Dagenham Dock is a place in the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham

London Borough of Barking and Dagenham

In 1801, the civil parishes that form the modern borough had a total population of 1,937; and the area was characterised by farming, woodland and the fishing fleet at Barking. This last industry employed 1,370 men and boys by 1850, but by the end of the century had ceased to exist; replaced by...

 in London

London

London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...

, England. It is located to the south of Dagenham

Dagenham

Dagenham is a large suburb in East London, forming the eastern part of the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham and located east of Charing Cross. It was historically an agrarian village in the county of Essex and remained mostly undeveloped until 1921 when the London County Council began...

 and on the River Thames

River Thames

The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...

. It was once the site of a large coaling port and continues to be the location of a small terminal licensed to handle coal off-loading. Today the site is used for a number of river-related uses including a 25 acres (101,171.5 m²) TDG (now Norbert Dentressangle

Norbert Dentressangle

Norbert Dentressangle is a major European transport, logistics, and freight forwarding company. It was founded in London in 1979, initially concentrating on cross-channel transport between France and the United Kingdom....

) depot with around 200 tanks for storage of petrol, distillates, aviation fuel

Aviation fuel

Aviation fuel is a specialized type of petroleum-based fuel used to power aircraft. It is generally of a higher quality than fuels used in less critical applications, such as heating or road transport, and often contains additives to reduce the risk of icing or explosion due to high temperatures,...

, biofuel

Biofuel

Biofuel is a type of fuel whose energy is derived from biological carbon fixation. Biofuels include fuels derived from biomass conversion, as well as solid biomass, liquid fuels and various biogases...

s, tallow

Tallow

Tallow is a rendered form of beef or mutton fat, processed from suet. It is solid at room temperature. Unlike suet, tallow can be stored for extended periods without the need for refrigeration to prevent decomposition, provided it is kept in an airtight container to prevent oxidation.In industry,...

, ethanol

Ethanol

Ethanol, also called ethyl alcohol, pure alcohol, grain alcohol, or drinking alcohol, is a volatile, flammable, colorless liquid. It is a psychoactive drug and one of the oldest recreational drugs. Best known as the type of alcohol found in alcoholic beverages, it is also used in thermometers, as a...

, fertilisers, urea

Urea

Urea or carbamide is an organic compound with the chemical formula CO2. The molecule has two —NH2 groups joined by a carbonyl functional group....

 etc.

History

The dock was constructed at the site of Dagenham Breach, an area of flooded marsh caused by the breaching of the sea wall in 1707, and repeatedly flooded in the 18th Century. After a number of failed attempts, in 1865 Sir John Rennie built a jetty and a branch railway, but the company failed financially. The site was acquired and Dagenham Dock was constructed over 30 acres (121,405.8 m²) from 1887 by Samuel Williams.

Early in the 20th Century HMS Thunderer

HMS Thunderer (1911)

HMS Thunderer was the third Orion class battleship built for the Royal Navy and was the last vessel to be constructed by Thames Iron Works. She was the last and largest warship ever built on the River Thames, and after her completion her builders declared bankruptcy.By a margin of £1000, she was...

, the last major warship built on the Thames, was fitted out at a new jetty, still known as the Thunderer Jetty.

Geography

The area is planned to be the site of an environmentally sustainable business cluster, part of the London Riverside

London Riverside

The London Riverside is a new development area in north east London, England and part of the larger Thames Gateway redevelopment zone. The London Riverside area forms part of the Green Enterprise District, a project to create a low-carbon economy region in Greater London.It is one of two zones...

 section of the Thames Gateway

Thames Gateway

The Thames Gateway is an area of land stretching east from inner east London on both sides of the River Thames and the Thames Estuary. The area, which includes much brownfield land, has been designated a national priority for urban regeneration, taking advantage of the development opportunities...

 zone. Expansion of the little-used Dagenham Dock railway station

Dagenham Dock railway station

Dagenham Dock is a railway station located in Dagenham in northeast London, England. The station is managed by c2c and all train services calling at the station are operated by the company. The station is in Zone 5. It is next to the A13 road and the closest station to the local Ford Dagenham plant...

 is expected to aid the development including services on the Docklands Light Railway

Docklands Light Railway

The Docklands Light Railway is an automated light metro or light rail system opened on 31 August 1987 to serve the redeveloped Docklands area of London...

 and East London Transit

East London Transit

East London Transit is a part-segregated bus rapid transit whose first phase opened in 2010, with an additional phase planned to open in 2013. The scheme has been developed by Transport for London due to the existing and anticipated demand for public transport in northeast London caused by the...

.