Southend East Station is a railway station serving the seafront town of Southend-on-Sea, Essex. It is located on the London to Tilbury and Southend line.
On 9th October 2005 a fire destroyed much of the old pier head and station including the railway station pub restaurant gift shop and toilets.
The history of the pier
Southend East Station is a railway station serving the town of Southend-on-Sea in Essex. It is on the London, Tilbury and Southend line with connections to London Fenchurch Street via Basildon, as well as trains to Shoeburyness. The station is located on the outskirts of the town, with its own entrance and parking, and has two through platforms. Platform 1 is typically used for trains to London Fenchurch Street, whilst the other is for trains to Shoeburyness. The station and all trains serving it are currently operated by c2c.
In the early 19th century, it was widely believed that spending time by the sea is good for one’s health, and Southend was a popular destination with visitors from London seeking relaxation by the beach. However, the town’s seven miles of coastline is mostly mudflats at low tide meaning larger passenger boats could not dock near the shore, and many potential visitors would sail past Southend to Kent resorts where it was possible to visit at all tides.
To counter this problem, local dignitaries pushed for a pier to be built that would allow passenger boats to reach the area at all tides. A wooden pier was built in 1829, and by the time the railway arrived and brought more visitors it had become one of the most popular holiday destinations for Londoners. However, repeated extensions and renovations soon ran the original owners into financial difficulties, and they sold the pier in 1858 for PS17,000.
The pier’s facilities
There is a great selection of cafes, restaurants and bars to enjoy at the pier. You can also shop at the boutique hotels or take in the sweeping views of the Estuary and quaint beach huts from one of the viewing platforms. You can find more information about the pier and its facilities at their website.
Southend East station is 36 miles 49 chains down the line from London Fenchurch Street and serves the Southchurch district of Southend-on-Sea, Essex. This two-platform station was opened in the early 1930s along the London, Tilbury and Southend line. It is positioned between Southend Central to the west and Thorpe Bay to the east. The station offers several direct services to London Fenchurch Street, with the fastest time taking 58 minutes. There are also five direct services to Shoeburyness every hour. The station has a ticket office, National key toilets and disabled access is available from Ambleside Drive to platform 1. Cycle storage spaces are located on both platforms as well as Riviera Drive.
Parking
The two-platform station has several trains per hour to London Fenchurch Street in 58 minutes and five direct services to Shoeburyness, making it easy for you to get there and back from your day out at Adventure Island. Southend East is also a short bus ride from Southend Victoria station on the Abellio Greater Anglia line.
For those travelling by car, there are plenty of council-run parking facilities and on-street parking bays nearby the station, which can be used during the day at a cost (unless you’re visiting during one of our special event days). The park is also easily accessible from the A127 and A130 roads.
