Poplar Dock was London's first railway dock when it opened in 1851, and is connected to the Blackwall Basin of the West India Docks, however, it has never had a direct connection to the Thames. In its early years the dock was used mainly to import coal from the Northeast of England. Much of the dock survives today as a mooring connected to Blackwall Basin. Poplar Dock is now known as Poplar Dock Marina. It was opened by Queen Elizabeth II in 1999. The marina is overlooked to the south by Landons Close (part of the Jamestown Harbour development) and to the west by Boardwalk Place Dating back to 1900, these cranes were an invaluable piece of equipment in goods yard, to lift heavy loads on and off ships and railway carriages