Penarth Dock, South Wales - the heritage and legacy

Volume One - Into the Victorian Age - The construction of the dock . . .



August 1860 - Penarth Dock and Harbour - On Tuesday last we had the opportunity of visiting these works in company with the directors and proprietors, after the half-yearly meeting had been held, and were much gratified to witness the progress which has been made by Messrs. Smith and Knight since we last had the opportunity of paying a visit to the place. The Penarth Dock, Harbour and Railway Company obtained their first Act in 1857, for constructing a harbour and railway at the river Ely. What these are we have before described to the readers of the Cardiff Times. The harbour and railway are in operation, as will be seen from our report of the half-yearly meeting, and there are encouraging prospects of success. Last Tuesday there were two fine steamers at the "drops" taking in cargoes of steam-coal ; and from the nature of the appliances at the harbour there is an abundance of room for doing a large trade with a certain class of ships. But a larger class needs accommodation, to supply which the dock is now being constructed. The dock is to the southern side of the Ely, and situated, so to speak, under the side of the hill which forms a part of Penarth headland. The entrance will be at the south-east end of the ground now being excavated ; and when the contract is completed, the dimensions will be as follows :- The sea gates and inner gates will be 60 feet wide ; the basin will be 400 feet long by 330 feet broad ; a depth of water at the sill, at spring tides, 35 feet 8 inches, and at neap tides 25 feet 7 inches ; and there will be 4 feet more water at the entrance to this dock than at the Bute East Dock entrance, and 7 feet more than at the Bute West Dock entrance. Those who walk or drive to Penarth by the highway will perceive the railway works which are now being constructed in connection with this dock. That railway will join the line now in use by the company for bringing coal to the harbour ; and as it approaches the dock it has two levels. The high level runs under the hill on the south side, and the low level to the north side of the dock. As each of these will have separate functions, we will take each separately to give our readers and idea of what this dock will be capable of affording. On the south side the coal traffic will be conducted. Ten tipping staithes will be made, one of which, the second near the entrance, will be a double tip, to accommodate large steamers. On this side of the dock, such is the nature of the material, there will be no dock wall built, but the side will be excavated in a sloping direction, and that will be pitched. Each tipping staith, however, will be built as a projection from the dock wall, and will consist of substantial masonry. When this is accomplished, there will be two very important points gained. First, there will be an economy of space, because the indented portions between the staithes will enable two large vessels to take in coal, and to overlap one		another when at the tips without incommoding each other ; whereas if the wall were uniformly straight, and the vessels had to move in the course of loading, probably the one at the next tip might be pushed out of her berth until her hindmost neighbour had finished. Now, however, the bow of one may go within the stern of another, and thus prevent any such inconvenience as that which is sometimes felt where a continuous line of quay wall places the entire ship's hull in one position. The railways communicating with these shipping staithes will be arranged in the same way as at the harbour - the laden wagons will travel along a line inclined to the tip, and the empties along a line with the inverse inclination. Of course, all the modern appliances for loading will be supplied at these berths, so as to facilitate the work which is expected to be done. On the North side of the dock a strong wall of masonry is being constructed. This is on a plan novel to us. To give strength and yet to be economical, the wall is being formed in compartments, if our non-technical language may be tolerated. In other words, the wall will be a series of jetties and inverts, the latter being made with a semi-circular face ; and the whole gives one the idea of massiveness and strength, fitted for such an undertaking. When the wall has reached nearly its proper height, the inverts will be arched over, and thus the top of the dock will have a uniform straight appearance. This wall is being constructed of Radyr stone. The sluiceways will be of Anglesea lime-stone ; the hollow groins and pointed sills of granite. This (the north) side will be for iron traffic, ballast cranes, public wharf, &c. At present it is not intended to carry the dock more westerly than where a chimney stack now stands. In future the proprietors may make an important addition if circumstances should warrant them, and there is room for a graving dock beyond as well. It will thus be seen that the capacity of the spot is large, and time and commerce will do the rest. We may add a few general remarks on this subject of commerce as affecting Cardiff and Penarth. It is worthy of observation that the staple trade of this district is steadily on the increase. Weekly we publish one good index - that is the traffic statement of the Taff Vale and Rhymney Railways. Even the latter, young as it is, can afford a comparative statement. The Taff Vale traffic is far beyond what it ever was before, and this, too, in the face of the reduction made about three years ago, when the freighters opposed the company and obtained lesser tolls. Here we have an indication of the very fact which the enterprise of this district is based - the elasticity of the staple trade. Cardiff and Penarth do not occupy antagonistic positions. They must act and re-act upon each other ; and they will perform a great good for the public, as they will promote, the one by the other, that civility which is essential to the public well-being.' - Cardiff Times [019] [361] 11th August 1860