Pier

Apieris a raised structure, includinbrigan biggin supports anwalkways,ower watter, teepically supportit bi widely spread piles orpillars.The lichter structure o a pier allaws tides an currents tae flow almaist unhindered, whauras the mair solit foundations o aquayor the closely-spaced piles o awharfcan act as afleet-dyke,an are consequently mair liable tae siltin. Piers can range in size an complexity frae a semple lichtweight widden structure tae major structures extendit ower a mile oot tae sea.

Piers hae been biggit for several different purposes, an acause thir different purposes hae distinct regional variances, the termpiertends tae hae different nuances o meanin in different pairts o the warld. Sicweys inNorth AmericaeanAustralie,whaur mony ports wur, till recently, biggit on the multiple pier model, the term tends tae imply a current or umwhile cargo-handlin facility. InEuropehousomeivver, whaur ports hae tended tae uise basins an river-side quays rather than piers, the term is principally associatit wi the image o aVictorian yatlinpleasure pier. Housomeivver, the earliest piers pre-date the Victorian age.

Types o pier

Piers can be categorized intae different groupins accordin tae the principal purpose. Housomeivver thare is considerable owerlap atween thir categories. For ensaumple, pleasure piers aften an aa allou for the dockin o pleasure steamers an ither seemilar craft, whilst wirkin piers hae aften been convertit tae leisure uise efter bein rendered obsolete bi advanced developments in cargo-handlin technology.

Wirkin piers

Wirkin piers wur biggit for the handlin o passengers an cargo ontae an off ships or (as atWigan Pier) canal boats. Workin piers themselves faw intae twa different groups. Langer individual piers are aften foond at ports wi lairgetidal ranges,wi the pier stretchin far eneuch aff shore tae reach deep watter at law tide. Sic piers providit an economical alternative taeimpounded dockswhaur cargo volumes wur law, or whaur specialist bulk cargo wis handled, sic as atcoal piers.The ither form o wirkin pier, aften cawed the finger pier, wis biggit at ports wi smawer tidal ranges. Here the principal advantage wis tae gie a greater available quay lenth for ships tae berth against compared tae a linear littoral quayside, an sic piers are uisuallie muckle shorter. teepically each pier wad cairy a singletransit shedthe lenth o the pier, wi ships berthin bow or stern in tae the shore. Some major ports consistit o lairge nummers o sic piers linin the foreshore, classic ensaumples bein theHudson Riverfrontage oNew York,or theEmbarcaderoinSan Francisco.

The advent ocontainer shippin,wi its need for lairge container handlin spaces adjacent tae the shippin berths, haes made wirkin piers obsolete for the handlin o general cargo, awtho some still survive for the handlin o passenger ships or bulk cargos. Ane ensaumple, is in uise inProgreso, Yucatán,whaur a pier extends mair nor 4 mile intae theGulf o Mexico,makin it the langest pier in the warld. The Progreso Pier supplies muckle o the peninsula wi transportation for the fishin an cargo industries an serves as a port for lairgecruise shipsin the aurie. Mony ither workin piers hae been demolished, or remain derelict, but some hae been recycled as pleasure piers. The best kent ensaumple o this isPier 39in San Francisco.

AtSouthportan theTweed Riveron theGold CoastinAustralie,thare ar piers that support equipment for a saund bipassin seestem that maintains theheal o sandy beachesannavigation channels.

Pleasure piers

Victorian pier at Llandudno, North Wales

Pleasure piers wur first biggit inIngland,during the 19t century. The earliest structures wurRyde Pier,biggit in 1813/4,Leith Trinity Chain Pier,biggit in 1821,wis as a workin pier fir ferries afore chynging tae a pleasure pier anBrighton Chain Pier,biggit in 1823. Ae the auldest o thir piers still remains. At that time the introduction o therailweysfor the first time permittit mass tourism tae dedicatit seaside resorts. Housomeivver, the lairge tidal ranges at mony sic resorts meant that for muckle o the day, the sea wis no visible frae dry land. The pleasure pier wis the resorts' answer, permittin holiday makers tae promenade ower an alangside the sea at aw times.The langest Pleasure pier in the warldis atSoothend-on-sea,Essex,an extends 2,158 metres (1.34 mi) intae theThames estuary.The langest pier on the West Coast o the Unitit States is theOceanside Pier.

Pleasure piers aften include ither amusements antheatresas pairt o the attraction. Sic a pier mey be open air, closed, or pairtly open, paritly closed. Whiles a pier haes twa decks.

Earlie pleasure piers wur owoodenconstruction, wiironstructures bein introduced wi the construction in 1855 o Margate Jetty, inMargate,Ingland. Margate wis wrecked in storms in 1978 an wis niver repaired. The auldest iron pleasure pier still remainin is inSoothport,Ingland, an dates frae 1860 - housomeivver the warlds auldest iron pier dates frae 1834 an is inGravesend, Kent.Gravesham council hae recently purchased an refurbished this passenger pier.