Looking East the line of warehouses is now virtually redundant although there is still the odd vessel unloading.
The barge is there to carry away the disused front line of warehouses, the back line of original 4 storey warehouses are to be preserved.
The entrance arch to the dock finds a new position leading into Canary Wharf.The 4 storey warehouses are being renovated and are finding new uses as apartments, restaurants , shops and the London Docklands Museum.
To the left of the Arch is the site for the “Spire” possibly to be the tallest residential block of apartments in London if it gets permission. The groundwork and foundations are in. The Docklands Museum is now open and busy and barges including one used as a church fill the dock.
In the centre the Marriot Hotel overlooks the dock and beyong the new station for the Queen Elizabeth Line, Crossrail Place, fills the dock.
This is the new station for Elizabeth line crossing London which is currently at least 1 year behind schedule and way over budget.
Looking West down the line of the original dock warehouses can be seen a small round white topped building, the old security gatehouse for the docks.
Refurbishment has started and where the front line warehouses stood is becoming a wide terrace allowing for open air restaurants.
A wider aspect showing the proximity of Canary Wharf office blocks to the left.A classic tugboat is moored alongside the quay.
The Marriot Hotel in the foreground is followed by refurbished warehouses housing restaurants, bars, shops and the Docklands Museum. New city skyscrapers form the final skyline.
A view from the eastern end of the North Dock cleared and ready for Billingsgate market to move in.
The swing bridge over the connecting channel to North Dock with original warehouses still in place.
A new swing bridge over connecting channel to North Dock with Billingsgate market which moved here in 1982 adjacent to the dock and its lorry park filling the foreground.
On the left is the Barclays bank HQ part of the forest of tower blocks forming the current Canary Wharf.
Almost empty the north and central West India docks awaait the next stage of their lives.
Canada Tower the Central feature of Canary Wharf has appeared and is being joined by the Citibank and Barclays towers.
The pillars of Canary Wharf have multiplied and this area is now the financial hub of the city of London. Blackfriars Basin is in the foreground.
A wider aspect of Canary Wharf shows, on the left, the new residential blocks of Wood Wharf appearing and, in the centre and to the left, the office tower expansion continues. Blackwall Basin is now a home to residential barges and canal boats with on its north side new apartment schemes.
A scruffy Balckwall Basin empty of vessels with warehouses falling down has Junction Dock, a timber wharf to the left but all are finished.
The capstain remains but this baisn is now home to multilevel luxury dwellings and Financial towers.
More apartments, more offices and now some vessels have returned to this lively basin.
The old cranes are rusting and the aspect South East to dock entrance is forlorn.
Looking South East to dock entrance from the new apartment terraces the new low rise developments on the old quays and dry dock are visible.
Now home to a plethora of barges , canal boats and floating residences in front of the New canary wharf residential development “ Wood Wharf”.
These rail yards were the link to the countryside for the West India Docks, although they look disused they were actually closed by British rail in 1982.
The housing developments here had splendid views across Poplar Marina, and the old cranes were painted and refurbished retaining the old dock atmosphere.
More blocks in keeping with the earlier developments were constructed and the quayside of Poplar Marina was refurbished.
New towers have sprung up in the east End and Docklands and they now surround the marina.
A north east view frothe dockside shows the council housing blocks on the east of the dock and cranes appearing for the changes in the skyline.
Poplar marina is now home to classic canal boats, barges and even the odd vintage tugboat.
More vessels, more apartments and new pinnacles surrounding the marina continue to appear.
The original rail swing bridge now disused stands beside the channel linking Poplar Dock to Blackfriars Basin.
Just the mounting points for the old bridge now remain as the marina walkway has been improved and new low rise apartments have appeared.
The pace of progress is not stopping , more towers, more developments and more people are arriving in the neighborhood.
The posts for the swing bridge are still in place but the channel is empty.
New lights, new railings ,new houses and another dockland residential area has appeared.
Small changes to the channel but Dollar Bay, a smart new residential tower, has appeared adjacent to the main West India dock entrance.
A timber dock off Blackfriars basin looking directly North.
The housing developments on the north side of Blackfriars Basin are being finished and Junction Dock has been filled ready for more construction.
The same buildings as the previous image can be seen but are being dwarfed by the Wood Wharf residentail towers now going up. Canary Wharf offices are visible to the left.
The dry dock and repair yard were closed in 1987 but the structure of the dry dock remains. This is a view looking south.
Housing now occupies the side of the dry dock and the entrance gate to West India Dock is visible at the far end.
The same view as seen before but now Dollar Bay has grown beside the dock entrance.
Functioning till 1987 this is aview of the dock looking North.
There is now a sculpture of 8 spouting dolphins by Franta Belsky in the graving dock as the area is gentrified.
Hoardings and blocks surrounding the graving dock are an early stage of Wood Wharf residential and commercial development by the Canary Wharf Group.
The main entrance at the East end of the main West India dock was still a busy place in 1971.
The main entrance had changed by my second visit, more tower blocks of offices and hotels were appearing but the river access was still being used with cruisers as ell as commercial barges coming through.
A different feeling at the main entrance as the Wood Wharf residential development was underway. Dollar bay tower to left was finished more and higher towers were being built at the West end of the docks.
A busy centre with rum being unloaded on the right and timber loaded vessels entered the Millwall Dock entrance.
Tugs were still in common use to manouevre the large vessels through the narrow docks.
As more Offices and hotels appear the channels grow ever narrower and shipping on a large scale has stopped in Millwall Docks.
Access passageways between office blocks block the access to all but the smallest vessels now.
Looking South West from the entrance to the docks only the Olsen line vessels are apparent.
Looking South West from the entrance the vessels have gone and new businesses have appeared with at the far end the Print Works.
A huge growth in smart apartments to service the needs of staff for the city and offices in the docks means more blocks alongside the docks, and restaurants and hotels.
The original Black Watch cruise ship, part of the Fred Olsen line, in Millwall Dock used for carrying passengers to the Canaries in the winter months (in summer crossings between Newcastle and Bergen) and on the right a freighter bringing in timber.
"London Arena" music venue with a floating Chinese restaurant moored alongside to provide sustenance to the concert goers in Millwall Dock.
The arena stage has been replaced on the East side of the dock by the imposing Arena tower of apartments and the floating Chinese restaurant is still docked nearby.
Millwall dock with a Russian cargo ship unloading & the timber warehouses on the south side.
More vessels in the timber dock.
This is now home to Docklands Sailing and Water sports Centre and a large site on the north side of Outer Dock is occupied by the WestFerry PrintWorks, the largest newspaper print works in Western Europe.
Westferry Printworks “a vibrant new neighbourhood” has started construction and the largest printworks in Europe have now gone elsewhere.
The south side and the Montague L. Meyer timber warehouses and at the end the flour mill.
Southside housing development, Quayview apartments.
Quayview developments have not really changed in the last 15 years.
Looking East to the docks entrance with a ship steaming out to the sea.
Main Dock looking east, still a hectic place.
Main Dock looking east but no more ships just the docklands light railway .
Less water, more offices as time moves on.
The DLR crossing the dock and at the far entrance the docks main entrance.
Looking east through safety railings for the Newfoundland Tower a 220 metre tall residential block at the West end of the Main Dock.
Rum warehouse on Canary Wharf
Underground shopping centre