Volume Three - The Pontoon Era - The Engineer article . . .

	The “Engineer” published the following detailed technical article dated the 24th September 1909:-

"AN OFFSHORE FLOATING DOCK FOR PENARTH. A FLOATING dock of the “off-shore” or “single walled” type, has quite recently been completed by Swan, Hunter and Wigham Richardson, Limited, of Wallsend–on-Tyne, to the order of the Penarth Shipbuilding and Ship Repairing Company, Limited, of Penarth Dock, Cardiff.

This dock, illustrated in the engraving on this and on page 320, has been built from the design of Messrs. Clark and Standfield, of Westminster. It has an overall length of about 380ft., an extreme width of 75ft., and is capable of accommodating vessels having a beam of 55ft. with a draught of water up to 18ft. and a displacement of 4200 tons.

The term “off-shore” implies, the dock is intended to be attached to the shore by means of booms and columns, eight in number; the booms will be hinged and pivoted at the dock and shore ends, so as to permit of the lowering and raising of the dock when vessels are being docked and un-docked.

Two powerful sets of pumping machinery are supplied to the dock, consisting of four centrifugal pumps, and engines for working the same, manufactured by Gwynnes, Limited, of the Hammersmith Ironworks, S.W.

Steam is furnished by two Babcock and Wilcox boilers, working at 160 lb. pressure. The plant has been designed to lift a vessel of 7000 tons deadweight in 45 minutes.

For the purposes of self-docking, the dock is divided transversely into two equal halves, each with its own pumping plant, so that one section may be docked by the remaining portion.

A powerful steam capstan is fitted at each end of the top wall to assist in warping vessels into position when lifting or otherwise.