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

The loaded wagons were marshalled on the rail sidings leading to the tips. The individual wagons were detached from the train and then gravitated to the turn-table where, if necessary, the wagon would be turned so that the door end of the wagon would face the ship, and it would be run onto the cradle of the tip.

The cradled truck would be lifted to the required level by hydraulic power, and then the back of the wagon would be held by a suspended chain and hook. Then by lowering the cradle under the control of a brake the wagon was tipped at a sufficient angle to meet the coal chute, and the coal was discharged into the ship's hold.

After the wagon was emptied or "tipped", then counterbalancing weights, which equalled the weight of the cradle and the empty wagon, would give sufficient power to lift the cradle and empty wagon to the higher rail level where the wagon would be released to the returning "empties" sidings.

The tips dealt with wagons not exceeding a capacity of six tons, and were operated by three men and a boy. During very cold weather fires were kept burning near the tips to prevent freezing of the hydraulic system.

Near the dock entrance under Penarth Head buildings were erected [commencing in] 1865, which still stand. In one was the Penarth Dock Offices and H. M. Customs, in another the Mercantile Marine Office where crews were "signed on" and in the third was the Post and Telegraph Office, a Public Telephone Call room and a Marine Hotel.

Higher up on the northern slope of the headland the T.V.R. built the Penarth Hotel in 1868. This building became Headlands School after the first World War. It was donated to the National Children's Home and Orphanage by Mrs. J. A. Gibbs in memory of her husband who had been killed during the war. It was opened by the then Duke of York, who became King George VI.

To give communication across the River Ely from the dock to the harbour works a ferry was started in June 1865. The ferry was a large raft with a canopy to protect passengers from inclement weather. Two men worked a windlass to propel the ferry across the river. The fare was one penny.