Editing Langton Dock

{{Short description|Dock in Bootle, Merseyside, England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2017}}
{{Infobox docks
| name = Langton Dock
| image = Langton entrance lock, Liverpool Docks (geograph 2062859).jpg
| caption = The lock of the Langton River Entrance
| location = [[Bootle]], [[Merseyside]], [[United Kingdom]] 
| coordinates = {{coord|53.4436|-3.0092|display=title, inline|region:GB_scale:2000}}
| grid_ref_UK = SJ330945
| owner = [[The Peel Group]]
| operator = [[Mersey Docks and Harbour Company]]
| opened = 1881<ref name="LHOL">{{cite web|url=http://www.lmu.livjm.ac.uk/lhol/content.aspx?itemid=292|title=Langton Dock|work=Liverpool History Online|access-date=5 July 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090116230917/http://www.lmu.livjm.ac.uk/lhol/content.aspx?itemid=292|archive-date=16 January 2009}}</ref>
| type = [[Floating dock (impounded)|Wet dock]]
| joins = {{ubl|[[River Mersey]]|[[Alexandra Dock, Liverpool|Alexandra Dock]]|[[Brocklebank Dock]]}}
}}

[[File:Dkbkpl26.jpg|right|thumb|British Empire Dockyards and Ports, 1909]]
[[File:Langton Dock Liverpool 2017.jpg|right|thumb|Langton Dock, 2017]]
'''Langton Dock''' is a [[Dock (maritime)|dock]] on the [[River Mersey]], [[England]], and part of the [[Port of Liverpool]]. It is situated in the northern dock system in [[Bootle]], connected to [[Alexandra Dock, Liverpool|Alexandra Dock]] to the north and [[Brocklebank Dock]] to the south. Langton Dock [[Lock (water transport)|locks]] provide a working connection to the river; one of the two remaining operational river entrances in the northern dock system.

==History==
The dock was built by [[George Fosbery Lyster]],<ref name="Pollard2006-277">{{harvnb|Pollard|Pevsner|2006|p=277}}</ref> and officially opened along with Alexandra Dock in 1881.<ref name="McCarron1992-61">{{harvnb|McCarron|Jarvis|1992|pp=61–62}}</ref> The dock had been partially in use since 1879.<ref name="LHOL" /> It was named after William Langton, a member of the dock committee, and a former chairman of the [[Bank of Liverpool]].<ref name="LHOL" /> As originally built, Langton Dock consisted of a basin adjoining the river wall, with a [[branch dock]] and two [[graving dock]]s to the east.<ref name="LHOL" /> Access from the river was initially via Canada Basin.<ref name="LHOL" />

The dock was intended for very large vessels of the time and was used for trading in the [[Mediterranean Sea|Mediterranean]].<ref name="McCarron1992-61" /> Shipping companies, which used the dock, included [[Ellerman Lines]] and [[John Glynn & Son|John Glynn]].<ref name="McCarron1992-61" />

Subsequent modifications were made to Langton Dock and the surrounding basins during the twentieth century to improve access. Between 1949-62, this included the construction of the Langton River Entrance,<ref name="Pollard2006-277" /> which was eventually opened by Queen [[Elizabeth II]] on 14 December 1962, after being delayed by a series of problems.<ref name="LHOL" />

The branch dock and graving docks were filled in, providing parking spaces for vehicles using the former Brocklebank Dock ferry terminal to [[Belfast]], [[Northern Ireland]]. On the closure of the [[Pier Head#Landing stages|Pier Head's Princes Landing Stage]], the remaining dock basin was occasionally used as terminal for the start of cruises, accommodating cruise ships. However, since the opening of the Liverpool cruise liner terminal in 2013, Langton Dock has ceased to berth cruise liners.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/liverpool-news/regional-news/2007/07/11/mersey-base-for-luxury-liner-64375-19436821/ |title=Mersey base for luxury liner|publisher=[[Liverpool Daily Post]]|date=7 July 2007|access-date=5 July 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080828012805/http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/liverpool-news/regional-news/2007/07/11/mersey-base-for-luxury-liner-64375-19436821/|archive-date=28 August 2008}}</ref>

The Langton Dock Pump House is on the [[Victorian Society]]'s list of endangered buildings.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.victoriansociety.org.uk/news/langton-dock-pumphouse-bootle-merseyside/|title=Langton Dock Pumphouse, Bootle, Merseyside|publisher=The Victorian Society|access-date=27 October 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121106004136/http://www.victoriansociety.org.uk/news/langton-dock-pumphouse-bootle-merseyside/|archive-date=6 November 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> The Pump House provided hydraulic power for the dock complex, and maintained water levels within the docks. 

In common with some other Liverpool docks, Langton provided dockside accommodation for employees. An octagonal compound, containing seven separate houses built around a central courtyard, was built close to the narrower lock from Canada Basin into Langton Dock. Named Langton Buildings, it enabled key staff to be on hand at any time. There was also a staff flat upstairs in the Pump House.

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

===Sources===
*{{cite book|title=Give a Dock a Good Name?|first1=Ken|last1=McCarron|first2=Adrian|last2=Jarvis|publisher=Merseyside Port Folios|location=Birkenhead|year=1992|isbn=9780951612941|oclc=27770301}}
*{{cite book|first1=Richard|last1=Pollard|first2=Nikolaus|last2=Pevsner|title=Lancashire: Liverpool and the South West|publisher=Yale University Press|year=2006|isbn=9780300109108|oclc=63396571}}

==Further reading==
*{{cite book|first=Peter W.|last=Woolley|title=Liverpool|volume=2: A Portrait of the Docks and River Mersey|publisher=S. B. Publications|year=1989|pages=30–33|isbn=9781870708173|oclc=834469835}}

==External links==
* {{cite web|url=http://www.liverpool2007.org.uk/docks/docks2.htm|title=Liverpool North Docks diagram|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090106053614/http://www.liverpool2007.org.uk/docks/docks2.htm|archive-date=6 January 2009}}

{{Port of Liverpool docks}}

[[Category:Liverpool docks]]