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Western Docks
Berths 101-108
 Western Docks Under Construction
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In 1923, control of the docks passed to the Southern Railway
Company, who had big expansion plans for the port. Traffic to the
docks was still increasing - P&O company ships returned to the
port after forty years absence in 1925. The Southern Railway got
permission for the largest dock extension scheme in the history of
the port. A docks estate was to be built west of the Royal Pier,
providing 7500 ft (2.2 km) of deep water quays and the world's
largest graving dock. Behind the 'New Docks' would be a trading
estate containing warehouses, sheds and railway sidings. Large
basins were to be dredged at either end of the dock to allow large
ships to turn around in Southampton Water.
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Western Docks
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Construction began in 1927 and took only five years. 400 acres (162
hectares) of land was reclaimed from the sea by building a long
quay wall at the river's edge while pumping dry the marshland
behind it. The first ship to use the new dock was Cunard's
Mauretania on 19 October 1932. When work was finished two years
later, the cost of the dock was £10 million (worth £500 million
today) and had raised the status of Southampton and its port. The
docks later became known as the Western Docks.
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Docks: Sheds 103/4
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When the dock opened, eight large single-storey transit sheds were
built alongside the eight berths, some up to 900 ft (270 m) long.
They were capable of handling all the large cargo passing through
the dock. Three pairs of sheds were also equipped for passengers,
with waiting rooms, buffets and rest rooms.
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Passenger And Cargo Terminal Berth 102: Western Docks: Mural In Waiting Room
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The Union-Castle Line company established Berth 102 as their base
in Southampton and built a new terminal there in 1956. The
two-storey building was designed to manage passengers arriving on
the weekly mail ships from South Africa, as well as cargo. The
upper floor was dedicated to imported goods, such as wool and
fruit. In the 1950s and 60s, over a quarter of a million bales of
wool were brought to Southampton each year on Union-Castle ships.
The large industrial estate behind the docks was home to many
companies, including General Motors who assembled cars and vehicles
for shipment to Europe and America. The Rank Solent Flour Mills
were the first buildings to be built on the estate in 1934. Grain
from ships moored at Berth 101 was transferred automatically to a
large concrete silo by overhead conveyor belts. Other companies
with storage facilities on the estate included Cadbury's, Montague
Meyer timber merchants, Heinz and Danish Bacon Ltd.
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Western Docks: Cold Storage Depot Berth 108
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Parts of the Western Docks were destroyed by bombing during World
War 2 (1939-45). Two large five-storey warehouses were built on the
estate behind the quays. They could handle all kinds of goods,
including wool, grain, meat and tobacco - there was also a cool
vault for storing wines and spirits. The cold store building in the
Eastern Docks was also bombed and a new premesis opened at Berth
108. It could handle over 8000 imperial tons (8120 metric tonnes)
of meat, fruit and other perishable goods.
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Imperial Airways captain poses beside his boat
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Ships were not the only craft to use the Western Docks. In 1934
Imperial Airways decided to use flying boats on its route from
Southampton to South Africa. A pontoon was constructed at Berths
107/8 for their boats to use after they had landed on Southampton
Water. The first service began in 1937 and soon boats were flying
to India, Singaport and South Africa. Experimental flights were
also made across the Atlantic to America. After World War 2, flying
boat services were transferred to Berth 50 in the Eastern Docks.
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