By Rail to Chirk

Introduction

On 26th February 2014, I travelled from Wolverhampton to Chirk by rail in order to visit the Ty Gwyn woodland. There's a report on the visit here.

Wikipedia have some information on the line from Wolverhampton to Shrewsbury here and on the line beyond Shrewsbury to Chester here.

I've been familiar with the G.W.R. route from Wolverhampton to Shrewsbury and beyond since childhood. Back then, manual signal boxes with Absolute Block working controlled the route from Wolverhampton to Shrewsbury but over the years, one by one, they've been eliminated. I've continued to use the line to Shrewsbury and beyond intermittently for various trips.

Shrewsbury

I took an Arriva Trains Wales DMU from Wolverhampton to Shrewsbury, calling at Telford and Wellington. At Shrewsbury, I had a few minutes to take photographs before my connecting train to Chirk was due.

The impressive station building on platform 3 features a tower flying the Union flag!

There were plenty of people waiting to join the 3-coach Arriva Trains Wales service from Cardiff to Holyhead but we were soon on our way.

Cardiff - Holyhead DMU arriving at Shrewsbury.

Gobowen

After traversing a number of level crossings set in a fairly flat and rather wet landscape, we stopped at Gobowen. The station sports a Great Western railway nameboard 'GOBOWEN FOR OSWESTRY' (partly hidden behind the compulsory tall pole for mounting a CCTV camera). The currently-unused and rusty single line to Oswestry about 3 miles away is still intact and enthusiasts hope to re-open it, but the bay platform at Gobowen has lost its track.

The nameboard hints at the station's former importance.

A further reminder of former better times is the rather attractive Italianate station building with a turret and stucco detailing, designed by locally-born Thomas Penson Junior and built around 1846 for the Shrewsbury and Chester railway. The building is now unused and available for sale or to rent. Wikipedia has more on the station here.

The Down side former station building at Gobowen

Both the nameboard and the building are Grade II Listed:-

Railway station. Circa 1848 by Thomas Penson Jun. on the Shrewsbury and Chester Railway with later additions and alterations. Stuccoed red brick on moulded stone plinth; low-pitched hipped slate roofs have brick and ashlar ridge stacks with moulded capping and dentilled cornices. Italianate style. 2 storeys. Entrance side has 3-storey rectangular tower projecting to right with finial to low-pitched pyramidal roof and modillioned eaves cornice. 'Belfry' has blind round-headed arches with balustrade. 2-bay centre section has round-headed sash windows to first floor, paired to right, with continuous moulded impost bands and interlacing wheel decoration to aprons. Glazing bar sashes in lugged architraves to ground floor. Projecting left range has paired round-headed sash windows to first floor. Tall double doors to centre approached by flight of 3 steps and flanked by round-arched sash windows. Single-storey exedra to left with dentilled cornice and 4-paned sashes in lugged architraves. Platform side has bracketed canopy, removed at time of resurvey (April 1986) to top end of platform but continued, supported by cast-iron columns, to south; cusped quatrefoils to spandrels of brackets. Footbridge linking down-line side with up-line side has latticed cast-iron girders to covered walk-way. Single-storey yellow brick range to up- line side with round-arched sash windows and doorways; ornamental cast-iron brackets supporting canopy. Later platform canopy to south of footbridge. Station name-boardslettered "GOBOWEN / FOR / OSWESTRY" between cast-iron columns with moulded capping at north end of up -line platform and south end of down-line platform. Extensive restoration was in progress at time of resurvey (April 1986).

See the British Listed Buildings entry here.

Chirk

The next stop was Chirk, where I alighted and continued by road. The tiny station is looked after and kept attractive by local support.

Chirk Station.

Chirk is dominated by the huge Kronospan factory. Kronospan claim to be the world’s largest manufacturer of wood panel products and laminate flooring. Worldwide, it has more than 30 manufacturing sites. There's more information here.

View of the Kronospan plant from Chirk Station car park.

Returning from Chirk

Later in the day, I was back at Chirk station for the return journey. I'd forgotten, until I saw a plaque on the station, that Chirk was the end of the Glyn Valley Tramway, opened in 1873, finally closed in 1935. There's a 'Wikipedia' article here. The New Glyn Valley Tramway & Industrial Heritage Trust are seeking to conserve, research and interpret the Industrial Heritage of the area and Glyn Valley Tramway and have experimentally laid a length of track to the tramway's odd 2ft 4½in track gauge. The Glyn Valley Tramway Trust are separately pursuing similar aims.

Glyn Valley Tramway Plaque, Chirk station.

The 3-car DMU which I took back to Shrewsbury was going through to Maesteg.

The Maesteg train arriving at Chirk.

Passing through Shrewsbury

I was quite tired by the time we arrived at Shrewsbury (after spending a few hours romping round the woodland in the rain earlier) so I was relieved to be able to get on my connecting train back to Wolverhampton. The late afternoon sun improved my picture of Severn Bridge Jn. signal box. I noticed that the 3-aspect colour light in the foreground of my shot now sports a blue GSM-R plate. The world is changing!

The monolithic bulk of Severn Bridge Junction, with a 3-aspect colour light in the foreground.

Book references

[1] 'Rail Centres: Shrewsbury' by Richard K. Morriss, published by Booklaw Publications (ISBN 1-901945-20-0).
[2] 'A Regional History of the Railways of Great Britain: Volume 11 North and Mid Wales by Peter E Baughan, published by David & Charles (ISBN 0-9153-7850-3).

Related articles on other sites

Wolverhampton to Shrewsbury Line (Wikipedia).
Shrewsbury to Chester Line (Wikipedia).
Glyn Valley Tramway (Wikipedia).

My pictures

Wolverhampton to Shrewsbury line.
Wellington.
Shrewsbury area railways.

HST Charter to Peak Rail

In a couple of earlier posts (Winter Timetable at Peak Rail and Peak Rail in early 2014) I've described the winter operations between Rowsley and Matlock Riverside. In March 2014, we changed to the Summer timetable, with five round trips top-and-tailed between Rowsley and Matlock Town.

My first turn was during March was on Sunday, the 2nd. However, we were running a special timetable that day because a main line HST Charter train from St. Pancras was scheduled. Originally marketed in the 1970s as 'Inter City 125' trains, these High Speed diesel-electric trains are still in widespread use on mainline services.

Phil and I had 'Lord Phil', facing north. We came off shed nice and early so as to start warming our 7-coach train. The advantage of being at the north end was the relative ease of taking water during the day from the 4-wheel long wheelbase petrol tank wagon just off the north end of the platform, compared with the exhausting business of dragging a long canvas water hose around when watering from the tank wagon at the south end of Rowsley station.

'Penyghent' coming 'off-shed' to work the 10:20 service train to Matlock Town.

A few minutes late, 'Penyghent' came 'off-shed' and 'hooked on' at the south end of the train ready for the first of six round trips we were booked to run to Matlock Town that day. The guard gave the 'Right Away' and 'Penyghent' took the train to our first stop at Darley Dale. With D8 on the front and seven coaches, 'Lord Phil' was well short of the platform when we stopped. I made a careful note of our position by placing three small lumps of coal on the sleeper end of the Down Line opposite our cab. Then, we carried on to Matlock Town. There wasn't much chance to make up list time because the track has recently been slewed approaching Matlock Riverside and a temporary speed limit of 10 m.p.h. has been imposed.

At Matlock Town, 'Penyghent' surrendered the single line staff to us for the journey back to Darley Dale, this time with 'Lord Phil' doing the work.

At Darley Dale, the fireman surrendered the staff to the signalman and I carefully drew the train through the platform and stopped with the engine cab level with the three small lumps of coal. Obviously, I had to ensure that the whole train, including 'Penyghent', had been drawn clear of the level crossing so that the gates could be opened to road traffic. But there's another constraint. In the post Peak Rail in early 2014 I talked about stopping 'behind' a signal and said "In some cases, track circuits are provided to indicate to the signalman the position of vehicles and electric locking may prevent the changing of points unless the movement is correctly standing 'behind' the signal". The Down platform at Darley Dale is such a case. Unless the whole train was 'behind' the ground signal, we would still be occupying the track circuit and the facing points could not be changed. This doesn't matter too much if there's only one train but, later in the day, I'd need to stop our train in this position to allow the HST Charter to return to Matlock. Stopping in the wrong place for this one would have made me very unpopular! Fortunately, all was well.


View of Midland Railway 'dwarf' shunting signal on the Down Main at Darley Dale, looking towards Matlock.

I stopped 'right' at Rowsley, allowing us to take water without difficulty. Although we were only working the train in one direction, we were providing steam heating for seven coaches, so we were boiling a fair amount of water.

The second departure from Rowsley was booked to stand at Darley Dale and wait for the HST Charter to pass on its way to Rowsley. Telephone messages informed station staff that the HST Charter was 'on time' and before long we heard the horn of the approaching train.


A cluster of photographers on the Down Platform at Darley Dale to record the HST.

The HST made its stately passage through the station on the Down line and, after a few minutes, we continued to Matlock Riverside. Phil drove the return journey back to Rowsley, stopping accurately at Darley Dale and Rowsley, where we watered again. The HST had parked itself neatly on the loop at Rowsley, out of our way.

Phil takes the train back to Rowsley.

I think there were around 400 passengers on the HST Charter and many of them took a trip to Matlock Town on the service train. There were sales stands on Rowsley platform and the various preservation groups around the Rowsley site were welcoming the visitors. I was particularly taken with the project to build a full-size re-creation of Ivatt's prototype L.M.S. diesel electric '10000' - their website is here. Unfortunately, the weather deteriorated at this stage and we were all rather wet and windswept.

On our fourth round trip, we were booked to stand in the Down platform at Darley Dale, to allow the HST Charter to pass on its way back to St. Pancras. I walked across to the Up platform to take a few pictures.

The HST passes 'Lord Phil' in Darley Dale.

We completed our journey to Rowsley, plus two more round trips, by which time we were quite ready to go on shed and dispose, concluding a most interesting day.

HST Gallery

The Australian version (the 'XPT') pictured in Sydney in 2001.

East Midlands Trains HST at Leicester in 2009.

'East Coast' liveried HST viewed from King's Cross Power Signal Box in 2009.

First Great Western HST at Bath Spa in 2013.

East Midlands Trains HST at Sheffield in 2013.

Book references

'Inter City 125' by R. M. Tufnell published by Haynes Publishing Group (ISBN 0 85429 428 7).

Related articles on other sites

British Rail Class 43 (HST) (Wikipedia).
Inter City 125 (Wikipedia).
125 Group

Related posts in this blog

D8 'Penyghent'

My pictures

HST Charter to Peak Rail.
'Lord Phil'.
'Penyghent'.

Peak Rail in early 2014

In the earlier post Winter Timetable at Peak Rail I described the arrangements in use, particularly running round at Matlock Riverside now that the points are controlled from the new signal box.

Under these arrangements, I had a couple of turns in January and two more in February. Under the Winter Timetable, the service terminates at Matlock Riverside allowing a single locomotive to work the service, running round at Matlock Riverside and Rowsley. Even with only four round trips in the day, it was quite tiring with all the uncoupling, running round and coupling and, of course, the need to keep taking water at Rowsley but I find it more satisfying then the 'Top and Tail' working which prevails otherwise.

As I described in the earlier post, prior to formal commissioning of the new arrangements at Matlock Riverside, Signal & Telegraph Department staff operate the points from the signal box, and the various new fixed signals remain fitted with a white 'X' indicating that they are not yet in use. All movements take place under the authority of Hand Signals (red and yellow flags). I'll describe running round at Matlock Riverside under these temporary arrangements in a little more detail.

There's a line speed limit of ten miles an hour approaching Matlock Riverside (there's a sign with yellow-painted cut-out figures reading '10' on the right hand side of the track as you approach Matlock Riverside from Darley Dale). Because of the curve in the track, the approaching train cannot be seen from the signal box until the train is on the Derwent Bridge and close to the facing points (and the new Up Home signals) so the driver whistles to announce the train's arrival.


The white 'X' on the signal arms of the Matlock Riverside Up Home indicates that the signals are not yet in use.

A yellow flag given from the signal box or from the ground near the facing points authorises the driver to proceed into Matlock Riverside platform, detach from the train and move forward into the headshunt. Once the driver acknowledges the yellow handsignal (with a single or double 'pop' whistle) the yellow handsignal can be withdrawn.

Once stationary in the platform, the driver will normally 'ease-up', reversing the locomotive against the train so as to compress the buffers. A crowd often forms on the footpath adjacent to the locomotive, to watch the locomotive being uncoupled. Having come to a clear understanding with the driver that it's "safe to go under", the fireman (or cleaner under training) will first part the vacuum hose connection (so as to inhibit further movement), then the steam heating hoses are disconnected and finally the locomotive coupling ('shackle') is unscrewed to give sufficient slack for the coupling to be lifted off the drawhook on the leading coach. Usually the coupling is 'stowed' on the locomotive drawhook, unless other arrangements are provided. If a lengthened screw coupling is left dangling, it may cause damage by striking point fittings (for instance, facing point locks) or other signalling equipment (for instance, AWS on main line railways) or to level crossings. The two steam heating hoses are suspended from the chains provided to similarly prevent damage to the hose connections or track fittings. Finally, the vacuum hoses on the leading coach and locomotive are placed on the dummy coupling ('stopper'). There's further discussion of 'hooking on and off' here.

The driver will then draw the locomotive forward, not just clear of the loop points but beyond the 2-disc ground signal. During shunting, a driver must always go 'behind' a signal controlling the move. Provided a move comes to a stand 'behind' any controlling signal, the driver can be sure it will be safe for the points to be moved. In some cases, track circuits are provided to indicate to the signalman the position of vehicles and electric locking may prevent the changing of points unless the movement is correctly standing 'behind' the signal.

Having uncoupled from the coaches, 'Lord Phil' moves into the headshunt. Click on image above for an uncropped view showing the 2-disc ground signal on the right of the locomotive.

Having come to a stand in the headshunt, the driver whistles to indicate that the points may be moved. I always give one long followed by one short (which used to be the code for 'from one line to another' when shunting). The whistle also confirms that the driver will not allow the locomotive to move again until authorised.

When the points have been set, a yellow flag will be displayed from the signal box, again acknowledged by a 'pop' whistle. The yellow flag authorises the locomotive to take the loop around the train and over the points at the Darley Dale end of the station, coming to a stand behind the Up Home signal. Again, one long and one short blast on the whistle indicates that the locomotive is clear of the points.

The points are now set towards the platform line and a yellow flag is displayed and acknowledged by the whistle. This time, the driver is authorised to move onto the train, although the final closing-up will be authorised by the guard from the platform. Once coupled-up, the brake vacuum is created and, when the guard issues the 'Right Away', the train can leave for Darley Dale and Rowsley.

After Matlock Riverside signal box is brought into full use, running round as described above will be controlled by the fixed signals rather than handsignals.

A general view inside Matlock Riverside signal box.

My pictures

Resignalling at Matlock Riverside

Ty Gwyn Update

In earlier posts, I've explained my involvement in a small commercial woodland in Wales. You can find them all here. It's four years since my last post describing the harvesting of around half the plantation.

Harvested timber awaiting road shipment to the saw mill in 2010.

The rather stark appearance of the hillside after timber clearance in 2010.

Re-planting occurred soon after harvesting was complete and there are pictures showing the young trees here, taken on 25th July 2010 when I made a visit with Ann and Dean. The weather was splendid. The young trees were gamely trying to establish themselves. Limited use had been made of chemicals to control weevils which nibble at the tender plants and can cause untold damage.


"... young trees gamely trying to establish themselves."

It's often necessary to carry out maintenance after harvesting and a number of tasks were tackled. This included repairs to the stock-proof fencing, clearance of the various drains and repairs to internal roads on the plantation. The junction with the public road also required re-surfacing.

The resurfaced junction with the public road.

After replanting, Fountain Forestry (who are the professional managers of the woodland) continued to visit and they ensured that any essential actions were carried out. Heather is sometimes a problem as it can compete with young trees for water and other nutrients. This can be controlled by careful spraying.

On 26th February 2014, I visited the woodland with the forester, Rob MacCurrach, to see how matters were proceeding. The United Kingdom had been having very wet weather with exceptionally high winds and we both wanted to assess the damage to the standing trees caused by 'Wind Blow'. The weather during our visit varied between wet and very wet with some dry spells but it wasn't too cold. It was gratifying to find that damage to date had been rather less than anticipated. The Ty Gwyn woodland is in an exposed upland area of Wales where it is prudent to expect some losses. Continuing growth in the mature areas had been very satisfactory.


The view of the sky from within the mature area.

In the replanted areas, although there is some variation in growth rates, the young trees have established well, with healthy trees growing vigorously.

The 2010 Planting is establishing well.

Pictures taken during the visit are here. All-in-all, a very satisfactory trip.

My Pictures

2003.
2006.
2008.
2009.
Harvesting (1).
Harvesting (2).
Replanting 2010.
Progress in 2014.

Railways around Birkenhead

In three earlier posts, I describe a trip by rail on 8th February 2014 to Birkenhead and New Brighton (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3). This post lists miscellaneous information on the railways in the area.

Development of the Railways to Birkenhead

Once the Grand Junction Railway had linked the Liverpool and Manchester Railway to the London and Birmingham Railway, Crewe became the obvious starting point for a branch to Chester. The Chester and Crewe Railway Company built the 11-mile branch with Robert Stephenson as the Engineer and Thomas Brassey as the Contractor. Before the line opened in 1840, the Chester and Crewe Railway Company had been absorbed by the Grand Junction Railway. Also in 1840, a separate railway linking Chester and Birkenhead opened, initially as a single line.

The Chester - Birkenhead Route

The Chester and Birkenhead Line eventually became a joint L.M.S./G.W.R. line and traffic growth resulted in most of the route being quadrupled. The junction with the North Wales line was made at Chester No. 4 signal box, just to the west of Chester station. The next signal box, Chester No. 5, was just 300 yards away, controlling the connections which completed a triangular junction with the North Wales line at Chester No. 6. This allowed trains approaching Chester from the west (and, in particular, Great Western trains from Wrexham which had joined at Saltney Junction) to join the Birkenhead Line without a reversal in Chester station. No. 4 and No. 6 boxes were L&NWR designs, as were a number of the signalboxes on the line to Birkenhead.

Click here for larger image
Railway Clearing House Plan of Chester area in 1903

The first four miles beyond Chester No. 5 were double track but from Ledsham Junction four running lines (paired by use) were provided - Down Slow, Up Slow, Down Fast, Up Fast. Today, Merseyrail only uses two lines, generally the former Slow lines, but where roads cross the railway, the bridges over the other two lines remain, with the tracks lifted and overgrown.

View from an Up Merseyrail train, showing the overgrown trackbed of the former Fast lines.

On the Birkenhead side of Rock Ferry (which offered interchange with Mersey Railway services), the four-track joint line continued to Green Lane Junction signal box where the Slow Lines became Goods Lines and Fast Lines became Main Lines to Blackpool Street signal box (near the side-by-side locomotive sheds for the L.M.S. and G.W.R.). Beyond Blackpool Street, the Goods Lines entered Haymarket Tunnel, emerging at Brook Street signal box and splitting into two routes serving the dock area. The Main Lines entered Woodside Tunnel at Blackpool Street, emerging at Birkenhead Woodside passenger terminus.

The Mersey Railway

The Mersey Railway opened in 1886, linking Liverpool Central with Birkenhead. Later, it was extended to two separate terminal platforms at Rock Ferry station on the Chester-Birkenhead line. A branch from Hamilton Square made an end-on junction with the Wirral Railway at Birkenhead Park. In 1903, the Mersey Railway was electrified. For a brief description, see Early Days of the Mersey Railway. After the electrification of the Wirral lines in 1938, the L.M.S. introduced through running with the Mersey Railway. In 1977, the 'Liverpool Loop' was opened by British Railways, allowing closure of a number of signal boxes.

The Wirral Railway

The Wirral Railway was incorporated in 1862 as the Hoylake Railway, becoming the Wirral Railway in 1882. At Birkenhead Park it made an end-on connection with the Mersey Railway line from Hamilton Square then continued through Birkenhead North to a triangular junction east of Bidston Station. One branch continued via Bidston Station (where a branch from Wrexham joined) to West Kirby, the second branch served New Brighton, with a second triangular junction connecting a branch to Seacombe which closed in 1964. There's a short Wikipedia article here. At the grouping, the line became part of the L.M.S., continuing to use steam locomotives until electrification at 650v d.c. third rail in 1938. From West Kirby, a single line branch originally continued to Hooton

Signal boxes in the 1950s

The lines were generally controlled by semaphore signals and manual signal boxes with partial track circuiting, although the former Mersey Railway underground lines had colour lights and extensive track circuits.

Chester-Birkenhead line

The signal boxes are listed below:-

Chester No. 5 (81-lever L&NWR Tappet Frame)
Mollington (25-lever L&NWR Tappet Frame)
Capenhurst (65-lever Frame)
Ledsham Jn. (20-lever L&NWR Tumbler Frame)
Hooton South Jn. (128-lever L&NWR Tumbler Frame)
Hooton North Jn. (90-lever L&NWR Tumbler Frame)
Bromborough (36-lever L&NWR Tumbler Frame)
Spital (36-lever L&NWR Tumbler Frame)
Port Sunlight Siding (50-lever L&NWR Tumbler Frame)
Bebington & New Ferry (36-lever L&NWR Tumbler Frame)
Rock Ferry
Mersey Jn. (60-lever L.M.S. Frame)
Green Lane Jn. (60-lever L.M.S. pre-1943 Tappet Frame)
Blackpool St. (70-lever L&NWR Tumbler Frame)
Birkenhead Woodside

Former Wirral Railway signal boxes

Birkenhead Park (Cabin 'H': 60-lever LMS tappet)
Birkenhead North No. 1: 40-lever R.S.C. 5.5" tappet
Birkenhead North No. 2: 27-lever R.S.C. frame (Goods lines only)
Bidston East Jn.: 45-lever standard tappet.
Seacombe Jn.: 45-lever standard composite
Wallasey
New Brighton: 44-lever R.S.C. tappet

Slopes Branch Jn. (closed 1964)
Seacombe Goods (closed 1964)
Seacombe (closed 1964)

Bidston Dee Jn.: 65-lever 4.5" centres
Leasowe Level Crossing: Pre-1943 standard tappet
Moreton: 30-lever standard frame
Hoylake: 21-lever R.S.Co. 5.5" centres
West Kirby: 63-lever L.M.S. frame

The Mersey Railway

Liverpool Central East ('A' Box): Closed 1977
Liverpool Central West ('B' Box): Closed 1977
James Street ('C' Box): Closed 1977
Hamilton Square ('D' Box): Closed 1977
Birkenhead Central ('E' Box)
Green Lane ('F' Box)

There are detailed diagrams for these signal boxes in the 1950s in the excellent publication from the Signalling Record Society 'British Railways Layout Plans of the 1950's' - 'Volume 10: LNW Lines in North Wales, Chester and Wirral areas' (ISBN: 1-873228-12-0).

Book References

[1] 'Railways to the Coast' by Michael H. C. Baker, published by Patrick Stephens (ISBN 1-85260-058-6).
[2] 'An Historical Survey of Selected LMS Stations' by Dr. R. Preston Hendry & R. Powell Hendry: Layouts & Illustrations, published by Oxford Publishing Co. (ISBN 0 86093 168 4).
[3] 'An Historical Survey of Selected LMS Stations: Layouts & Illustrations Volume 2' by Dr. R. Preston Hendry & R. Powell Hendry, published by Oxford Publishing Co. (ISBN 0-86093-330-X).
[4] 'A Pictorial Record of L.M.S. Architecture' by V. R. Anderson and G. K. Fox, published by Oxford Publishing Co. (SBN 86093 083 1).
[5] 'A Regional History of the Railways of Great Britain: Volume 10 The North West by Geoffrey O Holt, published by David & Charles (ISBN 0946537 34 8).

Reference [2] above has more information about Birkenhead North station.
References [3] and [4] above have more information about New Brighton Station.

Related articles on other sites

On Track in North Wirral.
Bidston Dock (Wikipedia).
Birkenhead Dock Branch (Wikipedia).
Mersey Railway (Wikipedia).
The Wirral Railway (Wikipedia).
Wirral Railway ('Railway Magazine' articles).
'Railscot' Chester and Birkenhead.

Related posts in this blog

Early Days of the Mersey Railway.
Birkenhead and New Brighton by train (Part 1)
Birkenhead and New Brighton by train (Part 2)
Birkenhead and New Brighton by train (Part 3)

My pictures

North Wales Line (Crewe - Llandudno).
Merseyrail.
Birkenhead and its Docks.

Birkenhead and New Brighton by train (Part 3)

Introduction

In Part 1, I described my journey to Birkenhead's Hamilton Square station by train on the 8th February 2014.

In Part 2, I described my exploration on foot around Birkenhead's docks.

In this part, I'll describe re-visiting New Brighton.

My first visit to New Brighton

I think I was seven or eight when I made my first visit to New Brighton with my mother and father for a few days holiday. I thought it was marvellous. Despite its proximity to Liverpool with its docks, it was a 'proper seaside' with an excellent sandy beach, promenades, a lighthouse, a pier (from where it was possible to sail to Liverpool by Mersey Ferry) and an amusement park with a real steam miniature railway.

Tommy Mann's railway ran at New Brighton from 1948 to 1965. The pier and ferry landing stage can be seen in the background (Photo: 'Reflections').

We stayed in a boarding house which I think was towards Wallasey. A guest there during our visit was Billy Scott Coomber. I knew nothing of his fame as a singer and musician both in his own right and with the Jack Payne Orchestra but he was a very kindly, humorous man who made mealtimes at the hotel very jolly.

Brief railway history

The Wirral Railway was incorporated in 1862 as the Hoylake Railway, finally becoming the Wirral Railway in 1882. It comprised the line from Birkenhead Park (where it made an end-on connection with the Mersey Railway line from Hamilton Square) through Birkenhead North to a triangular junction east of Bidston Station. One branch continued via Bidston Station (where a branch from Wrexham joined) to West Kirby, the other branch went on to New Brighton, with a second triangular junction serving a branch to Seacombe, which had a ferry service to Liverpool. There's a short Wikipedia article here. At the grouping, the line became part of the L.M.S., continuing to use steam locomotives until electrification at 650v d.c. third rail in 1938. Metro-Cammell and Birmingham Railway Carriage and Wagon built the successful 3-car Electric Multiple Units (classified by British Railways as Class 503). For a time, the new trains worked alongside earlier Mersey Railway units until they were replaced. In 1985, the Class 503 were, in turn, replaced by Class 507 and Class 508 units which handle the services now.

By train to New Brighton

There are a number of stations on the line to New Brighton from the junction with the Rock Ferry line at Hamilton Square:-

Hamilton Square
Conway Park
Birkenhead Park
Birkenhead North
Wallasey Village
Wallasey Grove Road

My walking tour of the docks took me from Hamilton Square to Birkenhead North where I intended to catch the first train to either West Kirby or New Brighton. In common with other Wirral Railway stations, Birkenhead North is provided with neat, brick buildings. It's currently undergoing a major rebuilding - the original footbridge has been demolished to allow a modern replacement to be constructed and, in the meantime, a temporary affair has been erected at the Bidston end of the station.

Birkenhead North Station, viewed from the temporary footbridge.

The first train was for New Brighton and we were soon curving to the right, away from the West Kirby Line, and passing the modern maintenance depot which handles all the rolling stock on the Merseyrail network.

Birkenhead North Traction and Rolling Stock Maintenance Depot.

I could just make out the overgrown remains of the junction which originally led to Seacombe and the iron ore sidings (which received foreign ore by ship which was sent by rail to the steelmaking plant at Shotton). We made a brief stop first at Wallasey Village Station and then, just a quarter of a mile further on, at Wallasey Grove Road Station. The rain was sluicing down the windows as we travelled the final mile and a half to the terminus at New Brighton. It was still raining as I crossed the road to admire the station frontage.

New Brighton Station Building from the road.

The station sits on a hill at the back of the town, in a residential area of dignified early 20th-century development. I look the steep road leading down to the promenade where there was a large, well-filled car park. As I reached the bottom of the hill, I discovered a large block of modern buildings on my right - a Morrisons Supermarket, Travelodge Hotel and various other restaurants. I don't think this retail park was there on my last visit. I suffered the same lack of recognition I experienced on my December trip to Morecambe and Heysham (described here) on discovering the modern retail park on the front at Morecambe. At New Brighton, I had a similar sense of alienation looking out to sea, as the view took in the offshore wind turbines of the Burbo Bank Array.

The Burbo Bank Array.

It was only a few weeks previously that I had been reminded of the extent of the wind farm industry on my trip to Holyhead (described here).


Click for larger view
Map showing the Burbo Bank Array and other offshore wind farms.

It was raining and blowing a gale but the beach still looked inviting. I took a picture from the sands showing the older part of the town.

New Brighton: View of the town from the beach.

Looking across the Mersey estuary, you can still see Liverpool and its docks. When I was young, that was a bonus. Living inland, I rarely saw big ships and the beach at New Brighton offered unrivalled views of the almost continuous parade of ships of all kinds. The lighthouse at Fort Perch Rock was an important navigational mark but, with the advent of shipborne radar, it was taken out of use. It still stands proudly on the beach.

Fort Perch Rock Lighthouse.

I decided to walk back to the railway station before I became too wet, too cold or too tired to make the journey. I caught the next departure, alighting at Hamilton Square. I explored the underground passages connecting the station's three platforms for a few minutes whilst waiting for the next train towards Rock Ferry. The next service was for Ellesmere Port - I took this train to Hooton and spent a few minutes taking pictures whilst waiting for the following train which was for Chester. After a short wait at Chester, there was a 2-car diesel to Crewe out of bay platform 1. Finally, at Crewe I caught a London Midland Liverpool-Birmingham 4-car Electric Multiple Unit for the last leg by rail back to Wolverhampton.

My day was very enjoyable, despite arriving home tired and a little bedraggled.

Related articles on other sites

Reflections (features a host of historical pictures).
The New Brighton History Site.

Related posts in this blog

Birkenhead and New Brighton by train (Part 1)
Birkenhead and New Brighton by train (Part 2)

My pictures

Merseyrail.
New Brighton.
North Wales Line (Crewe - Llandudno).

Birkenhead and New Brighton by train (Part 2)

On foot around Birkenhead's Docks

Introduction

In Part 1, I described my journey to Birkenhead's Hamilton Square station by train.

Over the years, I'd seen Birkenhead Docks from various viewpoints, but I'd never really studied them. I'm afraid I rather saw them as a 'poor relation' to Liverpool Docks (see my posts Liverpool and The Mersey Docks and Harbour Board). Clearly, I'd left it years too late (and the weather on the day of my visit was deteriorating) but I was determined to see what was left.

The design of Birkenhead's Docks is quite different from Liverpool's Docks. Wallasey Pool was a natural Tidal Inlet which was enclosed to create the docks. After the creation of the earlier, smaller docks, the Great Float was constructed between 1851 and 1860 producing over four miles of quays. The massive construction project overwhelmed the Birkenhead Dock Company and in 1858 the business was taken over by the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board (just across the water). The Great Float was divided into two by a road and rail bridge over the passage for ships. The two parts were named Great West Float and Great East Float. Today, these two bodies of water are simply called West Float and East Float but they still total 110 acres of water. See the Wikipedia article here. The usual tangle of dock railways was developed to serve this complex, as shown on the 1913 Railway Clearing House Plan of Birkenhead Docks below.

Click here for larger image.
Railway Clearing House Plan of Birkenhead Docks 1913.

Before my trip I (correctly) concluded that very little of the dock railway would have survived but I also had another target in view. Ever since I first spotted Scherzer Rolling Lift Bridges in Liverpool's Docks, they've had a fascination for me. The functional design seemed elegant compared with the traditional Bascule Bridge (London's Tower Bridge is probably the best known example). I hoped to look at three Scherzer Rolling Lift Bridges in my perambulation around the docks and, despite the weather, that's what I did.

Hamilton Square Station

I emerged from Hamilton Square Station into a cold, grey morning with rain spitting. I crossed the road to take a picture of the station building with its distinctive tower. It was over 60 years ago when I first saw it, from a Mersey Ferry approaching Woodside Landing stage. Then, as now, the side of the tower facing the river carried the simple slogan: 'HAMILTON SQUARE STATION - FREQUENT ELECTRIC TRAINS'. I'm still impressed.


Hamilton Square Station.

I set off along Canning Street, passing the rather handsome Cheshire Lines Committee building which I presume was originally Shore Road Goods Depot, now converted into business units.

Egerton Bridge

Eventually, I came to Egerton Bridge,the first of the Scherzer Rolling Lift Bridges on my list. This bridges the passage between Egerton Dock and Morpeth Dock. Wikipedia describe Egerton Dock here and dates the present bridge to 1928-1931, replacing an earlier swing bridge. Although the bridge was reputedly restored in 1995, it doesn't appear capable of use, nor is it needed as the other exits from both Edgerton Dock and Morpeth Dock have been filled in, leaving an isolated body of water.

Egerton Bridge, a Scherzer Rolling Lift type.

Set in the quay, I did find an interesting winch. I can only guess that this may have been part of the mechanism for turning the original swing bridge. The cast side plates are dated and named, but I can't make out the short word after 'DAGLISH'. There were two Robert Daglish, father and son. The son was perhaps the better known - see the Wikipedia article here, but I rather think the hard-to-read word is an abbreviation of 'SENIOR'. Needless to say, the ugly mesh covers are a modern addition.

Egerton Bridge: Winch marked 'TRUSTEES OF BIRKENHEAD DOCKS 1850' and 'DAGLISH ... ST HELENS FOUNDRY'

The Central Hydraulic Tower

I retraced my route to the junction where Canning Street becomes Tower Road and followed Tower Road as it turned north to cross the filled-in entrance to Edgerton Dock, pass over what appears to be a fixed bridge and arrived at the building (on the left) which gave the road its name. This is the Central Hydraulic Tower and Engine House completed 1863 which provided power for the lock gates and bridges. It was designed by the remarkable Jesse Hartley (1780 - 1860) who, as Dock Engineer, was responsible for the design and execution of most of Liverpool's docks. Certainly the architectural style is pure Hartley, giving the appearance of an Italian palace (the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence is credited as inspiration). The building was badly damaged by bombing in the Second World War, giving rise to large expanses of modern, undecorated brickwork. The building is now disused and in poor condition.


A Palazzo in Birkenhead: The Central Hydraulic Tower.

Stena Line 12 Quays Terminal

The road access to Stena Line's 12 Quays Terminal is opposite the Central Hydraulic Tower. The old Wallesey Dock has been filled in and is now a huge lorry and car park for vehicles using the Liverpool - Belfast ferry service. The ferries berth in the River Mersey. Ferries MS 'Stena Lagan' and MS 'Stena Mersey' make the crossing in eight hours.

View of Stena Line's Belfast Ferry Port from Edgerton Bridge with the 'Three Graces' and Liverpool Museum in the background.

Tower Road Bridge

This large rolling lift bridge retains flashing lights and lifting barriers on the approach road either side and must be in occasional use. It bridges the 100 foot wide channel which is now the only route between the River Mersey and the Float. Tower Road Lifting Bridge.

Canning Street Signal Box

Again, I retraced my route to the junction with Rendel Street, which I knew was crossed by the double-track main dock line at a level crossing. In steam days, freight from the L.M.S. - G.W.R. joint line for the docks passed through Haymarket Tunnel and was split between Canning Street North and Canning Street South at Brook Street signal box. I found the remains of Canning Street North signal box, with serious fire damage, next to the former level crossing which had been covered with tarmac. As befits a dock line, the gates were hand worked, made of metal. It must have once been a busy place, because the skeleton of a pedestrian overbridge still crossed the double track.

A fuzzy view of the rear of Canning Street North signal box.

The former level crossing at Canning Street North and pedestrian overbridge,

Duke Street Bridge

I turned west onto Corporation Road, separated from the dock estate by a tall, old dock wall. All the old dock buildings had been removed, replaced by large modern factory and warehouse buildings still in use. Having walked the length of the Eat Float, I turned north onto Duke Street with its large rolling lift bridge across the 100 foot wide channel which divides the West and East Floats. Again, this bridge sees occasional use. Despite the poor weather, I managed a few photographs.

Duke Street Bridge towers over a single deck bus.

I found Mersey Ferries 'Royal Iris' and 'Royal Daffodil' laid-up, presumably during 'low season', in the East Float adjacent to Duke Street Bridge.

Mersey Ferries 'Royal Iris' and 'Royal Daffodil' adjacent to Duke Street Bridge.

At the north end of the bridge, I was surprised and pleased to find a cafe. There was just time for a snack before they closed (half past twelve on a Saturday, apparently).

The appropriately-named 'Bridge Cafe'.

Just at the south end of the bridge, there were a pair of Canada geese resting on the quay. Then didn't object when I went to photograph a wagon turntable in surprisingly good condition.

Wagon Turntable adjacent to Duke Street Bridge.

Bidston Graving Docks

I made my way back to Corporation Road and continued walking west. The dock wall had finished and the double track dock line no ran along the verge of the road, very overgrown. I turned into Beaufort Road where the dock area on the right has been cleared, probably as part of the West Float Remediation Project. This is part of very ambitious schemes by Wirral Waters and the Peel Group but there wasn't much sign of recent progress. I was surprised to find that the dock railway lines here were flat bottom but they'd been torn up in places, as if some giant had tired of his toy trains and ripped up the tracks. All a bit puzzling. There were once three graving docks here but I think only number 3 survives. This is part of the Cammell Laird ship repair site. Three ships could be seen:-

'Gold Rover': Small fleet tanker of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary Service. Information on Wikipedia here or on the Royal Navy site here.

'Fort Rosalie': Fleet replenishment ship of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary Service. Information on Wikipedia here or on the Royal Navy site here.

'Key Fighter': Oil/Chemical tanker, probably loading/discharging at the tank farm on the North Quay. Some information here.

Cammell Laird's yard in the West Float showing (l to r) 'Gold Rover, 'Fort Rosalie' and 'Key Fighter'.

There is a modern swing bridge in Wallesey Bridge Road but I didn't inspect it. It divided the West Float from Wallesey Pool but Wallesey Pool has been filled in so the bridge is no longer operational.

It was still raining intermittently, so I was happy to make my way across to Birkenhead North Station for a trip to New Brighton, described here.

Related articles on other sites

Scherzer Rolling Lift Bridges (1906 catalogue).
Cammell Laird
Robert Daglish
Jesse Hartley
The Great Float.

Related posts in this blog

Birkenhead and New Brighton by train (Part 1)
Birkenhead and New Brighton by train (Part 3)

My pictures

Merseyrail.
Birkenhead and its Docks.