Penarth Dock, South Wales - the heritage and legacy

Volume Four - An Era of Change, Uncertainty, Depression & War - The 1920's, 30's and 40's . . .

The c.1920 OS map published with a report on a survey of the condition of the subway by Brian Colquhoun and Partners for the Cardiff Bay Development Corporation dated May 1991. The proposal was to reopen the subway as part of the Cardiff Bay development. The map also shows the extensive sidings and coal tip layout at the docks and tidal harbour. The oil storage facilities were becoming more critical as the decline in coal was taken up throughout the maritime industry by the increase in use of oil to power the World's shipping. The following news report from the US illustrates this decline. [009] [010]

1921 - Idle Coal Ships - Towards the close of June there were 1,142 colliers lying idle at South Wales docks. Of these 581 were at Newport, 285 at Barry, 186 at Cardiff and 90 at Penarth. - 23rd July 1921 [1200] [499] The Nautical Gazette.