Historic Bridgetown-The Screw Dock ( The Dry Dock) The Screw Dock was built between 1887 and 1893 with Victorian engineering. This dock is also known as the Dry Dock or the Blackwood Dock or Blackman’s Screw Lifting Dock. The Bridgetown Dry Dock was built in 1887, while the actual Screw Lifting Dock started construction in 1889 and was completed in 1893. It had a capacity of 1,200 tons, measuring 240ft in length with a 46ft beam and a 13ft shaft. It also operated on steam, but later converted to electricity. Ships came into the Bridgetown careenage and had their vessels lifted out of the water for repairs and to be cleaned in the dock. The boats were turned on their sides, so the bottoms could be scraped, caulked and painted. The dock was also used by the British Navy for boat repairs during World War II. After changing hands many times the dock yard went into receivership and finally closed in 1985. The Bridgetown Screw Dock is the only dry dock of its kind known to exist in the world. It is located in historic Bridgetown at the upper end of the Pierhead. At the moment the dock is in need of repairs, but restoration is in the works for the area. (Info taken from : funbarbados
Posted on: Mon, 17 Jun 2013 04:51:20 +0000
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