Disused Stations: Dover Prince of Wales Pier

Dover Prince of Wales Pier Gallery 3:
c1930s - March 2015

The north end of the Prince of Wales Pier c1930s. A stone approach ramp gives way to framework of cast iron trestles on screw piles with lattice girders as the pier goes over the water. The Granville clock tower (left) had to be moved to accommodate the pier. In the middle distance the ‘Esplanade’ Hotel is seen. This stood on the line of the pier railway so a centre section of the hotel had to be demolished to allow the railway to run thorough. The remaining walls are held up by metal bracing. The Grand Shaft barracks are seen on the cliff top above.
Photo from John Mann collection

Dover Harbour seen from the Western Heights c1960. The ‘Esplanade’ Hotel was damaged during the war and was demolished in the late 1940s along with the adjacent buildings. This allowed the construction of the Wellington Crescent curve to be laid to the seafront railway line. Click here to see a 1957 OS map showing the track layout around the end of the pier. By the mid 1960s, when this view was take,n the curve had been lifted and a new curve onto the pier had been laid. The 'Lord Warden’ Hotel is seen top right and to its right Dover Town station; the last of the station buildings was demolished in December 1963. To the left of the hotel is the Admiralty Pier and, on reclaimed land to the east of the pier, Dover Marine station. The covered central pair of recesses in the first section of the pier are now open to the elements.

The northern section of the Prince of Wales pier c1960. Shelters have been built in all three recesses along the east side and presumably also on the west side.

Photo by Rob Riddle from his Flickr photostream

Prince of Wales pierhead and the licensed ‘Lighthouse' in 1964. The cafe was housed in the back section with the licensed bar in the front section.

Prince of Wales pierhead in 1972. The circular licensed bar was opened in May 1960 giving customers a panoramic view of the harbour.

Aerial view of of Dover Harbour in the 1970s. Five ships are lined up along the inner berths of the Admiralty Pier and one alongside the Prince of Wales Pier. In the bottom right corner the lighthouse on the end of the Southern Breakwater is seen. Shakespeare Cliff is seen top left.

A hovercraft is seen arriving at Dover's new hoverport during its early years (c1980). The huge amount of that that had to be reclaimed from the harbour is evident in this view. The original north end of the pier has been filled with concrete. The MV’ Vortigern’ is seen in the dock; this was the last train ferry built for British Rail. She was built as a dual purpose train and RO-RO ferry. The ship which was launched on 31 July 1969 had a capacity of 250 motor cars and 1,000 passengers. She could carry 30 railway wagons or ten carriages and eleven wagons. On 1 April 1988 ‘Vortigern’ was sold to Lindos Line SA, Piraeus, Greece and was eventually sold to Indian shipbreakers in September 2004.

After closure of the Hoverport on 1 October 2000, Seacats took over the service the following day. The HCC 'Seacat France' catamaran is seen moored at the old liner berth at the Prince of Wales Pier in July 2004. The service was, however, short-lived as the Seacats were unable to compete with the Channel Tunnel and the service was withdrawn on 7 November 2005.
Photo by John Latter from his Images of Dover web site.

The liner berth (left) on the Prince of Wales Pier in July 2004. All evidence of the landing stages has been removed. The pier has been resurfaced although the railway line is probably still in place beneath the asphalt. The 1964 café/bar was demolished after being severely damaged during the October 1987 ‘hurricane’. The café was demolished and the lighthouse had to be partially rebuilt. A new detached brick café has replaced it. The Admiralty Pier is seen to the right and the Southern Breakwater is to the left; each has a lighthouse.
Photo by John Latter from his Images of Dover web site.

Looking north-west along the Prince of Wales Pier in May 2015; the platform was on the right.
Photo by Nick Catford

c1890

c1910

May 2015

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Station Name: DOVER PRINCE OF WALES PIER