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Southend and Pier, 1856. '...the concluding part [of the London, Tilbury, and Southend Railway], to the terminus at Southend, was opened on Saturday last, March 1st. The length of the railway is forty-two miles...The construction has been carried on under the joint superintendence of the well-known engineers, Mr. Bidder and Mr. John Fowler. The fares being extremely reasonable, it is expected that Southend - the nearest sea bathing place to the metropolis - will in consequence become a more popular resort...[View showing] a portion of the pier, which is a mile and a quarter in length, and has a railway on it for the convenience of passengers to and from the steamers: it cost in construction altogether about £42,000, but was subsequently sold to the Eastern Counties Railway for £17,000'. From "Illustrated London News", 1856.