Gladstone Dock

Gladstone Dock is a dock on the River Mersey, England and part of the Port of Liverpool. It is situated in the northern dock system in Bootle. The dock is connected to the Royal Seaforth Dock to the north and what remains of Hornby Dock to the south. Part of Liverpool Freeport, Gladstone Dock is operated by the Mersey Docks and Harbour Company.

History

The dock is named for Robert Gladstone, a merchant from Liverpool and second cousin of Prime Minister William Ewart Gladstone.citeweb|url=http://www.lmu.livjm.ac.uk/lhol/ |title=Gladstone Dock|work=Liverpool History Online|accessdate=17 July|accessyear=2008] Designed in the first decade of the twentieth century, construction was eventually completed in 1927 and consisted of three miles (5 km) of quays and extensive warehouse space.

The graving dock was completed in 1913, before the rest of the dock became operational. At 1,050 ft long and convert|120|ft|m|abbr=on wide it was designed to take the largest trans-Atlantic steamers. The graving dock has since been converted into a wet dock (Gladstone Number Three Branch Dock). [citeweb|url=http://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/nof/docks/access/theme10.html#gla|title=Trading Places: A History of Liverpool Docks|work=Liverpool Museums|accessdate=17 July|accessyear=2008]

Gladstone Dock lock entrance is one of only two remaining operational river entrances in the northern dock system. Measuring 1,070 ft long and convert|130|ft|m|abbr=on wide, it provides maritime access to the container terminal of Royal Seaforth Dock, which opened in 1972.

At the outbreak of the First World War, the liner RMS "Aquitania" was undergoing repairs in Gladstone Graving Dock. As a result, she was converted in situ for war service.citeweb|url=http://www.diduknow.info/docks/access/dock_history2.html|title=Trading Places: Gladstone Dock history|work=Liverpool Museums|accessdate=17 July|accessyear=2008] During the Second World War, ASW ships, Atlantic convoy escorts and minesweepers were based in the dock.

On 25 January 1953, the liner RMS "Empress of Canada" caught fire and capsized in Gladstone Number One Branch Dock. She was refloated the following year and towed to Gladstone Graving Dock to be made watertight, in preparation for being scrapped in Italy. [citeweb|url=http://www.merchantnavyofficers.com/empcanada.html|title=Demise of an Empress: RMS "Empress of Canada"|accessdate=17 July|accessyear=2008] Transatlantic passenger services continued to use the dock until all such services from Liverpool were discontinued in 1971.

The main line Gladstone Dock railway station closed to passengers on 7 July 1924 while the Liverpool Overhead Railway station Gladstone Dock (LOR) closed in 1956.

Current use

As part of Liverpool Freeport, Gladstone Dock's principal uses are: importing coal for the adjacent Hornby Dock coal processing facility and exporting scrap metal to the Far East.

References

External links

* [http://www.merseydocks.co.uk/ Port of Liverpool]
* [http://www.liverpool2007.org.uk/docks/docks2.htm Liverpool North Docks map]
* [http://www.multimap.com/map/photo.cgi?client=public&X=332750&Y=396000&width=700&height=400&gride=332250&gridn=396000&srec=0&coordsys=gb&db=pc&pc=&zm=0&scale=5000&out.x=7&out.y=12 Gladstone Dock aerial photo]