Walton-on-the-Naze Pier, Essex, UK

This, Walton’s second pier, was owned by the Walton Pier & Hotel Company Ltd. It was originally built to a length of 530 feet in the 1870s. However, the lack of water at the pier-head meant that passengers often had to transfer to small boats to come ashore. The pier was, therefore, rebuilt. It re-opened in August 1898 to a length of 2600 feet and included a single line electric tramway which survived until 1935 when it was replaced by an unusual battery-powered carriage. In 1937, the New Walton Pier Company bought the pier and battery car.

On May 30th 1942, the pier and car were damaged by fire but were rebuilt after the war. When the pier re-opened for the 1948 summer season, a diesel-engine locomotive was used for carrying passengers. The railway ceased operation in the 1970s.

There were serious storms on 11th January and 31st December 1978, the latter creating a 108 foot gap at the seaward end, isolating the lifeboat station.

In October 2011, the pier was put up for sale with an asking price of £2.5million, the owners saying that they were selling the pier in order to reinvest the money into other aspects of their business. However, in February 2012 it was taken off the market, at least temporarily, with reports that it had failed to attract interest at the asking price.