Sharpness Docks

United Kingdom / England / Berkeley /
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The original terminus of the canal was intended to be Berkeley, where in the Middle Ages a small port flourished, but lack of money forced the canal constructors to halt at Sharpness.

The dock was built in the 1870s to accommodate ships that were too big to pass through the canal to Gloucester.

Until the early 1980s, the "Sharpness Sh*t Boat" took sewage sludge for dumping in deep water, leaving the docks so low-laden that she apparently relied on reaching salt water before the first wave was encountered!

Sharpness Docks at one time were thriving with ships off-loading. Nowadays they are fairly quiet, with perhaps three or four cargo vessels visiting each week.

www.gloucesterdocks.me.uk/sharpness/docks.htm
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Coordinates:   51°43'13"N   2°28'38"W
This article was last modified 19 years ago