This is the general merchandise dock of the Nena docks sited on the dock branch, it is connected to the national network via Warren Yard. Berths for two small cargo vessels is provided, primarily for a packet vessel carrying mail, a few passengers and cargo to the Isle of Knowles on a scheduled basis run by Ernie's Steam Packet company which has an office and warehousing facility on this dock. A second vessel, a tramp steamer which is a regular visitor but is unscheduled, picks up and drops cargo as and when it is available, hence a 'tramp'. Two level luffing cranes are available, each serving a berth, each for transhipment of cargo between the cargo vessels and either waiting wagons or lorries on the dockside. The track plan shows the layout of this dockside facility, access to the docks is from the left hand end which leads directly to the centre road, the top road is for warehouse access and the bottom road at the waters edge for direct wagon-vessel transhipment of goods. Goods to be transferred via the warehouses are moved via dock railway wagons as there is not a ground level entrance to the warehouses from the dockside. Road access for commercial vehicles for goods to and from the warehouses is via a road access at the far side of the warehouse, (not modelled). Alternatively commercial vehicles may be loaded or unloaded directly from the dock by crane or dockers. At the left hand end is a small coal and watering facility for the dock locos. Four separate warehouses are depicted which are described in a later topic, as are the cranes. It is proposed that a small halt served by a raibus or railcar will be provided at the left end of the dockside track for passengers arriving via rail as well as a bus stop near the dock entrance, a livestock pen for the occasional animals to be at the right hand end. Jim Return to Index of Topics
