Maritime FeaturesPast and PresentPort of Dover

Admiralty Pier Ro/Ro Berth No 3

Admiralty Pier Ro/Ro Berth No 3

Roy Thornton Collection

Roy Thornton Collection


After the transfer of much of British Rail’s classical passenger services to Folkestone and to relieve the heavily used ramps at the Eastern Docks, a new car ferry berth was to be constructed inside the knuckle of the Admiralty Pier.


Roy Thornton Collection  Roy Thornton Collection

Roy Thornton Collection (both)


The single-decked link-span, costing £700,000 was a joint venture between Dover Harbour Board and British Rail (Sealink). The Harbour Board provided the ramp and ancillary sea work while Sealink provided the berth and its approaches.


Roy Thornton Collection  Roy Thornton Collection

Roy Thornton Collection


Roy Thornton Collection  Roy Thornton Collection

Roy Thornton Collection  Roy Thornton Collection

Roy Thornton Collection  Roy Thornton Collection

Railway sidings were removed to allow the new access roads and parking areas – Roy Thornton Collection (all)


This was Dover’s seventh ferry berth and the new approach roads laid round the Marine Station abruptly cut off the railway lines which hitherto had wound uninterruptedly along the entire length of the Admiralty Pier and its extension.


Roy Thornton Collection  Roy Thornton Collection

Roy Thornton Collection

Dover Port News

Dover Port News


The new berth was opened on June 28th, 1974. This was a double event, which also saw the inaugural arrival of the PRINCE LAURENT on the same day.


Roy Thornton Collection  Roy Thornton Collection

Roy Thornton Collection (both)


Together with the Western Docks Dover – Calais Maritime train connected services supplied by CHARTRES, the emphasis at the Western Docks was now orientated in favour of freight rail services and heavy goods vehicle roll-on/roll-off traffic.


A G Jones   A G Jones

A G Jones (both)

Roy Thornton Collection

Roy Thornton Collection


In early November 1984, work was started to modify the berth to enable it to take the larger cross-Channel ferries of up to 23.0m beam. Two contracts were placed at a total cost of £500,000 (1984 prices). The civil works being carried out by Edmund Nuttall Ltd and the portal and ramp were removed and replaced by Horsley Engineers, using a 200 tonne capacity crane. The modifications were due to be completed by the end of February 1985.


Ken Larwood  Ken Larwood

© Ken Larwood

Ken Larwood (all)


With berth 7 at Eastern Docks opening for freight on February 1st 1993 and the railway connected services ceasing in September  24th of the same year it was decided to close the Western Dock berth. It has since been demolished and the berth area is now used by visiting cruise ships.


All information is believed to be correct and no responsibility is accepted for any errors or omissions. All items included in this article are subject to © copyright. We would like to take this opportunity of thanking: A G Jones and Ken Larwood for their assistance in producing this feature.

Article © Nigel Thornton and Ray Goodfellow (Dover Ferry Photos Group)

3 Comments

  1. Hello Ray, wow i love those “old” stories about Dover port of how it was, and the old ships, and in particular the changes in time.
    I also think that the changes still will go on in the future, but hope you have more of these “old” stories, wonderful to read but mainly to see the photos.
    Thanks,

    1. Hi Henk,

      I love these old stories as well and love it when Nigel uploads them to the website. It really does show how much the port has changed over the years. Even in my lifetime it has changed massively and I agree that change is always something that will happen, it’s the price of progress and the development of the ferry industry.

      In many ways the ferry industry in Dover is like the tide, it rises and falls and then rises again but in my mind it will always be here, well at least I hope so or I am going to have trouble with a hobby that revolves around Ferry photography 🙂

      1. Hello Ray. well let’s hope with the last lines you’ve write that it last for a long time, but it even with other business everywhere, it rises and falls,it is called economy, ha ha
        And now i hope that the rain will stop because we “drown” almost here and canals are very high, have a nice day Ray and goodbye. Henk.

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