Royal Victoria Dock A Comprehensive Guide

The Royal Victoria Dock is a must-visit destination in London, offering a unique blend of history, culture, and entertainment. The dock's rich history dates back to the 19th century.

Located in the London Borough of Newham, the Royal Victoria Dock is situated near the River Thames. The dock's proximity to the river makes it an ideal spot for boat enthusiasts and those looking for a scenic view.

The Royal Victoria Dock is a part of the Royal Docks, which were originally built in the 19th century as a major commercial and industrial hub. Today, the dock has undergone significant transformations and now serves as a popular tourist destination.

The Royal Victoria Dock has a rich history dating back to the 19th century.

It was opened in 1855 by Prince Albert, the husband of Queen Victoria, which is how it got its name.

The dock was originally designed to serve as a major cargo terminal for the Port of London, and it quickly became a hub for trade and commerce.

The dock's construction was a major engineering feat, with over 1,000 workers laboring to complete the project.

The dock's location on the River Thames made it an ideal spot for shipping and trade, and it played a crucial role in the development of London's economy.

The Royal Victoria Dock was the first dock built expressly for steam ships, opening in 1855 with direct rail links onto the quay.

It was a game-changer for the Port of London, and soon the area was transformed into a bustling hub of activity. The dock was equipped with hydraulic cranes and steam winches to handle vessels up to 12,000 tons.

The Royal Victoria Dock was just one of many docks in the area, with 7 enclosed dock systems within the Port of London by 1886. This over-provision of dock facilities led to financial difficulties for the dock companies, and the East and West India Docks Company went into receivership in 1886.

The dock's layout allowed for trans-shipment of break bulk cargos, making it an efficient hub for trade. Traffic through the Royal Docks reached its peak in the 1950s and early 1960s, with the dock handling a wide range of cargo, including bulk grain and frozen meat.

For more insights, see: Port of London Authority

The Royal Victoria Dock, opened in 1855, was the first dock built for steam ships and had direct rail links onto the quay.

The Royal Albert Dock, opened in 1880, was equipped with hydraulic cranes and steam winches to handle vessels up to 12,000 tons.

By 1886, there were 7 enclosed dock systems in the Port of London, including the Royal Victoria and Royal Albert Docks.

The Royal Docks handled bulk grain, and the great mills on the south side of the Royal Victoria Dock remain as a reminder of this.

In the 1920s, the docks started handling frozen meat and fruit and vegetables, thanks to improved refrigeration methods.

The Royal Navy even saved the day during the 1926 General Strike by connecting their generators to keep the freezers going.

The King George V Dock, opened in 1921, could berth the biggest liners of the time and became a major hub for passenger cargoes.

Worth a look: Royal Albert Dock, London

Passengers could travel from mainline London stations by rail and stay overnight in the Grade II listed Gallions Hotel.

The areas in the south and west of what is now Beckton largely escaped the process of urbanisation and were earmarked for a fourth great dock, which was eventually abandoned in the mid-1960s.

The Port of London Authority owned much of the land, which stood in the way of would-be developers, except for the estate of Cyprus, built in 1881.

Over the period 1910-1950, the Royal Docks were relatively prosperous, thanks to their layout allowing for trans-shipment of break bulk cargos.

Traffic through the Royal Docks reached its peak in the 1950s and early 1960s, but then declined rapidly due to containerisation and other technological changes.

The Royal Docks' cargo handling operations were transferred to Tilbury at the end of 1981.

Losses in the Royal Docks increased significantly between 1978 and 1981, from £4.6m to £6.7m per annum.

The PLA operations had to be self-supporting by 1983 as a condition of further Government support.

The last vessel to be loaded in the Royals left the King George V Dock on 7th October 1981, marking the end of cargo handling operations.

The PLA decided to cease providing water access to the Royal Docks by the end of 1982 due to the high costs of impounding, lock operation, and maintenance.

However, the PLA was able to keep the water access open until the end of 1983 for 'laying up' and ship repairs by reducing personnel costs and increasing user charges.

The PLA received about £0.25m per annum from the laying up of ships during this time.

The Royal Victoria Dock Bridge is a cable-stayed bridge that crosses the Royal Victoria Dock in the Docklands area of east London. It's a signature high-level footbridge that provides a direct link between Eastern Quay and Britannia Village to the ExCeL Exhibition Centre and Custom House station.

The bridge takes the form of an inverted Fink truss, with six masts rising above the deck at 25.5 meters centres. These masts vary in height from almost 30 meters at each end to just 10.6 meters for the smallest masts.

The bridge's shape is designed to reflect the masts of the sailing boats that use the dock. It crosses the dock with a clearance of some 15 meters above the water, allowing yachts to pass below the bridge deck.

The bridge is accessed at each end by lift and stair towers. It was completed in 1998 at a cost of £5 million.

Here are some interesting facts about the Royal Victoria Dock Bridge:

The Royal Victoria Dock is a significant waterway in London, stretching for 1.5 kilometers. It was originally built in the 19th century.

The dock was constructed in 1855 as part of the West India Docks complex, and it has undergone several transformations since then. One notable change was the conversion of the dock into a major shipping hub during World War II.

Today, the dock is a popular destination for tourists and locals alike, offering stunning views of the city skyline and the River Thames.

New settlements were formed in the area due to the huge demand for housing to accommodate workers and their families following the opening of the Royal Victoria Dock in 1855.

These new settlements included Hallsville, Canning Town, and North Woolwich, as well as areas now known as Custom House, Silvertown, and West Silvertown.

The new housing settlements lacked a proper water supply and sewerage system, leading to the spread of diseases such as cholera and smallpox.

The hardships faced by people in these settlements led to action through trade union and political activities, with some individuals becoming leading figures in the Labour Party.

The area became a focus for new movements, with Will Thorne and James Keir Hardie being two notable examples.

The industry in the area was also unhealthy or dangerous, as highlighted by a massive explosion in 1917 at the Brunner Mond & Co works in Silvertown.

Residents' ratings can give you a good idea of what to expect from a development.

Residents have left 7 reviews for this development, with an overall rating of 12th out of 17 in Royal Docks.

The location of this development is a major plus, with good transport links and proximity to the station.

Residents have mentioned that the building management can be a bit of a problem, with some reviewers saying they are "rubbish" and don't clean windows or maintain lifts.

However, others have had a positive experience with the building management, saying they have responded quickly to queries.

Residents also appreciate the spacious rooms and air conditioning, but some wish the bedrooms were bigger.

The development's proximity to the river and a Tesco store is also a plus, but some reviewers have mentioned that the area can get a bit rowdy at night.

The Royal Victoria Dock has a rich history in the media, with its construction being a major news event in the 1850s. The dock's opening was celebrated in the press, with The Times newspaper reporting on the occasion.

The dock's location made it a hub for news and communication, with the nearby Royal Albert Dock also playing a significant role in the development of the telegraph system. This allowed for faster communication and news dissemination.

The dock's proximity to the city center and its connection to the River Thames made it a popular spot for filming, with numerous movies and TV shows using the dock as a filming location.