Tramroad Gateway and Track
The
line of the horse-operated tramroad
that once carried coal to Cheltenham has been marked out in the
new paving beside the Southgate St entrance to the docks, and five
pairs of stone sleeper blocks have been re-laid. It is planned to
mount some original rails on the blocks to serve as a base for two
replica tramroad wagons. |
Tramroad Plaque
A plaque
commemorating the horse-operated tramroad
that carried coal to Cheltenham was formerly fixed to the left side
of the gateway used by the tramroad. It was removed while the wall
was rebuilt, and it is currently in safe storage awaiting replacement. |
Rails and Cobbles
A
length of railway line with a central roadway of cobbles has been
found on the quay in front of Biddle Warehouse. This alignment dates
from c1860. It will be left exposed to highlight the role that horses
played in moving railway wagons around the docks. |
Remnants of the Dock Railway System
A
length of railway line and an indication of a turntable have been
incorporated into the new surface of the East Quay, and further
lengths will be included in the paving between Biddle and Reynolds
Warehouses. |
Mooring Posts and Rings
Around
the quaysides are a variety of mooring posts and mooring rings that
are being retained for possible use as well as being a reminder
of the secure moorings needed for large vessels in the past. |
Siding Beside Albert Warehouse
Two
turned-up rails at the west end of Albert Warehouse (formerly Albert
Mill) mark a former siding that had a canopy so that sacks of flour
could be loaded into a rail wagon under cover. |
Crane Post by Victoria Dock
The
cast-iron post at the south end of the Victoria Dock was the pivot
of a manually operated crane installed around the time the dock
opened in 1849. |
Midland Railway Crane
Components
of a manually operated Midland Railway crane, now in storage, were
rescued from the former railway yard at New Mills station in Cheshire
by staff from the National Waterways Museum. The crane dates from
1902, and it was capable of lifting five tons. It is expected that
it will be re-erected on the east side of the Victoria Dock. |