Bidston Dock

File:Iron ore hoppers, Birkenhead docks 1967.jpg

A proposal for the construction of the dock on most of what remained of the tidal inlet of Wallasey Pool was outlined in the 1920s. Consisting of the main basin and four additional branches, only part of the main dock was eventually built.{{citation|url=http://www.merseysideviews.com/Merseyside%20Docks/Birkenhead/Bidston-Dock-plan.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080204065720/http://www.merseysideviews.com/Merseyside%20Docks/Birkenhead/Bidston-Dock-plan.htm |url-status=usurped |archive-date=4 February 2008 |title=Birkenhead Docks: Bidston Dock plan (1920s)|publisher=Merseyside Views}}

Bidston dock was opened in March 1933 and originally known as the West Float extension. The dock was first used for laying up ships, such as the Ellerman Lines' City of London and City of York.{{cite magazine|title=Back to Birkenhead After 50 Years|first=C.A.|last=Hobson|pages=825–833|magazine=Sea Breezes|volume=60|issue=492|date=December 1986|issn=0036-9977|oclc=479104818}}

In 1947 the Greek liner Matrona [https://www.britishpathe.com/video/VLVA75PF9EIZNQLMR1RYZFZJFCYH7-GREEK-LINER-MATRONA-CAPSIZES-AT-BIRKENHEAD-DOCK capsized] at her moorings{{cite web|url=https://www.britishpathe.com/video/VLVA75PF9EIZNQLMR1RYZFZJFCYH7-GREEK-LINER-MATRONA-CAPSIZES-AT-BIRKENHEAD-DOCK | title=Greek Liner Matrona Capsizes At Birkenhead Dock 1947| publisher=British Pathé |access-date=15 June 2020}}

when her ballast was removed during conversion work. Having been refloated in June 1948 by seven locomotives operating on specially built tracks, she was towed to Barrow-In-Furness for scrapping.{{cite web| url=http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/descriptions/ShipsA.shtml | title=Ship Descriptions 'A' - ABA / GLENAPP / MATRONA 1918 | publisher=The Ships List | access-date=15 June 2020}}

In 1952 the Bibby Line vessel Somersetshire boarded crew at Bidston Dock prior to service as an emigrant ship to Australia.

The dock was significantly altered in the 1950s to allow the transportation of iron ore bound for Shotton.{{harvnb|McCarron|Jarvis|1992|p=10}} The dock had a trio of large moveable cranes to unload the iron ore,{{cite magazine|title=Rea's of Birkenhead|magazine=Railway Bylines|volume=5|issue=10|date=September 2000|first=Adrian|last=Booth|page=479|publisher=Irwell Press|issn=1360-2098}} which were dismantled in the late 1990s. The northern quayside of Bidston Dock was the iron ore berth, which was operated by Rea Ltd. The southern quayside was unallocated.{{harvnb|Collard|2001|p=111}}

By 1992, the dock was only being used for laying up ships, such as the Isle of Man Steam Packet vessels.{{harvnb|McCarron|Jarvis|1992|p=11}} Some of the final traffic through the dock involved the transportation of timber.{{cite web|url=http://homepage.ntlworld.com/angela.wood850/Wyre%20Heal%20eBook/11%20-%20Wallasey%20Pool/11-Wallasey%20Pool.htm|title=Wallasey Pool|work=Wyre Heal|access-date=4 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304110643/http://homepage.ntlworld.com/angela.wood850/Wyre%20Heal%20eBook/11%20-%20Wallasey%20Pool/11-Wallasey%20Pool.htm|archive-date=4 March 2016}} Bidston Dock was subsequently closed and was landfilled by 2003.{{citation|url=http://www.merseysideviews.com/Merseyside%20Docks/Birkenhead/pages/Bir%20Dks%20018.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061023150538/http://www.merseysideviews.com/Merseyside%20Docks/Birkenhead/pages/Bir%20Dks%20018.html|url-status=usurped|archive-date=23 October 2006|title=Birkenhead Docks (photo18)|publisher=Merseyside Views|access-date=12 October 2007}}

The dock was served by the Birkenhead Dock Branch railway line and an iron ore train ran regularly to the John Summers Steelworks in Shotton. Monthly shipments of iron ore arrived at Bidston Dock from 1956.{{cite magazine|title=Rea's of Birkenhead|magazine=Railway Bylines|volume=5|issue=10|date=September 2000|first=Adrian|last=Booth|page=480|publisher=Irwell Press|issn=1360-2098}} Due to the nature of the train, a high degree of motive power was required. Class 40s and pairs of Class 25 locomotives{{harvnb|Mitchell|Smith|2013|loc=fig. 101}} are known to have operated on this track, during its latter days. In the steam era, the iron ore train was known to have been hauled by Class 9F locomotives.{{harvnb|Mitchell|Smith|2013|loc=fig. 103}} The Class 9F locomotive 92203, later named as Black Prince, worked the final steam-hauled iron ore train in November 1967.{{cite web|url=http://oldsteamers.com/the-famous-black-prince/|title=The Famous Black Prince|work=oldsteamers.com|access-date=8 June 2015}}{{cite web|url=http://www.derbysulzers.com/birkenheadbh.html|title=Memories of Bank Hall, Birkenhead & Beyond, Part Two, as recalled by Mal Pratt, Birkenhead 1966 - 1968|work=derbysulzers.com|access-date=8 June 2015}}{{cite web|url=http://theoldendays.yolasite.com/black-prince.php|title=Black Prince Steam Locomotive|work=The Olden Days - A Trip Down Memory Lane|access-date=8 June 2015}}

File:Bidston Dock (infilled) - geograph.org.uk - 452598.jpg

Though the dock itself was filled, the northern quayside, on which the cranes were situated, and the railway sidings are still intact, although disused.

Peel Holdings have expressed an interest to develop the site of the former dock, as part of the Wirral Waters regeneration project. This part of the project would encompass {{convert|571000|sqft|m2|-2}} of leisure facilities and a retail park.{{citation|url=http://www.peelwaters.co.uk/pdf/W_050906.pdf|format=pdf|title=Peel unveil plans for £4.5 billion 'Wirral Waters' scheme|publisher=Peel Waters|date=5 September 2006|access-date=3 July 2009}}{{dead link|date=July 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

As of 2022, a new £13 million park is being constructed which will link Rock Ferry with Bidston Dock.{{cite news |last1=Manning |first1=Craig |title=Work starts on new park forming part of Birkenhead's regeneration |url=https://www.wirralglobe.co.uk/news/20142110.work-starts-birkenheads-new-dock-branch-park/ |access-date=5 July 2022 |work=Wirral Globe |date=16 May 2022 |language=en}} Known as Dock Branch Park, it will provide a mile–long pedestrian and cycle corridor between the two locations, as well as providing land for 1,000 homes a new venue for Wirral Transport Museum.{{cite web |title=Wirral Green Corridor |url=https://www.wirral.gov.uk/parking-roads-and-travel/major-projects/dock-branch-park-green-corridor |website=www.wirral.gov.uk |access-date=5 July 2022}}

{{reflist|30em}}

• {{cite book|title=Mersey Ports, Liverpool and Birkenhead|first=Ian|last=Collard|publisher=Tempus Publishing Limited|year=2001|isbn=978-0-752421-10-0}}
• {{cite book|title=Give a Dock a Good Name?|first1=Ken|last1=McCarron|first2=Adrian|last2=Jarvis|publisher=Merseyside Port Folios|location=Birkenhead|year=1992|isbn=9780951612941|oclc=27770301}}
• {{cite book|title=Wrexham to New Brighton|first1=Vic|last1=Mitchell|first2=Keith|last2=Smith|publisher=Middleton Press|location=West Sussex|year=2013|isbn=9781908174475|oclc=859543196}}

• {{cite magazine |last=Laidlaw |first=Ian W.F. |title=Iron Ore to Shotwick: Steam workings across the Wirral Peninsula, from Bidston to the shores of the Dee |magazine=Railway Magazine |date=April 1966 |pages=192–194 |volume=112 |issue=780 }}

{{commons category|Bidston Dock}}

• {{cite web|url=http://www.diduknow.info/docks/index2.html|title=Trading Places - A History of Liverpool Docks|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120204034722/https://www.diduknow.info/docks/index2.html|archive-date=4 February 2012|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all|website=Diduknow}}
• {{cite web|url=http://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/nof/docks/access/dock_history13.html|title=Timeline History of Birkenhead Docks|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130125021932/http://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/nof/docks/access/dock_history13.html|archive-date=25 January 2013|website=Liverpool Museums}}
• {{cite web|url=http://www.johndarwell.com/projects/d_ldjj/index.php?i=14|title=Bidston Dock quayside photo|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080204094411/http://www.johndarwell.com/projects/d_ldjj/index.php?i=14|archive-date=4 February 2008|first=John|last=Darwell}}
• {{cite web|url=http://www.wirralwaters.co.uk/|title=Wirral Waters|website=The Peel Group|accessdate=9 August 2023}}

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Category:Birkenhead docks