There is a great deal of information available on the Internet about the life, history and operation of the Hythe Pier featured in this image. The pier which is located in the village of Hythe Hampshire came into service on the first of January 1881 and at 640 metres is claimed to be the 10th longest in the UK. Passengers can travel along the pier from shore side to the ferry terminal on a narrow gauge railway whose track is 2 feet/610 mm wide. The train is driven by electric motors that are powered from a third rail at 240 volts DC. The 10 minute ferry crossing between the pier and the Town Quay Southampton affords ship's photography enthusiasts a close up view of the passenger and cruise ships tied up at the Ocean and Queen Elizabeth II Terminals. This image was captured in May 2009 from the deck of a Red Funnel car ferry travelling down Southampton Water to the Isle of Wight.