This is the only guide to all 58 extant British seaside piers, including details of location, history and current operations, archive and contemporary photography and a gazetteer.

Fifty-five piers. Two weeks. One eccentric road trip. Before the seaside of their youth disappears forever, two friends from the landlocked Midlands embark on a peculiar journey to see all the surviving pleasure piers in England and Wales. With a clapped-out car and not enough cash, Jon and Danny recruit Midge, a man they barely know, to be their driver, even though he has to be back in a fortnight to sign on. Join Jon and Danny as they take a funny and nostalgic look at Britishness at the beach, amusement in the arcades, and friendship on the road.

Of all the architectural delights of British seaside resorts, the most astonishing and idiosyncratic is the seaside pier. Remarkable visual spectacles, piers are architecturally extraordinary in concept and at times outrageous in execution. They brought together the Victorian genius for technological and material innovation, architectural ambition and engineering ingenuity in the search for new designs for leisure (as well as profit) over the sea. This superbly illustrated book explores the history of the design processes leading to the architectural and engineering innovations that have allowed people to walk on water in such diverse and delightful ways. Coverage includes the development of piers into the crowning architectural glory of British seaside resorts; the key people, materials, inventions and technologies in the field, particularly the work of Eugenius Birch, the greatest pier designer; the remarkable diversity of piers ranging from the earliest simple landing stages, through staid promenade piers and the glories of fully-fledged pleasure piers, to the boisterous joys of funfair and amusement piers; the rich variety of architectural styles, including exotic 'Orientalism' and streamlined Modernism and, finally, today's contemporary prospects for renewal and reinvention.

An in-depth look at the piers and pier railways which focuses on those who worked and walked on the pierFeatures the whole history of the pier: planning, funding, design, building, railways, ships, modifications, problems, solutions, but most of all the people who ran it and worked on it

In 2007, author and broadcaster Chris Foote Wood achieved a lifelong ambition - to visit every seaside pier in England, Wales and the Isle of Man - all 56 of them! In words and fascinating pictures he conveys the history, personalities past and present, the stories and legends associated with each seaside pleasure pier. From initial construction to later repair; through storms, shipwrecks and fires that sometimes led to complete destruction; they are all here - the longest, the shortest, the oldest and youngest, the finest to the most mundane. As the author enthuses, "Each pier is different, with its own personality ... some piers are much as they were when they were built in the Victorian and Edwardian eras, while others are wholly given over to entertainment and modern amusements. There's something about a pier that has universal appeal to all ages, generations and most nationalities .... Enthusiasts appreciate a pier's form and structure, while most holidaymakers are more concerned about the facilities on offer. Some are content to stroll along the pier deck, enjoying the fresh air, exercise and views over the sea while others immerse themselves in the amusement arcades and funfairs that are a major feature of most of our remaining seaside piers. Food, drink and entertainment are all the more enjoyable when taken 'over the waves'." As well as the piers themselves, Chris describes the pier railways - a welcome facility on some of the longer piers - and their associated cliff lifts. As a bonus, the multitude of facts and information make an ideal quiz - questions and answers are provided!

This volume will appeal to all those nostalgic for the traditional seaside holiday as well as all those interested in the history of seaside piers.

This detailed academic cultural study looks at the rise and fall of the seaside holiday in Britain. John K. Walton offers a broad interpretation of the holidays and resorts, looking at who went, where they went, what they did, and how they were entertained.