King George V Dock
Encyclopedia
King George V Dock is one of three docks in the Royal Docks
of east London, now part of the redeveloped Docklands.
, the King George V was the last of London's upstream enclosed docks to be built. After delay by the First World War, construction was completed in 1921. Although at 64 acres (25.9 ha) of water it was smaller than the other royals, it had its own entrance from the Thames and could berth liners as large as the . At its western end was a large graving dock (since filled in) and machine shop used for ship repairs by Harland and Wolff
. It closed to commercial traffic along with the other Royal Docks in the 1980s.
, whose single runway has been built the length of the north side of the dock. The western end of the dock has been filled in and the airport terminal built on the filled area. The rest of the dock is still in water, acting as a buffer between the airport runway and the surrounding area. The southern quayside has been cleared of dock buildings and is now largely used as car parking for the airport.
King George V station
on the London City Airport branch of the Docklands Light Railway
, which opened in December 2005, is named after the dock.
Royal Docks
The Royal Docks comprise three docks in east London - the Royal Albert Dock, the Royal Victoria Dock and the King George V Dock. They are more correctly called the Royal Group of Docks to distinguish them from the Royal Dockyards, Royal being due to their naming after royal personages rather than...
of east London, now part of the redeveloped Docklands.
History
Begun in 1912 by the Port of London AuthorityPort of London Authority
The Port of London Authority is a self-funding public trust established in 1908 by the Port of London Act to govern the Port of London. Its responsibility extends over the Tideway of the River Thames and the authority is responsible for the public right of navigation and for conservancy of the...
, the King George V was the last of London's upstream enclosed docks to be built. After delay by the First World War, construction was completed in 1921. Although at 64 acres (25.9 ha) of water it was smaller than the other royals, it had its own entrance from the Thames and could berth liners as large as the . At its western end was a large graving dock (since filled in) and machine shop used for ship repairs by Harland and Wolff
Harland and Wolff
Harland and Wolff Heavy Industries is a Northern Irish heavy industrial company, specialising in shipbuilding and offshore construction, located in Belfast, Northern Ireland....
. It closed to commercial traffic along with the other Royal Docks in the 1980s.
Today
The dock's major feature today is London City AirportLondon City Airport
London City Airport is a single-runway airport. It principally serves the financial district of London and is located on a former Docklands site, east of the City of London, opposite the London Regatta Centre, in the London Borough of Newham in east London. It was developed by the engineering...
, whose single runway has been built the length of the north side of the dock. The western end of the dock has been filled in and the airport terminal built on the filled area. The rest of the dock is still in water, acting as a buffer between the airport runway and the surrounding area. The southern quayside has been cleared of dock buildings and is now largely used as car parking for the airport.
King George V station
King George V DLR station
King George V DLR station is a station on the Docklands Light Railway which opened on 2 December 2005 and named after King George V Dock, nearby. The station is in the London Borough of Newham and is located in Travelcard Zone 3. Station and on-train announcements refer to the station as 'King...
on the London City Airport branch of 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...
, which opened in December 2005, is named after the dock.