Pulling The Plug
The 'plug hole' and caisson wall at the graving dock in which - ingeniously - Barrow-in-Furness's Dock Museum is housed. The graving dock, 500ft long, 60ft wide and 33ft deep, could hold vessels up to 5,500 tons. It was constructed by the Furness Railway, using sandstone from quarries at nearby Hawcoat. The dock opened in 1872 and saw regular use until the 1950s. The Dock Museum, which opened in 1994, spans the inland position. 'Graving' is the process of waterproofing ship's hulls by burning off weeds and applying coats of tar.
Pulling The Plug
The 'plug hole' and caisson wall at the graving dock in which - ingeniously - Barrow-in-Furness's Dock Museum is housed. The graving dock, 500ft long, 60ft wide and 33ft deep, could hold vessels up to 5,500 tons. It was constructed by the Furness Railway, using sandstone from quarries at nearby Hawcoat. The dock opened in 1872 and saw regular use until the 1950s. The Dock Museum, which opened in 1994, spans the inland position. 'Graving' is the process of waterproofing ship's hulls by burning off weeds and applying coats of tar.