Hear more about this location(Need help with RealPlayer?)Local historian Neil Sinclair takes us through what used to happen in the dry docks.
"The whole area would have been full of ships. They would have to pick their time to dock very carefully. Ships in need of repair could only sail into the dock when the tide was in because the whole area would be mud flats if the tide was out.
"Once the ships were in, the lock gates would close and once the tide went out the pump house would go into action and drain the dock of water. You can see the red brick building at the opening of the dock.
"If a ship had severe engine problems it would be lifted out by crane and moved to the engineering shed.
"The Techniquest building, home to an interactive science museum, may look like a modern building but it is built on the foundations and walls of the giant repair shed that stood there when the docks were still in use.
"The authorities couldn't demolish the shed because the shell of the engineering works was listed. So they decided to build on top of the original structure which is why it has such a unique shape."
During the First World War from 1914 to 1918 the docks were extensively used for the maintenance of the British shipping fleet.
From here bear left and turn right directly before the old pump house.
your comments
Brian Lloyd, Barry
I worked for Mountstuart Dry Docks from 1953 to 1961 - when the docks were closed down. The St Patrick would have been in No 3 Dock. Each Christmas time a British Rail car ferry would be docked for repair and refitting. No 1 dock was the favorite for Admiralty vessels frigates and destroyers - I recall HMS Tuscan and HMS Teazer. No 2 dock was quite frequently oil or molasses tankers. Mr Sinclair could be wrong about pumping out the docks once the tide had gone out. Most tides were of the order of 40ft....The dock gates were closed as soon as possible once the ships were in the dock and they were all built tobe closed tighter by the pressure of the sea on the outside - a shallow V shape pointing out from the docks. Joss Haywood was the dockmaster in charge of that operation.
Jon Morgan, Cardiff
Served my time as a fitter/turner with Bristol Channel Ship Repairers in the old Channel & Bute dry docks. The last ever ship to sail out of the Mount Stuart dry docks? King George V...
John Rees, Pender Harbour, Canada
Very interested in Mr Griffith's comments. My Dad, Ted Rees and brother Ed both worked for Cambell & Isherwood, possibly just before that period. Ed emigrated to Canada un 1957 and I followed in 1958. Dad has since passed away but brother Ed lives here in British Columbia. We both made careers in the electrical industry learnt in Cardiff, around the docks.
Michael Griffiths Cambusbarron Stirling
I started my electrical apprenticeship with Campbell & Isherwood who were the electrical contractors to Mountstuart Dry Dock ship repairers in January 1961 and worked on the RMS St. Patrick a British Railways passenger ferry.The St. Patrick had all her 2nd. & 3rd. class areas stripped out and replaced with a new tourist class. She was removed from the Ireland run to the Channel Islands because of her easy manouverability.The dry docks had quite a lot of work in the early 60's and it was a great place to work as an apprentice. Landing craft L4061 also refitted at Mountstuart and after the refit she ran stores to the rocket range at Benbecula and to the tracking station on St. Kilda, along with her sister ship L4062.
Roy Pearce
I worked for Bristol Channel Ship Repairers after leaving school, as did my father and brothers, mainly at Barry, but worked when needed at Swansea, Cardiff, Newport - best job ever.
Roger James Nelson
I am looking for information on the manufacture of the original dock gates between 1850-1900 ie company names, and dates. Can anyone suggest some avenues of investigation I could follow?
