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Portishead dock was built
Around 1836, at the height of the iron and steel era, a deep-water dock was built to facilitate the large ships that brought valuable cargoes from across the globe and carried exported local products overseas. -
Black Nore lighthouse was built
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Railway connected Portishead to Bristol
The Victorian period saw day trippers visiting Portishead from Bristol using paddle steamers as transport and then rail, when in 1907 the light railway reached Portishead. Tourist attractions were developed with the Approach Golf Course opening in 1908 and the Lake Grounds in 1910. -
Period: to
Weston, Clevedon and Portishead Railway
Portishead also had a second, short-lived, railway line: the Weston, Clevedon and Portishead Railway.It ran between Weston-super-Mare and Clevedon as a standard railway line, and between Clevedon and Portishead as a light railway.The Clevedon to Portishead extension opened on 7 August 1907.The line closed on 19 May 1940 and was then dismantled by the GWR -
Mustad's nail factory built
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Work on power station A begins
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Portishead Radio station was born
Portishead Radio was born in 1928 which saw the creation of a telephone control centre for non-direct dialled calls to maritime vessels. -
Power station A begins generating electricity
It began generating electricity in 1929 for the Bristol Corporation's Electricity Department. -
Power station A's chimney stacks are replaced
In 1937 its original six short chimney stacks were replaced by a 110 m high stack. A second 110 m stack was added when the power station was expanded in 1948. -
Construction of Portishead B power station begins
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Albright and Wilson chemical works
Albright and Wilson built a chemical works on the opposite side of the dock from the power stations. The chemical works produced white phosphorus from phosphate rock imported, through the docks, into the UK. Phosphate rock was stored in concrete silos on the dockside until it was required. Electricity provided by the local power stations was used to run six 7.5 megawatt electric arc furnaces that reduced the phosphate rock. The phosphorus was then moved in sealed tanks to Oldbury and to Kirkby. -
Plans were drawn for Gordano School
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Period: to
Portishead Train station
Portishead had two passenger stations on the GWR's Portishead branch line. The main station was near the centre of the village of Portishead, as it was then; the other was at the pier.The construction of Portishead "B" power station caused the original railway station to be demolished and a replacement station was opened in the High Street on 2 January 1954. The new station closed on 7 September 1964. -
Portishead power station B becomes operational
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Gordano School opens
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Portishead Power station A is shut down
Portishead "A" power station was closed in 1976; and the first of its two chimney stacks, a landmark, was demolished in September 1981, followed by the second in August 1982 -
Power station B is shut down
Portishead "B" power station closed in 1982 and both of its 383 feet (117 m) stacks were demolished in October 1992. -
Portishead's final two power station chimneys were demolished
The Portishead landscape, dominated by four large chimney stacks belonging to the power stations, changed dramatically when the final two were demolished in 1992 marking the end of an era in Portishead. -
Portishead dock is shut
Industrial activities ceased at the dock with the closure of the power stations. The Port of Bristol Authority finally closed the dock in 1992. -
Portishead marking the beginning of a new era
As the old industries closed, housing developments replaced them, new business centres unfolded and a selection of new bars, cafes and restaurants sprung up close to the dock area. The dock has been well preserved and is now the centre of a new and exciting marina development attracting interest from all over the country. The marina currently provides around 300 pontoon berths for a range of sailing and leisure craft, it has 24 hour staffing and has been awarded Five Gold Anchors. -
Portishead radio station shut down
