Like most places by the sea Southend get’s sea fogs, but rarely do they become as thick as it was today, wanting to nip down the pier to photograph the damage caused by last month’s collision I thought it was an ideal chance to get photos of both...
I started off going on to the viewing tower on Pier Hill...
If you know Southend then you will know the short distance between the Palace Hotel and the viewing tower, this is of the hotel from the viewing tower! (about 70meters)
It was the type of fog that would lift slightly only to roll back in really quickly even thicker, the fog lifted just enough to photograph the hotel a bit closer up.
There is a Pier in there somewhere!
The walk into the abyss, there was only a hand full of brave souls walking down the pier, some turned back less than half a mile into the walk, it was one of those experiences that were really very spooky, totally still air, warm but cool, mill pond water and virtually no sound... It was as if time had stopped and the only living thing in the world was me!
Where am I...Help...somebody...anybody... The further out the thicker and the fog got.
Temporary works platform suspended under the pier, they are installing a new fire ring main and electric cables.
As part of the new ring main new high-power pumps are being installed along with new fire fighting points.
The sea was more of a millpond, the stillness of the water and dense dense fog gave a spooky look to the reflecting sun.
I soon approached the section of Pier that was damaged in Februarys collision.
Temporary diversion to the walkway, with a section of the walkway missing the Council have taken the trains out of service until further notice, this is because a walkway has been laid over the track, entrance has been reduced to just £1 per person.
These are the cross-members going in, these will support the decking, once they are lowered in to place.
One of the cast Iron piles shattered, the pile could have been one of the original 1892 piles, new piles are on order and need to be specially made to order before they are sunk into place on the bed rock or as in some cases bolted on to excising sections already anchored to the bedrock.
The gap in the walkway, showing just what a big task it is to rebuild the section that was damaged. Unbelievably people were moaning that the repairs were not completed within a week! Like a land based building site, the Pier work site is restricted by the weather but unlike a land based building site the tides also play a major part in what can be done and when.
“Reflections” With the walkway diverted it gives an opportunity to get some different photos looking over the side of the railings.
If you know the Pier this photo was taken just after the small cafe just after the station at the end of the pier... Somewhere in the gloom is the Pier head.
The RNLI Lifeboat house emerges from the gloom even at this point the very tip of the pier not more than 50m away could not be seen!
As well as the ring-main going in and of course the repairs there is also major works going on at the Pier Head.
I blinked and...
The building is being built off site and will be floated down to Southend and lifted into place by a floating crane.
Walking into the unknown....