North Greenwich Pier facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
North Greenwich Pier

Type	River bus and tourist/leisure services
Locale	River Thames, London, UK
Owner	GLA
Operator	Thames Clipper
Coordinates	51°30′08″N 0°00′33″E / 51.502189°N 0.009056°E / 51.502189; 0.009056
North Greenwich Pier Location in Royal Borough of Greenwich

North Greenwich Pier is a busy pier located on the River Thames in London, UK. It's found on the Greenwich peninsula in south-east London, right next to the O₂ arena. This pier used to be called QEII Pier, named after Queen Elizabeth II.

History of North Greenwich Pier

The North Greenwich Pier has a long history. It was first built in the 1880s. Back then, it was a special coaling jetty for the Greenwich gasworks. This meant it was used to unload coal for the gas factory.

The gasworks closed in the late 1980s. In 1997, most of the old jetty was taken down. This made space for the new pier we see today. However, eight of the original strong iron columns were kept. They now help hold the new floating pier in place.

You can also see a famous statue near the pier. It's called 'Quantum Cloud' by artist Antony Gormley. It stands on four of the old columns.

Designing the New Pier

The new North Greenwich Pier was carefully designed. The main architect was Richard Rogers Partnership. The engineers who made sure it was strong were Beckett Rankine. The company that built it was Costain.

One of the most interesting parts of the pier is its long ramp. This ramp is called a canting brow. It is 87 metres long and weighs 160 tonnes! It's special because it rests on three supports, which is quite unusual for a ramp of its size.

Boat Services from the Pier

North Greenwich Pier is a hub for river boat services. These services are run by a company called Thames Clipper. They offer several ways to travel on the River Thames:

• Commuter Service: There's a regular boat service for people traveling to work. It goes from Woolwich Arsenal Pier into central London. It stops at places like Greenwich, Canary Wharf, and Tower Bridge. It ends near the London Eye.
• O₂ Express: This is a fast boat service. It's perfect for people going to events at the O₂ arena.
• Replacement Service: Sometimes, the London Underground Jubilee line train service is closed for repairs. When this happens, a special boat service runs from the pier. It takes people to a pier near East India DLR station.

Getting to North Greenwich Pier

It's easy to reach North Greenwich Pier using public transport:

• Underground: The pier is very close to North Greenwich Underground station . This station is on the Jubilee line.
• Bus: You can also get to the pier by bus. The North Greenwich bus station is right nearby.
• Cable Car: For a fun way to arrive, you can use the Emirates Air Line Greenwich Peninsula . This cable car gives you amazing views as you cross the river.