Great Float Birkenhead Docks Area

[wsteve55]

Well, it was only an impression,but I live by,and have walked round Seaforth,and Gladstone, but dont think the expanse of water is as great! I could hardly see the other side of the East float, but then,I didn't have my spec's on Steve. (Great pic' there)

[Waterways]

A friend was a Blue Funnel officer. He said the East Float was big, but the big King George V Dock in London, built in the 20s were bigger. I disagreed as I have been to both. The London docks were a white elephant as big ships could not sail up the Thames.

The KGV don't look that big:


The East Float is impressive and I always thought bigger than Gladstone. But Seaforth is bigger, as it was the largest docks in the country when opening in 1972, with the largest dock gates too.

Gladstone may have more water space between the branches overall, and more quay length, but the East Float is one large impressive expanse of water at its widest.

[scouse smurf]

Waterways, did u take that last photo? I can just about see my old workplace on it

[Waterways]

Nah! Birkenhead?

[scouse smurf]

yeah, it's a really cool pic

[backsplice]

Just out of interest, that large area of open water in the East Float, where the caisson and the sunken ship are, is known for some reason, as Stavanger Bay.
If you stand by the sunken ship and look left along the quay, that is the East Quay, where Anchor Line ships used to load. look to your right and the quay on the far side of the bridge on the Wallasey side, is Mortar Mill Quay, where the Japanese NYK Line loaded. Further along you had the Mills where grain ships discharged, then on towards Duke St Bridge were no3 and No1 East Float, loading berths for Jala boats (Indian) and Cosco, (Chinese)
Across the dock belonged to Clan Line, then into Vittoria dock, Clan line on one side, Blue Funnel on the other.
I worked there on the docks as a crane driver during the 1970/80s.
Regards,
Backsplice.

[Kev]

Wreck of the Sarsia Birkenhead Docks - 16th April 09

[Kev]

Corn Warehouse, East Float - Birkenhead

[hmtmaj]

Greta pics Kev.
Are these empty now ?
If so, should be luxury apartments by now.
Mart

[Kev]

They are apartments, 20% off original price too!

[gregs dad]

These are from last year, there isn`t the same security on these apartments
as on the liverpool dockside apartments,I was able to wander at will

[Kev]

View of Liverpool from the Great Float:

[scouse smurf]

Kev, u're bringing back lots of memories.

Ok, it was only last year that I was working there, but happy times

Make the most of it, before they starting building lots of new places there, which is bound to happen

[Kev]

Kev, u're bringing back lots of memories.

Ok, it was only last year that I was working there, but happy times

Make the most of it, before they starting building lots of new places there, which is bound to happen

Did u work close to a gararge that used to be A41 Minis by any chance?

[scouse smurf]

Well, I worked at 2 different places over there, for the same company.

First place was on the A41, just before the LJMU Lairdside Maritime Centre.

Second base, was a Red building on the dock road, which is in the shadow of the Great Float apartments