Newport Docks facts for kids
Newport Docks are a group of docks in the city of Newport, in south-east Wales. For a long time, these docks were super important for moving goods in and out of the area.
Back in the 1700s, there were small places along the River Usk where ships could load and unload. These were called wharves. Iron and coal were the main things sent out from here. But the river had big tides and muddy banks, which made it tricky for ships. As more trade happened, people needed better docks.
So, the first proper dock, called the Town Dock, opened in 1842. It was made bigger in 1858, and even more trade came through. Later, the Alexandra Dock opened in 1875, and then the South Dock in 1893. This South Dock was made much larger in 1907 and 1914. At one point, Newport Docks were known for having the biggest area of water of any dock system in the world!
Today, the old Town Dock has been filled in. But the Alexandra Dock system is still busy, even though it doesn't export huge amounts of minerals like it used to.
Contents
Minerals and Early Transport
The area around Newport, from Tredegar to Pontypool, was rich in valuable minerals. There was lots of coal, iron, and limestone. In the 1700s, new ways to make iron led to a huge boom in factories. All these new products needed to be moved to other places to be sold.
But the roads back then were not very good. Minerals were carried on the backs of animals to the nearest river, the River Usk at Newport. This was very expensive. From Newport, it was much easier to send goods by ship.
To make transport easier and cheaper, people built the Monmouthshire Canal Navigation. This canal was approved in 1792 and opened in stages starting in 1796. It had two main parts, each about eleven miles long, connecting places like Pontnewynydd and Crumlin to Newport.
The canal was a big success! It helped coal and iron get to Newport more easily. In 1802, the canal company was allowed to build more wharves along the River Usk. This helped transfer goods to ships for export. The canal was even extended further down the river to a place called Pillgwenlly.
The Town Dock Opens
The canal and its connecting tramroads (early railways) were very popular. The industries they served grew quickly. However, the Bristol Channel has very large tides. This meant the wharves on the River Usk were still difficult to use because the water level changed so much.
People in Newport decided to build a "floating dock." This kind of dock keeps the water level constant, no matter the tide. A plan for this was approved in 1835. After some delays and a lot of money, the Town Dock finally opened on October 10, 1842. It cost a lot to build and covered about 4 acres.
Quick facts for kids Newport (Monmouthshire) Docks Act 1854 |
|
|---|---|
| Act of Parliament | |
|
|
| Citation | 17 & 18 Vict. c. clxxxv |
| Dates | |
| Royal assent | 24 July 1854 |
| Text of statute as originally enacted | |
Trade kept growing fast, so an extension to the Town Dock was planned. This new part opened on March 2, 1858. It cost £64,000 and added another 7.5 acres of water. The first dock became known as the Outer Basin, and the new part was called the Inner Basin.
At first, ship crews loaded and unloaded their own cargo. But soon, the Town Dock got lots of special machines. These were powered by water pressure (hydraulic power) and helped move goods much faster. By 1914, the Town Dock had four coal hoists. These could lift railway wagons full of coal, weighing up to 23 tons, to tip their contents into ships.
The Town Dock, later called the Old Dock, eventually closed in October 1930. Newer, better docks took its place. The old dock was filled in, and today, a shopping center and bus station stand where it once was.
The Alexandra Dock System
The success of the Town Dock meant even more trade was coming to Newport. This needed much bigger and newer docks. So, a plan was approved in 1865 to build a large new dock closer to the mouth of the River Usk. This became known as the Alexandra Dock. During its construction, workers found the remains of an old longship (a Viking ship) about twelve feet underground!
The Alexandra Dock officially opened on April 10, 1875. The Prince of Wales (who would later become King Edward VII) sent a telegram to congratulate the people of Wales on this big achievement.
Two Companies Become One
Until 1882, two different companies ran the docks in Newport. The Newport Dock Company managed the Town Dock. The Alexandra (Newport) Dock Company managed the new Alexandra Dock. In 1882, a new law brought them together. They formed one big company called the Alexandra (Newport and South Wales) Docks and Railway (ANDR). The Newport Dock Company was bought for £150,000.
After this, the Town Dock was mostly used for smaller ships and for bringing in goods like timber. The much larger Alexandra Dock handled the biggest cargoes.
Building the South Dock
Another new dock, the South Dock, was approved in 1882. It opened on June 6, 1893, and covered almost 20 acres. The original Alexandra Dock was then renamed the North Dock. Even while the South Dock was being built, the amount of goods passing through the North Dock grew by 750,000 tons!
The South Dock had a special "South Lock." This allowed very large ships to enter directly from the Bristol Channel. It was clear that even more space was needed for the growing trade. So, work soon began on the South Dock Extension. This extension opened in November 1907. It was made even bigger by another 27 acres, with that part opening on July 14, 1914. The new lock entrance for the South Dock Extension was huge: 1,000 feet long and 100 feet wide. It was the largest lock in the world at that time!
Railway Connections
In the 1800s and early 1900s, trains were the main way to move goods on land. A huge amount of coal was transported by rail to the docks for export. Newport Docks had a massive network of railway tracks, called sidings. By 1908, there were over 100 miles of railway sidings at Newport Docks! These tracks held many loaded wagons, waiting for ships to arrive. There were also large sheds to store goods that needed to be kept dry.
At the Alexandra Dock, coal was loaded onto ships using special hoists. These machines lifted entire railway wagons and tipped the coal into the ships' holds. Other goods were loaded and unloaded using powerful hydraulic cranes. These cranes could lift items weighing from 3 to 30 tons.
Docks Join the Great Western Railway
Until 1922, the Alexandra (Newport and South Wales) Dock and Railway Company owned the docks. But in 1921, a new law called the Railways Act 1921 changed things. Most railway companies in Great Britain were grouped into four big companies. The Great Western Railway took over many smaller companies in its area. This meant Newport Docks became part of the Great Western Railway, known as the Great Western Railway's Newport Docks.
Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal Today
The Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal was originally two separate canals. One went from Newport to Pontymoile, and the other from Pontymoile to Brecon. Both canals were closed in 1962. However, the section from Pontymoile to Brecon and a small part of the Newport section have been reopened since 1970. There are plans to restore much of the rest of the original Monmouthshire Canal. This includes building a new marina at the Newport end of the canal.
