West Waterloo Dock
Encyclopedia
West Waterloo 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 Vauxhall
and connected to Princes Half Tide Dock
to the south. The site of Victoria Dock is located to the north.
The dock was designed by Jesse Hartley
and opened in 1834 as Waterloo Dock and named after the Battle of Waterloo
.
An observatory
was built here for astronomical
and meteorological
observations and to provide accurate time for ships' chronometer
s in 1843. From 1866, the observatory was relocated to Bidston Hill
on the Wirral Peninsula
when the dock was redeveloped.
In 1868, Waterloo Dock was split in two separate basins; East Waterloo Dock
and West Waterloo Dock.
Initially planned eleven years earlier, the lock
entrance from the Mersey was finally opened in 1949. Construction was delayed due to the Second World War.
The dock closed to shipping in 1988. The entrance channel from the river and part of the dock has since been filled.
In 2007, work began on a £20 million extension of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal
, providing a further 1.4 miles of navigable waterway and encompassing Princes Half Tide Dock.
A new 6.5 metre wide channel from Trafalgar Dock
to the northern end of West Waterloo Dock will be excavated as part of the canal route.
River Mersey
The River Mersey is a river in North West England. It is around long, stretching from Stockport, Greater Manchester, and ending at Liverpool Bay, Merseyside. For centuries, it formed part of the ancient county divide between Lancashire and Cheshire....
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and part of the Port of Liverpool
Port of Liverpool
The Port of Liverpool is the name for the enclosed 7.5 mile dock system that runs from Brunswick Dock in Liverpool to Seaforth Dock, Seaforth, on the east side of the River Mersey and the Birkenhead Docks between Birkenhead and Wallasey on the west side of the river...
. It is situated in the northern dock system in Vauxhall
Vauxhall, Merseyside
Vauxhall is an inner city district of Liverpool, Merseyside, England. It is located north of Liverpool city centre, and is bounded by Kirkdale in the north, and Everton in the east, with the docks and River Mersey running along the west side....
and connected to Princes Half Tide Dock
Princes Half Tide Dock
Princes Half Tide Dock on the River Mersey, England, is a half tide dock and part of the Port of Liverpool. It is situated in the northern dock system in Vauxhall, connected to East Waterloo Dock and West Waterloo Dock to the north and Princes Dock to the south. The dock opened in 1810 and...
to the south. The site of Victoria Dock is located to the north.
The dock was designed by Jesse Hartley
Jesse Hartley
Jesse Hartley was Civil Engineer and Superintendent of the Concerns of the Dock Estate in Liverpool, England between 1824 and 1860.-Hartley's career:...
and opened in 1834 as Waterloo Dock and named after the Battle of Waterloo
Battle of Waterloo
The Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday 18 June 1815 near Waterloo in present-day Belgium, then part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands...
.
An observatory
Observatory
An observatory is a location used for observing terrestrial or celestial events. Astronomy, climatology/meteorology, geology, oceanography and volcanology are examples of disciplines for which observatories have been constructed...
was built here for astronomical
Astronomy
Astronomy is a natural science that deals with the study of celestial objects and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth...
and meteorological
Meteorology
Meteorology is the interdisciplinary scientific study of the atmosphere. Studies in the field stretch back millennia, though significant progress in meteorology did not occur until the 18th century. The 19th century saw breakthroughs occur after observing networks developed across several countries...
observations and to provide accurate time for ships' chronometer
Chronometer
Chronometer may refer to:* Chronometer watch, a watch tested and certified to meet certain precision standards* Hydrochronometer, a water clock* Marine chronometer, a timekeeper used for celestial navigation...
s in 1843. From 1866, the observatory was relocated to Bidston Hill
Bidston Hill
Bidston Hill is of heathland and woodland that contains historic buildings and ancient rock carvings. It is located on the Wirral Peninsula, near the Birkenhead suburb of Bidston, in Merseyside, England...
on the Wirral Peninsula
Wirral Peninsula
Wirral or the Wirral is a peninsula in North West England. It is bounded by three bodies of water: to the west by the River Dee, forming a boundary with Wales, to the east by the River Mersey and to the north by the Irish Sea. Both terms "Wirral" and "the Wirral" are used locally , although the...
when the dock was redeveloped.
In 1868, Waterloo Dock was split in two separate basins; East Waterloo Dock
East Waterloo Dock
East Waterloo 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 Vauxhall and is connected only to Princes Half Tide Dock to the south....
and West Waterloo Dock.
Initially planned eleven years earlier, the lock
Lock (water transport)
A lock is a device for raising and lowering boats between stretches of water of different levels on river and canal waterways. The distinguishing feature of a lock is a fixed chamber in which the water level can be varied; whereas in a caisson lock, a boat lift, or on a canal inclined plane, it is...
entrance from the Mersey was finally opened in 1949. Construction was delayed due to the Second World War.
The dock closed to shipping in 1988. The entrance channel from the river and part of the dock has since been filled.
In 2007, work began on a £20 million extension of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal
Leeds and Liverpool Canal
The Leeds and Liverpool Canal is a canal in Northern England, linking the cities of Leeds and Liverpool. Over a distance of , it crosses the Pennines, and includes 91 locks on the main line...
, providing a further 1.4 miles of navigable waterway and encompassing Princes Half Tide Dock.
A new 6.5 metre wide channel from Trafalgar Dock
Trafalgar Dock
Trafalgar Dock is a dock, on the River Mersey and part of the Port of Liverpool. It is situated in the northern dock system in Vauxhall and connected to Salisbury Dock to the north. The sites of two former docks are located in the vicinity; Victoria Dock was located to the south and Clarence Dock...
to the northern end of West Waterloo Dock will be excavated as part of the canal route.