The dock was designed by
Jesse Hartley and opened in 1834 as
Waterloo Dock, named after the
Battle of Waterloo. In 1843 an
observatory was built here for
astronomical and
meteorological observations and to provide accurate time for ships'
chronometers. In 1866, when the dock was redeveloped, the observatory was relocated to
Bidston Hill on the
Wirral Peninsula. In 1868, Waterloo Dock was split in two separate basins; East Waterloo Dock and West Waterloo Dock. Initially planned eleven years earlier, the
lock entrance from the Mersey was finally opened in 1949. Construction was delayed due to the
Second World War. A new -wide channel from
Trafalgar Dock to the northern end of West Waterloo Dock will be excavated as part of the canal route. The extensive
Waterloo Warehouse has since been converted into residential apartments. ==References==