Penarth Dock, South Wales - the heritage and legacy


	Penarth Dock, South Wales - the heritage & legacy . . .

about . . .

Volume One - Into the Victorian Age - The construction of the dock . . .

The relationship between the main contractor, Messrs. Smith and Knight, and the Directors of the Penarth Harbour, Dock and Railway Company, soon deteriorated, which ultimately resulted in Chancery Action being taken in 1861 to "restrain the Company from finishing the partially completed works." Lengthy arbitration proceedings followed to determine the actual amount of work performed by the contractors. Construction resumed without, and despite, the contractors under John Hawkshaw, the engineer, and Samuel Dobson, the superintendent of the works. Who needs contractors anyway?

	Penarth Dock had technical and commercial advantage over the Cardiff Docks, in that they were designed so that the water level over the lock sills was generally 4 feet higher than at Cardiff Bute East dock and 7 feet higher than the west dock entrance which, of course, permitted sailings at earlier and later times relative to high and low water.

We should also bear in mind that from the outset, Penarth was built in direct competition to the Bute family and their Cardiff based empire. The Bute family was shortly to become the richest dynasty in the World and took not too kindly to the competition from the Penarth project or indeed, any other attempt to deprive them of their royalties and dues. Below is an example of the ongoing litigation between Bute, the TVR and the Penarth Dock Company . . .
	c.1863 - The Marquis of Bute and Others v. the Taff Vale Railway Company - Judgement.

contents . . .

information . . .

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