A vessel makes its way from the Alfred Dock into the East Float past a raised Bascule Bridge on Tower Road that links Birkenhead and Seacombe In January 1929 a new 870 ton Bascule Bridge between Alfred Dock and the East Float was swung into position
The Astyanax waits in the Alfred Dock. A gig boat waits at the head of the southern passage into the East Float. Today the southern passage has been filled in and the bridge removed Astyanax Built 1906. Scott's S. B. & E. Co., Greenock Sold 1930
An aerial view of the head of Wallasey Pool in the 1920’s. Bidston Dock was opened in 1933 adjacent to the Penny Bridge. The dock was filled in 2003. The open land alongside the head of Wallasey Pool covered an area of 134½ acres in 1927
The Zinna alongside the Bidston Iron Ore Berth. Iron ore was off loaded on to railway wagons and transported to John Summers Iron Works at Shotton in North Wales REA Ltd. The specialists in bulk Handling operated the facilities on the North side of the Bidston Dock
A view looking across the West Float; and in the distance the three raised jibs of the Iron Ore handling facilities on the north side of Bidston Dock. The iron ore cranes have since been demolished William Cubbin Ltd. Repaired and maintained tugs & barges. Founded 1902 The Yard, The West Float, Wallasey Bridge Road
The Penny Bridge Toll House stood on the Poulton side of the bridge. A wooden bridge had been built across the head of the Wallasey Pool in 1843. The Penny Bridge took its name from the toll of One Penny, first charged in 1896
In 1926 the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board opened the new Penny swing bridge. This views shows the approach road to the bridge from Poulton Construction work began on the swing bridge in February 1924
Looking the west across the newly opened Bidston Dock During the Great Depression of 1930-33 many of the Liverpool Steamship companies laid up vessels. Bidston Dock was opened in 1933 at a cost to the Dock Board of £700,000
In 1947 the Elder Dempster’s Aba was sold to Bawtry SS Co., of Liverpool and renamed the Matrona, seen here lying on her portside in Bidston Dock Matrona Ex Aba Built 1918. Barclay Curle & Co., Ltd., Glasgow
In this view of the Matrona the Docks Board have attached frames to the side of the vessel, and have placed winches on the quayside to pull the vessel upright The Matrona capsized after her ballast of pig-iron was removed
The Matrona being winched upright. The Dock Board later used the same methods to raise the Empress of Canada in Gladstone Dock in 1953 The Matrona was broken up at Barrow-In-Furness in 1948
The Anchor Line vessel Circassia berthed on the south side of the Bidston Dock. The Anchor Line's Glasgow via Liverpool to Bombay service closed in 1966 Circassia Built 1937 Fairfield S. B. & E. Co., Govan
The Duke Street Bridge spans the passage between the East and West Floats. In the distance the Duke Street Wharf, which was used as a coaling berth for ships for many years The Duke Street passage between the East and West Floats, is 98ft wide and the sill 3in above the Bay Datum
The Dock Master and his family stand outside the dock office. The building stands a short distance to the west of the Duke Street Bridge The West Float covers an area of 52 acres 319 yds, and over 2 miles of quayside. 1927
The hydraulically powered Duke Street swing bridge. In the 1930’s the Dock Board replaced a number of the Birkenhead Dock estate swing bridges with the Bascule Bridges A plaque on the present Duke Street Bridge reads Manufactured And Erected by Sir William Arrol & Co., Ltd., Glasgow 1931
