▁the ▁Navy ' s ▁steam ▁engineering ▁yard ▁through ▁the ▁ 1 8 4 0 s , ▁but ▁following ▁the ▁establishment ▁of ▁large - scale ▁steam ▁yards ▁at ▁Port sm outh ▁( 1 8 4 8 ) ▁and ▁Dev on port ▁( 1 8 5 3 ) ▁it ▁became ▁increasing ly ▁redundant , ▁especially ▁as ▁its ▁bas ins ▁were ▁no ▁longer ▁large ▁enough ▁for ▁the ▁size ▁of ▁ships ▁now ▁being ▁built . ▁Old er ▁ships ▁still ▁came ▁to ▁W ool wich ▁for ▁engine ▁rep airs ▁and ▁maintenance , ▁but ▁by ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁Crime an ▁War ▁the ▁steam ▁factory ' s ▁days ▁were ▁number ed . ▁Sur pr ising ly ▁though , ▁the ▁dock yard ▁had ▁managed ▁to ▁remain ▁active ▁in ▁ship building ▁and ▁its ▁facilities ▁continued ▁to ▁be ▁upgrad ed ▁and ▁expanded ▁through ▁the ▁ 1 8 5 0 s ▁and ▁early ▁ 1 8 6 0 s ; ▁during ▁that ▁time ▁a ▁new ▁rolling ▁mill ▁and ▁an ▁arm our ▁plate ▁shop ▁were ▁built ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁a ▁size able ▁new ▁sail ▁lo ft ▁and ▁rig ging ▁store . ▁Ult imately , ▁though , ▁the ▁yard ▁could ▁not ▁keep ▁pace ▁with ▁the ▁emer ging ▁needs ▁of ▁the ▁new ▁iron cl ad ▁war ships , ▁and ▁by ▁ 1 8 6 5 ▁it ▁was ▁clear ▁that ▁both ▁W ool wich ▁and ▁De pt ford ▁D ock y ards ▁were ▁dest ined ▁for ▁closure . ▁ ▁Cl os ure ▁and ▁after math ▁ ▁W ool wich ▁D ock yard ▁finally ▁closed ▁in ▁ 1