Dales Marine Services

The Leith Story

Dales Marine Ltd. have carried out a major refurbishment on the drydock in Leith. The following outlines the work undertaken:

The piles are in.  Ready to pump down.  The piles are in.

Foundations for the piles.  Leaking piles.

These pictures show the piles fitted and the cofferdam space behind the gates ready to pump down. Piles were installed by LB Marine, Mr Forbes and his crew did a splendid job.

Air and fire mains  Clearing the dock.  Clearing the topsides

Right hand concrete.  Left topsides.  Old blocks out and clearing docks.

We had an extensive clear up of the ground around the dock and cleared away some 400t of unwanted grass bankings and soil from around the dock. There was also approx 2000t of mud removed from the dock itself. Thanks must go to Craig Purvis of Purvis Plant for his guys excellent work and flexible attitude when it came to working in such poor conditions. Old blocks removed from the dock and disposed of allowed Purvis plant easier access to get on with the clear up. New water and air lines were run down the dock and into the bottom of the dock.

Chambers.

This shows the exit for the pumps and the sleuce used to fill the dock, mind this hasnt been seen for 100 years when to dock was built.

Clearing behind the gate.  Cofferdammed.  Mini digger behind gate.

Mud behind the gate.  Silt behind the gate.

These photos show the area behind the gate which was cofferdammed off to allow the gate seals to be worked on. There was approx 600t of silt removed from this area alone. Some of this was removed with a grab and crane and the remainder was removed with a digger, skip and crane.

Fitting new seals.  Gate prior to seals being fitted.  Gate raols.

Gate repairs.  Gate wheel.  Old wooden seal.

Patches on the gate.  The sill.

Blocks.  Blocks set.  New blocks going in.

A big part of the work was carried out by Dales marine's own men on the dock blocks which were all stripped out and refurbished with new wood.

Fixed.  First vessel.  New seal fitted.

Scotia.  Scotia.  Scotia.

These pictures show the result of the new gate seal and the first vessel "Scotia" being docked on Saturday 13th March 2010. Well worth the effort.