Cardiff Bay Barrage, Tidal Locks, Cycle way and Lift Bridges.
Cardiff Bay Locks with lift bridge
There are 3 locks in the Barrage two are 8m wide
and 1 is 10.5m wide, all are 40m long.
The sector gates are 16m high and give access to the
River Severn 24 hours a day, at all states of the tide.
Each lock chamber contains a floating mooring pontoon
for boats to moor against as they rise and fall within the lock.
A sea going boat leaves the Barrage heading for Cardiff with the entrance to the
old Penarth Coal Dock on the left and the entrance to the old River Ely Tidal
Harbour just behind (also on left) the new housing on the old dock wall.
This plan of industrial Penarth showing in red, the railway lines
feeding the avaricious coal tippers of both docks gives some idea
of the monumental growth which developed as a result of South
Wales exporting vast amounts of coal to every corner of the world.
The original Ely River loop, now infilled, is also shown.
In 1913 total coal exports were:-
Cardiff, Bute Docks, 13,677,000 tons.
Barry Dock, 11,736,000 tons.
Penarth Dock and Ely Tidal Harbour, 4,661,000 tons.
In comparison to Bute Dock across the bay, Penarth was a relatively small port developed
by the upstart Taff Vale Railway Co in direct competition to the well established
Bute complex owned by what was said to be, the richest family in the world.
In heritage and economic terms Penarth has had the last laugh, after
regeneration in the 1980’s the port area has now morphed into an area
of upmarket waterside “Des Res” which in turn, has changed a
rundown industrial town into an upmarket commuter suburb of Cardiff.
(Boston, has much to learn from this town).
The Bute Docks complex across the bay, by contrast, festers unloved,
as an isolated weed infested duck pond, a “tack on” to an
unimaginative waterside development which pays little more
than lip service to the areas heritage.
The entrance to Penarth Docks was restored and converted to a marina
in 1987 by installing sector gates & redeveloping the dockside.
The original dock gates were installed in 1865.
Ships could only enter or leave the dock when the gates were open to
receive each tide, so the gates only retained water in the dock at low water.
Penarth Dock Marina, Outer Basin
Cardiff Bay Trip boats moored in the channel
between the Outer Basin and the main dock.
The Barrage lock can be seen in the background.
The in filled, inner basin and the dock were re-excavated
and now provide moorings for approximately 350 craft.
In addition to new housing built around the basin, the development
also supports several new light engineering companies, restaurants
office units and retail facilities, which can be seen on the left.
Taken 1987. The new dam which forms the western extent of the marina is complete and the land behind filled and levelled. New gates have been fitted to the sea locks and a dredger is moored up awaiting the tide before returning to work. The pontoons and moorings of the marina in the former basin are installed and building has commenced upon the houses and apartments on the quaysides. Following the line of the River Ely upstream, the new cut is clear as is the
new landfill site to the right where the meander used to be.
Pontoon Moorings and new housing now take the place of the derelict coal tips on the north bank of the Ely, which runs adjacent to and parallel with Penarth Dock in the south west of the Bay.
Over 450 boats are now moored in the old harbour area below the A4045.
The same location when the tide went out.
These two pictures alone dramatically illustrate the economic opportunities
offered by a retained water level behind the barrages
to be built on the Witham at Boston and across the channel on the
River Parrett downstream of Bridgwater.
A large number of Pontoon Moorings are also located on other parts of
the river and over 2 miles of navigable water are now available upstream.
Another shot on the Ely and a comparison with the River Witham
at Boston today.
Looking up stream from Boston’s old Customs House
If the boats moored in Cardiff are added to the Penarth boats it
can be seen that over a thousand sea going boats now call Cardiff
Bay Home and contribute a significant amount to the local
economy and the ports they visit. Local & regional destinations
include, Portishead, Bristol, Sharpness and Gloucester.
Most black & white photos are taken from penarth-dock.org.uk
This Local History site, by David & Julie Carder has a wealth of Industrial and Social History relating to Penarth Docks and the Ely Tidal Harbour.