For all those with an interest in the Port of Preston

[Tony Morcom]

An interesting article courtesy of our friends at gCaptain. Double Click on the picture for full article.

[Gulliver]

Thank You Tony for such a refreshing historical article on site. As well as Preston,there's a great deal in there too about the Manchester Ship Canal.
Yes, g Captain is an excellent site for all things maritime.
All the Best.
Gulliver
Xmas PC.gif

[alf corbyn]

there was an interesting programme about the panama canal on channel five last night.
it also showed bits about the bridgewater canal and the manchester ship canal

[Lou Barron]

Very well done Tony i never knew that much of the historyof that part of Lancashire it was amazing

[Charlie Hannah]

What a great find thank you so much,Tony Here is a pic i have framed hanging in my hallway for the past 35 years. Irish Navies Digging the Manchester Ship Canal.Only the actual pic displays in pic frame. the tape doesn't show in frame. Haven't been able to crop it.

[happy daze john in oz]

In those days the navies, short for navigators, did all the work by hand. Imagine the workers of today doing that sort of work.

[Alan Hill]

I visited Preston (twice I think) around xmas 1967 in MacAndrews 'Villegas' with oranges from Seville and Burriana. As I remember it was an experiment by Macs to get a faster turnaround than in Liverpool which I think we did (not difficult). Seem to remember Preston was pretty prosperous in those days.

[Tony Wilding]

A VERY INTERESTING POST, FASCINATING,, ARE THE DOCKS STILL IN USE COMMERCIALLY, ? OR NOW FINISHED, ?

[Tony Morcom]

Tony, it seems to have sadly gone the way of so much of our heritage. A very interesting site with lots of photos and details can be found HERE

[Tony Wilding]

hi Tony, thanks for that, looks very nice,but lost its character, usual expensive housing on the waterfront, same as london river, over 2 million pounds now, a fancy Marina that only wealthy people can afford, usually a minimum charge for boats up to 7 meters, if you own a 4 meter dinghy you pay for 7, my mooring fees in Ramsgate Marina started at £500 a year for a 7 meter boat, within 3 years they had doubled, a council owned Marina, no discount for being disabled or a Council Tax Payer, in 3 years the mooring fees exceeded the cost of the Boat, i wrote to the Council and said a young lad who wanted a small 12 foot rowing boat could not pay those fees, and you were stopping youngsters becoming future boat owners, they were not interested, every public slipway now is padlocked with a chain to stop its use for launching boats, same at Southend on sea, my mooring fees at southend when i was 15 were £12 50 a year, and you put your own mooring in, lots of young lads had an old skiff in those days, many with an old Seagull outboard motor, am only too happy i was young when i was , in 1955 i was friends with an old Fisherman, he used to build 8 feet Clinker Built dinghies, all varnished , complete with coppered and leathered oars for £27 50, took him a week,