Underlying much optimism was the construction of the Albert Edward Dock - Preston Dock - in the years 1884-1892. Up to this time Preston's riverine location had been a rather marginal assett navigable, in Dr. Kuerden's words, only with 'a knowing and well-skilled pilot'. A series of Ribble Navigation companies were floated in the 19th century, but when Samuel Horrocks was asked to invest, he replied that if he wanted to put money into the Ribble he would go upon Penwortham bridge and throw it in! By the 1880s Preston's largely textile based economy was apparently faltering, and the development of a Port of Preston was seen as a necessary investment in the town's future.
In 1882 the Preston corporation, having rejected plans for a wet dock at Lytham, adopted John Goode's plan for the diversion of the line of the river away from the line of Strand Road into Penwortham Holme, and the construction of a large dock basin and system of locks to regulate the water level. The scheme was to be paid for by an annual dock rate, and amidst great enthusiasm Alderman Gilbertson cut the first sod on October 11th 1884. Construction was to run into many difficulties, it was to take eight years, and to cost more than double the estimated half million pounds.
Nevertheless, on Monday May 2nd 1892, the temporary cement dam on the river was carefully breached, and the enormous basin began to fill with water. The official opening was performed by the Duke of Edinburgh three weeks later. In Water Lane a large banner had been erected, 'Success to Preston Docks'. The 'Albert Edward' was 40 acres in extent, and was claimed to be the largest single dock basin in the world - 16 miles from the open sea. The enterprise made only gradual headway, but by 1914 the Ribble Rate had fallen to 1/6d.
After the first world war the Port of Preston made steady progress and annual trade had risen to over a million tons by 1935. The advance of the motor car in the inter-war years was marked by a rise of oil imports, reaching 200,000 tons a year in the mid-thirties. To handle this trade the dock estate by 1938 had some 28 miles of railway - to move half a million tons of goods per year. A further 300,000 tons went by road.
The dock was successful in reviving the town's industrial base, and in 1897 Dick-Kerr took up the site on the former course of the river along Strand Road. Here at the East Works an electric tramway works was established.
Although never a major port, Preston pioneered roll on roll off ferry transport. Albert Edward Dock opened in 1892 - at that time it was the largest single dock in the country. In 1948 the dock was the first to introduce roll on roll off traffic. By the 1960s the port held the record for the handling the largest amount of container and ferry traffic. Traffic reached a peak in 1968, when 500 dockers were employed and 1,437,000 tons of unit load trade passed through the port (16% of the UK total).
Cotton and wood pulp were the most important cargoes landed here. As the size of ships increased, fewer could use the dock. At the same time, the import of traditional cargoes decreased, and the cost of dredging silt from the channel increased. The early post-war advantage of being the pioneer in roll on roll off operations was lost to competing ports which could offer faster turn round time. In the 90 year history of the port, it only made a profit in 17 years. In 1979 the decision was made to redevelop the site.
When the final bitumen trains ran in 1995, it looked like the railway's tenancy had come to an end. However, Steamport Southport began negotiations with Preston Borough Council, and during 1999, the group formerly based at the old engine shed in Southport moved to their new home on the dockside at Preston.
With thanks to the contributors of the above text
