Volume Twelve - Pre-Victorian to the Present Day - further aspects - A History of Penarth Dock by Roy Thorne . . .

It was 250 feet long by 90 feet wide and there was a pair of dock gates leading to the canal. The 'Little Dock' was filled in by the T.V.R. in 1910. The existence of this small dock shows that Bute did not have a complete monopoly, and in 1842 he insisted that the 'Little Dock' should be closed before the T.V.R. could have access to his dock. At that time the T.V.R. retaliated by saying they intended reviving the Ely project.

Bute reacted in conciliatory fashion because of his policy to put exports through his dock and he stressed their mutual interest. The T.V.R. seized the olive branch and an agreement was made in 1843 where Bute was to be paid £12,000 to lease the dock to the railway company who were to bear responsibility for dock repairs and to ship all its traffic through the Bute West Dock.

To Crawshay and the canal company agreement between the T.V.R. and Bute poised a threat to their canal, and he suggested that all three companies should merge, but Crawshay's demands were too great and the Taff Company and their shareholders prevented the merger.

An agreement made in 1844 between Bute and the T.V.R. company allowing the railway company to lease most of the east side of the Bute West Dock was confirmed by the T.V.R. Board in November 1844 and the points sent to Robert Stephenson as arbitrator.

The agreement was : - "The Taff Vale Railway Company bind themselves to ship all goods coming or going by the railway, as far as they shall be enabled, at the Bute Docks ; but under any circumstances, the Company are to include, in calculating the amount payable to Lord Bute, wharfage and dockage dues on all goods exported or imported at the railway dock terminus at the same rate as on goods exported or imported at the Bute Docks, whether the Railway Company charge such rates or not ; and in return for the Railway Company giving all their trade to the Bute Docks in the manner aforesaid, the Marquis of Bute binds himself to find proper accommodation for the trade in the said docks, as far as practicable upon the terms hereafter stated : -

The rates of wharfage at the Bute Docks to be : - for Iron 6d, Iron Ore 3d, Coal 2d per ton, the general merchandise to be considered and settled previous to signing the agreement." [614]