The Southend Pier Railway is a narrow gauge railway in the English city of Southend-on-Sea, Essex. It runs for along the length of Southend Pier, providing public passenger transport from the shore to the pier head. History 19th century The original pier at Southend was a wooden construction erected in 1830 by a private company. To assist in the loading and unloading of vessels at the seaward end, a gauge horse-drawn tramway was laid down along its length. When construction of the new pier was sanctioned by the Southend Local Board, the plans included provision for an electric railway. Construction of the line commenced in 1888 concurrently with the building of the new pier, under the direction of C. R. Norton, the former electrical engineer of the pier, electrification being carried out by Colonel R. E. B. Crompton. By 1889, about of gauge single track had been laid and a single motor car was run over it. This was equipped with a motor taking current at 200 V DC from the pier's own generator. The compound-wound generator being belt driven from a Davey, Paxman & Co steam engine with a locomotive-type boiler. Current collection was from a centre rail consisting of a steel channel and copper strip mounted on petticoat insulators, with a carbon brush pickup on the motor cars. The return circuit was through the running rails. In 1890, the single track was completed and two trailer cars acquired to form a three-car train. By 1893, a passing loop had been completed and a second train of three cars added. Over the six years from 1893, traffic on the pier had developed to the point where another two trains were needed. At the same time, in 1899, a second generator was provided and the passing loop extended. However, in 1902, Southend Corporation established its own generating station in London Road and the pier plant became redundant and was disposed of. The new supply was at 500 V DC; so the four motor cars were refitted with new motors rated at each. The trains were made up to four cars each by the purchase of four new trailer cars from the Falcon Works at Loughborough. Two of these were purchased by the Volk's Electric Railway in Brighton when they became redundant in 1949. They were converted into motor cars numbered 8 and 9. These cars continued to operate in Brighton