Brighton West Pier
Brighton’s West Pier, around 1900 and in October 2026.
THEN — Around 1900
Brighton's West Pier was already a favourite seaside outing by 1900. Opened in 1866, it stretched out across the water on slender iron supports. Its pier-head pavilion, first added in 1893, gave visitors another reason to stroll out over the sea.
In this painting, holidaymakers pause by the railings, families enjoy the pebbled beach and a horse-drawn carriage passes nearby. I've imagined the colourful clothing and little conversations, but the pier's main features and seaside setting are based on old photographs.
NOW — October 2026
Brighton's West Pier has changed again. After closing in 1975 and suffering devastating fires in 2003, its rusting ironwork became one of the seafront's best-known sights. Then, on 23 October 2026, Storm Austen brought down another section of the remains.
This painting shows the pier after that collapse, with its main curved framework and smaller detached sections still standing offshore. The Brighton i360 rises above the seafront. I've imagined a brighter, calmer day, with families and friends enjoying the pebbled beach, rather than showing the storm itself.
A little note from me
I've tried my best to make these pictures as accurate as possible, using old photographs and information I've found along the way. Of course, they're colourful paintings made for the enjoyment of doing a jigsaw, rather than an exact record of history. Some of the people, colours and smaller details are my own interpretation. I hope you enjoy putting them together!
Play Brighton West Pier — Around 1900
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Play Brighton West Pier — October 2026
If you submit a score, your nickname, time and date are public. We keep the top five for each puzzle setting until replaced; there is no fixed expiry. Older fastest-time records may also remain. Use a nickname, not personal details. Ask Geoff to remove a result. Privacy details.
Fastest times
Times are grouped by puzzle size and piece shape.
Artwork notes and sources
These are AI-generated oil-style illustrations, not documentary photographs or physical oil paintings. They were developed as original compositions using factual reference research; the source photographs were not supplied as direct image inputs.
THEN references: West Pier, around 1900 (unknown photographer; postcard on Wikimedia Commons, marked public domain), and The Pier from the east, Brighton, England (Library of Congress, about 1890–1900; no known restrictions on reproduction).
NOW reference: Brighton West Pier, 13 July 2024, Julian Herzog, CC BY 4.0. The October 2026 condition follows ImJustBrighton’s photographic comparison from 23 October 2026. Those photographs are research references and are not reproduced here. The painting changes the light, weather and foreground activity, as described above; the precise iron bracing remains illustrative.
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