The Port of Garston, on the north bank of the River Mersey, is seven miles from Liverpool city centre. Its easy links to the M56, M62, and M6 make the port a natural gateway to the industrial heartlands of north-west England and the surrounding counties.



history on the docks

Garston Docks were established by the St. Helens Canal & Railway Company in 1853. During the years ownership passed through that of the London and North Western Railway (L&NWR), London Midland and Scottish Railway, British Railways associated British Transport Docks Board and finally to Associated British Ports plc - the company which acquired the assets of the railway ports on privatisation. The close association of the docks with the railway network came to an end in 1987 when the railway link was abandoned.

There are three docks at Garston - North Dock, Old Dock and Stalbridge Dock.

The first to be constructed was Old Dock opened on June 01, 1853 by the St. Helens Canal & Railway Company - built as an alternative to the very tidal Widnes Docks. The London and North Western Railway Company acquired the port in 1864 and constructed the North Dock which opened in 1876. Further expansion took place in the early 20th Century when the largest of the three docks Stalbridge Dock was opened on February 24, 1909. It was named Stalbridge Dock by Lord Stalbridge, Chairman of the London and North Western Railway. For the opening the White Star Line's MAGNETIC was chartered for invited guests and sailed from Prince's Landing Stage to Garston for the opening ceremony.

Lord Stalbridge was also associated with the Shropshire Union Canal & Railway Company, which eventually became part of the L&NWR. The Shropshire Union Canal and Railway Company named their 1909 Dublin Dockyard built tug LORD STALBRIDGE after Lord Stalbridge. LORD STALBRIDGE was, along with W.E. DORRINGTON, of similar design to the DANIEL ADAMSON though a more powerful vessel.

thought id pay a visit down here as ive never really bothered looking or trying down here before apart from the visiting the garston dock pillbox on the banks of the mersey some time ago.

so going off some recent information i had received about this place me and kevsy21 headed off but we were warned "all the good stuff has gone now though old cranes, and the old buildings have all been torn down"

it was a pleasure to this this place non the less,even if we only got to look around the one dock







































an old chapel




i took these pics a while ago when the tide was out its situated just outside the north dock storage area

"Garston Dock Type 24 Pillbox, Built around 1940/41, Still standing with its original barbed wire fence"