Swansea and Port Talbot Docks History

Impounding Stations, Swansea

The function of the port's impounding stations was to pump seawater from the tidal waters of the River Tawe into the enclosed docks system in order to maintain an adequate level of water for operational purposes. The Kings Dock Impounding Station, completed in 1959, continues to carry out this vital role up to the present day.

North Dock Impounding Station

Located on the outer roundhead of the North Dock Pottery Basin

Built 1888. closed 1930

Equipped with steam-driven impounding pumps (no details available)

Replacement 'pumping plant' installed in 1916 (no details available)

South Dock Impounding Station

Located on the west bank of the River Tawe, upstream of the South Dock Lock Entrance

Built 1901, closed 1969-70

1907 - Tangye gas-powered equipment installed to drive the impounding pumps

Converted to electricity in 1930s with the installation of 3 x electric impounding pumps (no details available)

The building is now home to the Swansea Yacht & Sub-aqua Club

Note – prior to the construction of this impounding station, the water supply required to maintain an adequate water level in the South Dock was obtained from the North Dock via an underground levelling culvert built in 1860

Prince of Wales Dock Impounding Station

Located on the original Prince of Wales Dock Lock Entrance.

Built c.1930, closed 1959-1960

3 x electric impounding pumps (no details available)

Superseded by the construction of Kings Dock Impounding Station in 1959

Building later converted to carpenters' workshop.

Note – after the closure of the North Dock in 1930, a levelling culvert was constructed between the Prince of Wales Dock and the North Dock Basin to provide an adequate level of water in the Basin until it closed in 1969

Kings Dock Impounding Station

Located on the outer roundhead of Kings Dock Lock Entrance.

Built 1959

Equipped with 2 x Sulzer vertical axial-flow electric impounding pumps which deliver seawater into the western end of Kings Dock by way of two large culverts. The outflow into the dock lies beneath 'A' Shed jetty.

The impounding station was also equipped with 2 x Chester electric ram pumps taken from the South Dock Hydraulic Power Station to operate the Kings Dock lock gates, capstans & sluices, and the swingbridge which was scrapped in 1974. This water hydraulic system was superseded by the current oil hydraulic system c.1998

Note - hydraulic power for the lock gates, and all other docks appliances, had previously been provided by the Eastern and Western Hydraulic Power Stations by way of an 8” hydraulic ring main.