MIlford Haven

[Mike Cooper]

I was once told or read that the dock in Milford Haven was designed as a dry dock for the Great Eastern so gives a very accurate impression of her scale and size. It certainly looks big on Google Earth.

Anyone know if there is anjy truth in this?

Thanks!

 

[Stanley C Jenkins]

There is no mention of this in The Diary of Sir Daniel Gooch, who suceeded Brunel as engineer of the Great Eastern and prepared her for the cable-laying scheme, although he mentions that work was carried out on the ship at what was then known as "New Milford". As the docks, the ship and the South Wales Railway were all connected (via people such as Brunel and Gooch) it is possible that the dock facilities were designed for the very large ships that Brunel had clearly envisaged.

 

[Michael H. Standart]

I don't know if it's true or not but from 1875, the Great Eastern became an all too familier fixture there. This Wikipedia Article has a photo of the ship docked there.