// Workers AI · dad joke modeWhat did the Port of Garston dock? A gar-boat.
53°21′04″N 2°54′25″W / 53.351°N 2.907°W
The Port of Garston, also known as Garston Docks, is an enclosed tidal dock system on the River Mersey at Garston, approximately 6 miles (9.7 km) from the centre of Liverpool, England. It is operated by Associated British Ports who are the Harbour Authority. Peel Ports as Competent Harbour Authority for the River Mersey provide pilotage for any non-exempt vessels calling at the port.
History
[edit]The first dock to be built at Garston was built in 1793 for Blackburne’s saltworks.[1] The docks today were originally set up by the St. Helens and Runcorn Gap Railway Company in June 1853.[2] It contains Old Dock, North Dock and Stalbridge Dock. Old Dock was the first to open in 1853, followed by North Dock in 1875 and then Stalbridge Dock in 1909.[3][1]
By 1936 the 3 docks had 28.5 acres (11.5 ha) of water, 70 miles (110 km) of sidings, 80 acres (32 ha) of storage and dealt with about two million tons of goods a year.[4]
Present day
[edit]
The present site covers 65 acres (26 ha) and a has quay length of nearly 2,00 metres.[5] The port handles around 500,000 tonnes of cargo a year and has facilities for handling grain, steel, scrap metal and has 8,500sqm of multi-purpose cargo storage.[5]
Between 2012 & 2017, ABP invested several million pounds in essential investment, replacing lock gates, additional storage facilities and the purchase of new crane capacity.[6] In 2020, the port invested in 20,000 square feet of warehousing and sixteen storage bays to increase its capacity for handling 60,000 tonnes of aggregates a year.[7]
References
[edit]- 1 2 "Port Cities: - Other docks and ports". www.mersey-gateway.org. Archived from the original on 19 November 2005. Retrieved 21 January 2026.
- ↑ McDonough, Tony (10 August 2021). "APB invests £4m into the Port of Garston on the Mersey". Liverpool Business News. Retrieved 21 January 2026.
- ↑ Railway Magazine, March 1959, p. 197
- ↑ Railway Magazine December 1936 LMS advert
- 1 2 "Associated British Ports | Garston". www.abports.co.uk.
- ↑ Houghton, Alistair (2 April 2017). "What is the port of Garston and what does it do?". liverpoolecho. Retrieved 19 May 2018.
- ↑ Whelan, Dan (1 January 2020). "Port of Garston set for £2.6m expansion". Place North West. Retrieved 21 January 2026.
External links
[edit]
- "Port of Garston map" (PDF). Associated British Ports. Retrieved 13 December 2018.
- https://web.archive.org/web/20051119104917/http://www.mersey-gateway.org/server.php?show=ConNarrative.37&chapterId=189
- MultiMap photo