Volume Ten - Pre-Victorian to the Present Day - Even more aspects - 1911 - The Penarth Dock of the Taff Vale Railway - Railway News Article . . .

Penarth has met the commercial demands in this respect to the fullest extent, and claims to stand without a rival amongst the coal docks of the United Kingdom, as the following examples will show :

A self-trimming steamer of 4,200 tons dead weight was commenced and the cargo and bunkers completed in no less than 3 hours and 25 minutes. Another self-trimming steamer of 2,400 tons was loaded in 1 hour 55 minutes.

These instances could be multiplied indefinitely, as it is a matter of common occurrence for steamers of this class to arrive and take in a full cargo and bunkers up to 3,000 tons and sail on the same tide as that by which they arrive.

Recent equipment includes a 35-ton locomotive steam crane, which is intended primarily for work along the dock side, on rails of a gauge of 4 ft. 8 in., the inner rail being about 2 ft. from the edge of the dock coping. It is capable of lifting a load of 50 tons at a radius of 20 ft. and 35 tons at a maximum of 32 ft., plumbing, at this radius, 27 ft. 6 in. beyond the face of the dock wall.

The crane is provided with movable girders, and when working at the dock side these girders are let out on the shore side and there anchored to overcome the pull that is put on the crane when lifting 35 tons at a maximum radius of 35 ft., or 50 tons at the 20 ft. radius. When a load of 35 tons is lifted to its maximum height, at the 32 ft. radius, the bottom of the hook is 20 ft. above the level of the rails upon which the crane travels ; the hook can also be lowered with its lead to 18 ft. below the quay level. Both movements can be done at a speed of 12 ft. per minute, lighter loads being dealt with at proportionally higher speeds. The crane is also capable of carrying from point to point a load of 30 tons at a radius of 20 ft.

The crane can propel itself along the rails by its own power at a rate of 80 ft. per minute. The crane is mounted on a carrying frame, having four-wheel bogies at each end and two pairs of fixed wheels between, all twelve wheels being 3 ft. diameter. The crane is driven by a pair of reversing engines with the necessary boiler. The lifting, revolving, derricking, and travelling actions are all worked by steam power.