Bramley-Moore Dock

History

The dock was opened on 4 August 1848, as part of Jesse Hartley's major northern expansion scheme of that year, and was named after and opened by John Bramley-Moore, chairman of the dock committee at the time. When built, Bramley-Moore Dock was the most northerly part of the dock system. At the time, access to the River Mersey was from the south, through the new Nelson and Salisbury Docks, which were all commissioned simultaneously. When built, Bramley-Moore Dock was used for the largest steamships of the era.

In 1851, further docks were opened to the north. These included Wellington Half Tide Dock, which gave a second access point for Bramley-Moore into the Mersey. The berthing of the larger ships was moved to the new Sandon Dock and Huskisson Dock within a few years of opening because of the ease of access to the river these docks offered. Around 1900, the Wellington Dock and the adjoining Sandon Dock were realigned, with the half tide dock separated as Sandon Half Tide Dock, as it remains today.

Although a mixed-use dock, with one of the original transit sheds still in place, Bramley-Moore did extensive coal trade. The coal handling included both coal for export and bunker coal for steamships in the port, transported from the South Lancashire Coalfield. A high-level railway opened in 1857 to transport coal directly to the north quay. The high-level railway was connected by viaduct to the adjacent Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway line. The high-level railway was operational from 1856 to 1966.

After the decline in coal-fired steamships, the dock continued to export coal. Following the demise of coal mining in South Lancashire, and most of the UK, the export market for coal dissolved with the dock ceasing coal exports in 1988.

Bramley-Moore Dock is the location of one of Liverpool's brick-built hydraulic accumulator towers. The Grade II listed tower is in severe disrepair with Everton's plans for a new stadium including the commitment to invest in heritage and repair and restore the tower for public use. The tower provided hydraulic power to dock gates and lifting equipment but is no longer active.

21st century

In 2007, the Peel Group, owners of the Mersey Docks and Harbour Company, unveiled the £5.5 billion Liverpool Waters regeneration programme. Bramley-Moore Dock is encompassed in the 150 acre site.

Bramley-Moore Dock is the most northern of the docks within the former Liverpool Maritime Mercantile City World Heritage Site and the planned Liverpool Waters and the most southerly of the working docks. The hydraulic tower and dock retaining walls are Grade II listed buildings. Bramley-Moore Dock may have been listed as World Heritage Site but sits behind locked gates, semi-derelict with no access to the public, its heritage assets are decaying and is next door to a waste water treatment plant.

Everton Stadium

Main article: Everton Stadium

In March 2017, an agreement was reached between Liverpool City Council, Everton F.C. and Peel Holdings to acquire the dock for a new football stadium.{{Cite news

In July 2021, Liverpool Waterfront's UNESCO World Heritage status was revoked. A report from the World Heritage Committee described the forthcoming Bramley-Moore Dock development, along with the Liverpool Waters project, as having caused an "irreversible loss of attributes".

Ground was broken on the project in August 2021. A first test event was held in February 2025, and Everton are due to fully move into the stadium in time for the start of the 2025-26 football season.

References

Sources

References

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2. "Bramley-Moore Dock". Liverpool History Online.
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5. [https://peoples-project.co.uk/ The People's Project]
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8. "Trading Places - a history of Liverpool Docks". Liverpool Museums.
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11. (6 March 2007). "Peel unveil £5.5 billion investment plans". Peel Group.
12. Bond, Stephen. (28 February 2011). "Assessment of the potential impact of the proposed Liverpool Waters master plan on OUV, at Liverpool Maritime Mercantile WHS, for English Heritage". The Architects' Journal.
13. "Bramley Moore Dock Retaining Walls, Liverpool". British Listed Buildings.
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17. Media, Insider. "Everton FC stadium 'once-in-a-lifetime opportunity'".
18. (23 February 2021). "Everton's Bramley-Moore Dock stadium given council approval". BBC News.
19. (10 August 2021). "Everton new stadium timeline as club breaks ground at Bramley-Moore Dock".
20. (17 February 2025). "'It's out of this world' - Everton fans get first glimpse of new stadium". BBC Sport.