Volume Three - The Pontoon Era - Delivery of the pontoon to Penarth . . .

	1909 - The newspaper report of the delivery of the pontoon.

On the 25th September 1909 the Weekly Mail [067] reported:

“The new pontoon for the Penarth Shipbuilding and Ship Repairing Company (Limited) was docked at Cardiff about 7.30 p.m. on Wednesday. The floating dock presented an imposing spectacle when it was sighted off Aberthaw about three p.m. by the small party who went out, by the courtesy of Mr. Edmund Hancock, on the tug Falcon to meet it.

Drawn by two tugs – the Great Emperor, from the Tyne, and the Tritton, of Falmouth – the pontoon was a formidable object on the waste of waters. It has a length of 387ft., and an 87ft. beam, with the offices & Co. 40ft. or more above the sea level.

Starting from the Tyne at mid-day on Wednesday of last week, the two tugs accomplished a highly creditable performance in doing the distance of 715 miles in a few hours over seven days. After rounding the pontoon the party boarded the Great Emperor, where the owner, (Mr. John Dry) and the master (Mr. George Dry) offered a cordial hospitality.

Mr. George Dry informed our representative that he had never before had anything like such a task, and he congratulated himself that the conditions of the voyage had been fair throughout. They had averaged over four miles an hour, and there was nothing in the shape of a mishap It was observed that the pontoon was drawing very little water – scarcely 4ft. – 6in.

She was safely berthed at the Alexandra Dock, prior to being removed to Penarth in about two months time. The party on Mr. Hancock’s tug includes Messrs William Anning, T. J. Williams, R. B. Goodyer, and W. H. Tucker."