston Super Mare, Somerset, October 2011._

What better way to spend a sunny, Sunday afternoon, than racing against a rising tide on an abandoned and rapidly decaying Victorian pier!
This was enormous fun, and a really enjoyable afternoon, much to the amusement of the onlookers on the shore. 
If you do plan on visiting, be VERY careful of the tide times, the causeway which disappears at an alarming rate is the only way to get to the Island and Pier. (I think a fellow explorer got caught out last year!!) Many thanks to my usual partner in crime Urbanity for a great afternoon. 

Some pier history blatantly stolen from www.piers.org.uk (great site if you like you Victorian land to sea protrusions!) 

_‘The foundation stone of this Birch-designed pier was laid in 1864. It opened on 5th June 1867 and consisted of a 1040 foot cantilever construction to Birnbeck Island and a short jetty extending westwards from the island.
1872 improvements included the 250 foot wooden north jetty. A lifeboat station was added in 1881 (the boathouse was built in 1889), and a pavilion in 1884. A tramway transported baggage from the steamers.

A fire damaged the main buildings on Boxing Day 1897, but the switchback escaped. The new pavilion and low water jetty opened in 1898. In 1902, a new lifeboat station was built. In 1903, the pier was closed after a gale damaged both jetties. The north jetty was rebuilt in steel to 300 foot and re-opened in 1904 but the low-water jetty remained closed until 1910 and lasted until 1932.

The opening of the Grand Pier's funfair caused the abandonment of Birnbeck Island amusements in 1933. The Admiralty took over the pier from 1941 to 1946 when it became known as 'HMS Birnbeck'. P&A Campbell ran the pier from 1962-1972, selling it to John Critchley a year after regular passenger steamer services ceased to call.
On 14th August 2009, the North Somerset Times reported that Birnbeck Pier was being sold to a mystery bidder. Urban Splash was reported as having accepted an offer from another party and was entering into legal issues. However, despite early encouraging signs, Urban Splash later said it was not in a position to redevelop the pier due to the recession.
The pier has been closed to the public since 1994 and is included on English Heritage's "buildings at risk" register. It continues to deteriorate and its future is still unclear.’
A few pics, (not up to my usual standard as we were a bit pushed for time, what with the tide coming in and all that!!)_

A general overview of what’s left..





Wouldn’t want it any other way..


























The main structure is completely empty, and the sea air is slowly taking it’s toll...













Victorian detailing, from when they knew how to build things that were made to last!









The former steamer jetty, which would bring passengers from Penarth, Clevedon and many other ports up and down the Bristol Channel.

In it’s heyday..







and now...









Found this beautiful old organ in the back corner of the main building..









Current user’s of the pier are RNLI..









And then the access was gone........





C.​


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## klempner69 (Oct 28, 2011)

Simply excellant stuff,am very envious of your courage!


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## highcannons (Oct 28, 2011)

Thats quite great! Thanks


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## maximus (Oct 28, 2011)

Loved it...thanks for taking the risk,the pics were well worth it.


There is something beautiful about victorian structures


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## King Al (Oct 28, 2011)

It is an absolute travesty that this place is not being saved and restored! Great pics Collingwood


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## nelly (Oct 28, 2011)

Absolutely fantastic report. Quality!!!


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## Derelict-UK (Oct 28, 2011)

hmmm the dreaded Birnbeck Pier tide lol.

I remember that day, that phone call and the hoo-har that became of the police and coast guard lol.

But the coast guard did say that the route that we took which got cut off, a local fisherman had died due to the tide at the same place a year back.


If anyone else goes, I would check the tide times (we did when we went) but also keep one eye on the sea, as when we went, the tide wasn't expected back in for another hour!!


Great to see another report on it though, it is a very special little island!!


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## krela (Oct 28, 2011)

Nice report. 

It's not like you're going to die if the tide comes in though, it just means you have to spend 10 hours more than you might have intended there...

Tis a fun place to visit though. Knightstone Island was better until they turned it into trendy flats.


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## Derelict-UK (Oct 28, 2011)

krela said:


> Nice report.
> 
> It's not like you're going to die if the tide comes in though, it just means you have to spend 10 hours more than you might have intended there...



That is true, but the day we visited it was baking sun and we had no food/limited water.

It was the only time I have asked for help and I think it was the right decision.

You live and learn though.


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## krela (Oct 28, 2011)

Derelict-UK said:


> That is true, but the day we visited it was baking sun and we had no food/limited water.
> 
> It was the only time I have asked for help and I think it was the right decision.
> 
> You live and learn though.



Oh I agree. My point is if you're going to do it it might be worth bearing that in mind.


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## phill.d (Oct 28, 2011)

Very nice, It's good to see something a bit different now and again.
The old pier has an almost ghostly ship wreck feel to it in the ballroom. 

Great report, thanks for sharing


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## night crawler (Oct 28, 2011)

Great report and certainly is a derelict place but what place to look round . Great photos.


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## Foxylady (Oct 29, 2011)

Love this! Excellent explore and pics...great atmosphere of the buildings slowly decaying. Nice work.


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## dangerous dave (Oct 29, 2011)

krela said:


> Nice report.
> 
> It's not like you're going to die if the tide comes in though, it just means you have to spend 10 hours more than you might have intended there...
> 
> Tis a fun place to visit though. Knightstone Island was better until they turned it into trendy flats.



end up in the sea there and you will be dead by the time they find the body, it will take you 20 min to get to avonmouth in the tide runs there


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## PROSNIPER (Oct 29, 2011)

OMG what a cool place ! pity its gone now just imagine what it was like in its active years


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## J_a_t_33 (Nov 8, 2011)

Nice thread, cheers! Looks like a good explore!


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## Priority 7 (Nov 8, 2011)

missed this thread, what a lovely piece of history that is...the clock tower looks like something out of a fairytale...


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## UEP-Wales (Nov 8, 2011)

About 4 years ago my wife and I used to go here every weekend (before we got married) to enjoy a nice drive up, walk along the grand pier and the beach. Some very good memories up there.

I didn't realise they had never done anything to this pier though and decided to just leave it. Make me want to go up there now! If you have any info that could help with some planning of it, can you PM me please? 

Very nice pics.


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