Dock Walls of Roath Basin, including Sea Walls and Sea Lock, Walls of Locks, and Dry Docks

Dock Walls of Roath Basin, including Sea Walls and Sea Lock, Walls of Locks, and Dry Docks

The dock complex at Roath Basin comprises a series of interconnected maritime structures built in massive masonry with granite coppings, designed to manage water levels and facilitate the movement of vessels between the basin and external docks.

SEA WALLS

The outer sea walls are constructed in massive grey-brown stone blocks, snecked (laid with small chips filling joints), with massive jointed brown masonry and granite coppings. Depth scales marked in Roman numerals are cut into the wall at the lock entrance. Areas to the left and right of the central approach, where walls are protected by adjoining sloping walls, employ smaller blocks.

SEA LOCK

The sea lock measures approximately 152 metres long by 25 metres wide. It features finely jointed brown masonry with granite coppings about one metre deep. The coppings are fitted with squat iron bollards roughly 50 centimetres wide and 15 centimetres high. The lock walls have rebates (recesses) for lock doors at each end and smaller rebates for ladders, pipes, and other fixtures. At each end of the lock, brown stone flooring contains pits for machinery covered with iron plates. A powered cast-iron capstan stands at each side of the sea entrance and at each side of the entry to the basin proper. Each side of the lock features a row of bollards approximately 60 centimetres high, positioned roughly 6 metres back from the lockside. At the time of inspection, there were 6 bollards on the north-west side and 5 on the south-east side, in addition to the squat bollards set into the granite coping stones. The outer lock gates are hollow metal, plated and riveted, curved to the rear, with wooden walkways fitted with post and chain railings. The gates open towards the basin (north-east) into the wall rebates. The gates between the lock and basin proper follow the same pattern and also open into rebates towards the basin. On the south-east side of the lock is a stepped and ramped platform that originally supported a demolished swing bridge.

ROATH BASIN WALLS

The basin measures approximately 315 by 170 metres. The walls feature finely jointed masonry with granite coppings about one metre deep. The coppings are fitted with squat iron bollards roughly 50 centimetres wide and 15 centimetres high.

JUNCTION LOCK

The entrance measures approximately 18 metres wide, with the lock approximately 35 metres across at its widest point. Although now truncated, its current length is approximately 140 metres. The structure displays finely jointed brown masonry, though some pink stone is evident, particularly at the north end. Granite coppings are about one metre deep. Rebates for lock gates occur at the south (Dock) and north ends. A depth scale in Roman numerals is cut at the lock entrance. Cast-iron ex-powered capstans are positioned near the entrance on the east side of the lock and near the north gate rebates on the west side of the dock. The lock is spanned by a modern bridge.

COMMERCIAL DRY DOCK

The dry dock measures approximately 190 metres by 22 metres, with stepped stone walls. The basin end rises from dock level, with steps to the west. The dock gate is of floating caisson type. A formerly powered capstan originally stood to the west of the dock entrance. A modern bridge spans the dock.

LOCK BETWEEN BASIN AND ROATH DOCK

This lock measures approximately 240 metres long by 22 metres wide. It features finely jointed brown masonry with granite coppings about one metre deep. The coppings are fitted with squat iron bollards roughly 50 centimetres wide and 15 centimetres high. The lock walls have rebates for lock doors at each end and rebates for lost gates to the west of the current bridge, along with smaller rebates for ladders, pipes, and fixtures. At each end of the lock, brown stone flooring contains iron-covered pits for machinery. Powered cast-iron capstans stand at each side of the entrance to the lock from the basin and at each side of the entry to Roath Dock. Each side of the lock features a row of bollards approximately 60 centimetres high, positioned roughly 6 metres back from the lockside. At the time of inspection, there were 11 bollards on the north-west side and 11 on the south-east side, in addition to the squat bollards set into the granite coping stones. The lock gates are hollow metal, plated and riveted, curving to the rear, with grated metal walkways fitted with post and chain railings. The gates open towards Roath Dock (north-east) into the wall rebates.

BUTE DRY DOCK

The dry dock measures approximately 190 metres by 27 metres. The basin end is considerably higher than the dry dock sides. The structure features stepped, snecked stone walls with steps approximately 35 metres wide. Stairs are built into the walls at the north end of the dock and at the curved south end. Rails for travelling cranes run parallel to the dock sides. The gate is of floating caisson type, constructed in welded steel.