Volume Eight - Pre-Victorian to the present day - more aspects - Sea Breezes Article 1983 - 'Penarth Dock of 35 years ago' . . .

However during the years I knew her she regularly carried coal to Ilfracombe in North Devon. During that time I only once had the fortune to see her under sail at the Penarth end of the voyage, and then the deep brown sails against the black and red hull made a fine sight.

From about half-tide onwards it was quite a common sight from Penarth Dock head to see a line of small ships heading down channel towards Penarth Roads and the Ely River entrance. The 'Downleaze', 'Sneyd', 'Radstock', 'St. Vincent', and 'Salcombe' were among names that I can recall. Once alongside the tip and turned head to seawards, a jolly boat would be swung overside on the ship's derrick and a seaman would coil a headline onto the bottom boards of the boat. He would then scull the boat with a single oar over the stern and as the boat made progress the rope would conveniently pay itself out. He would take this rope to a ringbolt on the next tip where he would pass it through and bring it back towards his ship finally securing the end at least half-way back.

The sternline was dealt with in a similar way and then when sailing loaded the next day it was a simple matter using the boat again to let go since the securing knots could be easily reached, as the tide began to flood, even though the ringbolts themselves were often well above the man's reach. It was essential to leave as early as possible for the voyage up channel and into the River Avon before the tide turned and made the going hard.

The actual loading of the coal seemed to be performed with the minimum of effort. Because the ships were well below the level of the railway lines, trucks were simply run down one railway line into the tip where they were upended as the pins were knocked out and within moments the empty truck was running down another line to make way for the next full one. This was considerably different to the usual coal hoist in an enclosed dock where the truck had to be lifted some 30 or so feet in the air to get the necessary height above the ship before the coal could be discharged down the chute into the hold.

I was most interested to see on one occasion a gang of men working on the bed of the river mud where the ships lay with what looked like huge rakes. They were obviously leveling the area but between tides it was difficult to imagine they could accomplish a great deal.