To meet the need for facilities for goods coming into the River Tyne and to increase the coal shipping facilities on the north side of the river, a dock was commenced in the late 1870s at Coble Dene near North Shields. The Coble Dene dock was commenced, under the direction of P J Messent, engineer to the Tyne Improvement Commission and completed in 1883. The dock was formally opened in 1884 by the Prince and Princess of Wales and renamed the Albert Edward Dock in honour of the Prince's visit. It covered an area of 22.25 acres and could accommodate ships drawing up to 25 feet and 400-450 feet long. It had 20 steam and hydraulic cranes, with Warehousing and Timberyards. The entrance to the dock was via 2 locks (grade II Listed Buildings) powered by hydraulics through an accumulator tower (a grade II* Listed Building). These systems were supplied by Armstrong's Elswick Works and now represent the only examples of such on the Tyne. Other hydraulic machinery was powered by a steam engine near the dock entrance. The dock was served by a complex railway system. (sitelines.newcastle.gov.uk)