2. Building the Docks New Docks The Vicloria Dock which was opened in 1855 was significantly different from earlier docks. It was much further away from the City and was the first to be linked up with the railway system. It was built with steamships in mind and made full use of hydraulic machinery (machinery worked by water pressure). Railways were also on important feature of the Millwall Dock (1868) and the Royal Albert Dock (1880) where railway lines ran right on to the quayside. The building of the Royal Albert Dock (owned by the London and St Katharine Docks Company) threatened to take ships away from the docks upstream and added to the already fierce competition for trade between the dock companies. Not to be outdone, the East and West India Dock Company built the Tilbury Dock (1886) 26 miles downstream from London Bridge in the hope that ships would dock there rather than make the long journey up the river. The last dock to be built was the King George V Dock which was opened in 1921.   F: Construction in progress at the King George V Dock, 1913