Midge Walkers
Walk No. 176
Preston Docklands 01-
Another new year and the invitation to shed some of those excess pounds gathered over the festive period. Following weeks of almost constant rain, Monday the 1st was a bright sunny day but decidedly chill, so the 18 adults and young Thomas, along with a new dog by the name of Sadie gathered in the Morrisons car park at 10.30a.m. suitably clothed. Our leader initially advised us of the former course of the river, being altered to accommodate the docks, which opened in 1892 and named after Queen Victoria’s first son Albert Edward who laid the foundation stone in 1885. At the time it was the largest single dock in the country and was the first to introduce the “Roll-
Moving along the perimeter of the basin to the left, we crossed Portway leaving on to Watery Lane at a point opposite Old Dock’s House, an impressive building and the former administrative headquarters for the Port of Preston. Turning right we passed the Porsche Centre and turned into Strand Rd, crossing to the opposite side. After a short distance our leader gathered us around a memorial plaque commemorating the heritage of the Strand Road East Works, with reliefs of buildings, workers, industrial processes, design and manufacture of aircraft, buses and trams from 1863 to 1993. Further along on the facia of the Alstom building, a blue plaque, the first ever of its kind awarded to a football team, displays the exploits of Dick Kerrs Ladies, embarked on in 1917 laying the foundation for ladies football enjoyed today.
Continuing along Strand Rd to the Sea Cadets building, we crossed to join the Guild Wheel following it to the right with the river on our left. At this point back in the 1850’s a shipyard was recorded, operated by William Allsop and became quite a flourishing business building barges and tugs, prior to the construction of the Penwortham road bridge. Continuing along the path the former site of Penwortham power station was pointed out which had initially been coal fired and obtained its supply via a bridge over the river from the docks. In its later years it was converted to oil fired. In due course we emerged back into the dock area, skirting around a lock section which brought us to what is known as the”Bulls Nose” where the river branches between its new course and its route through to the dock. Crossing over via the lock gate, we returned around the opposite side and by the side of the Marina to our stating point.
This had been a walk with no mud, no stiles, barely 4 miles, plenty of companionship and enjoyed by all. What a start to our 14th year of walking as a group. Thanks once again to the organisers.
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