Dock Retaining Walls

Salisbury, Collingwood and Stanley, Nelson and Bramley-Moore Dock Retaining Walls, Regent Road 
1848
Grade II

Salisbury Dock was built essentially as an entrance dock and a passage, with a double entrance to the river on the west (now blocked), and entrances to Nelson Dock to the north, Collingwood Dock to the east and Trafalgar Dock to the south. 

It also has a separate barge passage to the river (also now blocked).

The river entrance lock gates were half-tide (ie with one pair of inward-facing gates protected by one pair of outward-facing storm gates). In addition there was a smaller lock, with a pair of inward-facing gates at either end of the chamber. 

The gates were originally hand-operated, and converted to hydraulic power in 1933. The system gave the opportunity for access to and from the dock system long before and after full flood tide.

Collingwood Dock communicates with the river through the Salisbury Dock, and is situated next to the dock boundary wall. 

At the passage to Stanley Dock may be seen the foundations of previous movable bridges, including the unusual double-deck swing bridge which carried the Overhead Railway. The present Scherzer-type bridge was installed as part of a large bridge modernisation programme begun in 1928.

Stanley Dock is situated to the east of Salisbury and Collingwood Dock. It is the only dock in Liverpool that was wholly excavated from dry land and survives as the only dock on the landward side of the dock road. 

Stanley Dock was originally square in shape, but was partially infilled to create its current rectangular shape at the very end of the 19th century to enable the massive tobacco warehouse to be built. 

Nelson Dock is a rectangular dock situated to the north of Salisbury Dock and is connected to it by a 60ft (9m) passage. It was originally used by screw steamers.
Bramley-Moore Dock is situated to the north of Nelson Dock and, at almost 10 acres, is the largest of this group of five docks. Its eastern end is splayed, following the dock road, to maximise waterspace.