The pier is comprised of wooden decking over tall iron piles. The pier was opened by the Lord Bishop of Sodor and Man in July 1886. Its original purpose was as a landing point for boats travelling to and from the mainland.
During its heyday there was a cafe at the sea end of the pier, and a horse drawn tram that went back and forth, which later was replaced by a motorised tram.
The pier began its decline in 1969 when the landing deck was deemed unsafe and was fenced off, that was the end of passenger boats landing here. Despite this, the pier remained open for tourists and fishing boats. In 1981 the tramway was closed, and then in 1990 parts of the pier separated from main platform, and the cafe was destroyed by a fire in 1991. A shelter and public toilets were built in its place, but were vandalised soon after opening, this and the growing safety risks caused the final closure of the pier.
Today it is fenced off, and estimated to cost between £2 and £4 million to restore, which at present the government are not willing to fund. This leaves the future outlook for the pier very bleak.
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More pictures at http://www.forgottenisle.fotopic.net/
During its heyday there was a cafe at the sea end of the pier, and a horse drawn tram that went back and forth, which later was replaced by a motorised tram.
The pier began its decline in 1969 when the landing deck was deemed unsafe and was fenced off, that was the end of passenger boats landing here. Despite this, the pier remained open for tourists and fishing boats. In 1981 the tramway was closed, and then in 1990 parts of the pier separated from main platform, and the cafe was destroyed by a fire in 1991. A shelter and public toilets were built in its place, but were vandalised soon after opening, this and the growing safety risks caused the final closure of the pier.
Today it is fenced off, and estimated to cost between £2 and £4 million to restore, which at present the government are not willing to fund. This leaves the future outlook for the pier very bleak.
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5.
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10.
More pictures at http://www.forgottenisle.fotopic.net/
