Govan Graving Docks

Location type

Works

Name and dates

Govan Graving Docks (1875-1988)

Served by the Barclay, Curle & Co.

Description

This set of three docks is located in Govan. The docks are out of use, closing around 1987/8. This was a ship examination and repair facility built for the Clyde Navigation Trust.

The docks are upstream (east) of the former Govan Shipbuilding Yard of Harland and Wolff and its fitting out basin and west of the partly infilled Princes Dock. The site was not railway served.

The smaller docks, 1 (completed 1875) and 2 (completed 1886), were accessed from upstream on the River Clyde. Dock 3 (completed 1897) was accessed from the canting basin of the Princes Dock. The site had been the east end of Govan with housing and roads, such as Main Street, removed for their construction. From 1902 Barclay, Curle & Co operated the docks as a ship repair business.

After 1963 the neighbouring fitting out basin, just to the west, of Harland and Wolff was used for ship repairs.

In 1967 Alexander Stephen & Sons Ltd bought the Govan Graving Docks from the Clyde Port Authority for the ship repair business.

The docks remained in use until around 1988, for example for PS Waverley [IV]'s inspections. Equipment was ageing but intact. Today (2017) the docks no longer have any equipment and have not been used for some time. They are the subject of developer's plans.

Tags

Docks

External links

Canmore site record
NLS Collection OS map of 1892-1914
NLS Collection OS map of 1944-67
NLS Map
06/02/2023


Chronology Dates

  /  /1875Clyde Navigation Trust
Builds Govan Graving Docks dock no 1.
  /  /1886Clyde Navigation Trust
Builds Govan Graving Docks dock no 2.
  /  /1897Clyde Navigation Trust
Builds Govan Graving Docks dock no 3.
  /  /1902Barclay, Curle & Co Ltd
Sets up ship repair business in the Clyde Navigation Trust's Govan Graving Docks.
  /  /1967Alexander Stephen & Sons Ltd
Buys the Govan Graving Docks from the Clyde Port Authority for the ship repair business.
  /  /1985PS Waverley [IV]
Annual inspection in Govan Graving Docks (dock no 2).

News items

26/05/2023Restoration work on historic TSS Queen Mary steamer set to begin at Govan docks [STV]
06/02/2023Historic Govan Graving Docks secure restoration funding [BBC News]