Gravesend Town Pier

Gravesend Town Pier

This was one of a number of piers opened in Gravesend during the Victorian era, a time when the town was a popular tourist attraction. The Town Pier was first commissioned in 1834, but its connection with railway operation did not occur until 1854 as a result of London Tilbury & Southend Railway's (LT&SR) formation. A line extension was opened to Tilbury Fort in April 1854 and a railway ferry service initiated in the same month between the Fort and Gravesend Town Pier. The aim of the LT&SR was to win London to Gravesend traffic by offering a very competitive rail and ferry service from Fenchurch Street, in terms of both journey time and cost, providing an alternative to the South Eastern Railway's North Kent Line of 1849. In 1881 the LT&SR developed plans to bore a tunnel under the Thames to provide Gravesend with direct rail access to Fenchurch Street, coupled with the possibility of connecting with the rails of the SER's North Kent Line. These plans were subsequently abandoned (the company was not a wealthy one, and its battle with the Great Eastern Railway was of foremost importance), thus the ferry service perpetuated instead. Development of the north bank of the Thames began to take off, with the official opening of Tilbury Docks on 17th April 1886, seeing much shipping traffic - both freight and passenger - transferring to there from North Kent ports at both Queenborough (Sheppey) and Port Victoria (Grain). Rail improvements came to Tilbury in 1930 with the opening of a new landing stage and terminus station to serve the ferry, this formally being commissioned on 16th May of that year. This station, however, had a somewhat short railway career, as demand for direct traffic to the terminus from Fenchurch Street declined. This resulted in Tilbury Riverside station seeing its last service on 28th November 1992. The Tilbury Ferry service was maintained despite the closure of the station, although its future was plunged into doubt eight years later. Thurrock Council considered withdrawing from the joint subsidy scheme it operated with Kent County Council, holding the view that the Dartford Bridge and Tunnel provided ample means of crossing the Thames. Despite this, the ferry continues to operate today, subsidy from both sides of the Thames being maintained.

7th August 2007

The restored Town Pier is seen on 7th August 2007, from aboard the Tilbury Ferry. Compared with

the previous picture, the framework has now been infilled, although scaffolding still remains on the

Thames-facing elevation of the pier. David Glasspool

15th April 2008

The finished article: restoration of Gravesend Town Pier is now complete. A restaurant is now

open for business within the structure. David Glasspool

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