Grimsby Dock Tower

Grimsby Dock Tower is a hydraulic accumulator tower and a maritime landmark at the entrance to the Royal Dock, Grimsby, in North East Lincolnshire, England. It was completed on 27 March 1852 with the purpose of containing a 30000impgal reservoir at a height of 200ft, that was used to provide hydraulic power to power the machinery of the Grimsby Docks. The extreme height of the tower was necessary to achieve sufficient pressure, and as a result of this, the tower can be seen for several miles around, even far inland on the north bank of the River Humber in villages such as Patrington.History and designThe tower was built to provide water pressure to power the hydraulic machinery at the Grimsby Docks. The tower was built to carry a tank 200ft above the ground with a direct feed into the machinery. Small pumps topped up the tank as the hydraulic machinery drew off water. The tower system was brought into use in 1852 working the machinery of the lock gates, dry-docks and fifteen quayside cranes, and also to supply fresh water to ships and the dwelling houses on the dock premises. The water was obtained from a well, 15ft in diameter and 47ft deep, with a boring of 5in in diameter to the chalk rock in the centre, situated near to where the Grimsby Evening Telegraph has its present offices. The well was also fed by seven borings of 5in in diameter, at intervals in a length of 300ft, which discharged into the well by a brick culvert 3ft in diameter.