Not exactly Wirral, but many of you will remember getting the train home from James Street. There is no date on this photo, but it looks like 1940s/50s to me

The photo would be from the late 50's. They upgraded the lighting over the platforms to flourescent tubes when they scrapped the original Westinghouse cars. They wanted to get rid of the old image. Prior to the flourescents, it was just bare bulbs. When the lighting was upgraded, they did away with the original wooden platforms too. Maybe a good idea!

As an aside, up until the Loop/Link schemes, the insulator pots in James Street were always shiny white (as the photo shows)instead of the usual stained crud finish. A trackman with good housekeeping skills obviously gave them a wipe over regularly - when the juice was off one hopes!

Keep the old pics coming pablo - much appreciated !!

Nice bit of info Pinzgauer, I love it when folk add some info to the pictures

Old frontage of James Street Station. This replaced the original building destroyed during the war

James street 1973

James Street station. No date on this

A nice colour photo of James Street 1973

Another one of the post-WW2 building - date is 1948 I think.

Nice pictures chaps, has anyone got any photos of the actual building (Construction) of the likes of the James street, Hamilton Square,Moorfields stations? One thing that strikes me is all the rooms with Yellow doors as you go down the escailators today, they have light on in these rooms as if they are offices! Anyone know if they are escape tunnels or maybe electrical switchrooms or maybe they are offices?

Does anyone have a picture of the original James Street Station before it was bombed by our german cousins?

Yes I do Stegga, I'll root it out

I don't understand what you are looking for Nigel. Are you looking for new photos or old ones?

Old ones please! Taken during the building of the station.

I'll see what I've got Nigel

I had forgotten about the indicators listing the destinations. Nice to see them again. great picture Pablo !

Those indicator boards were in service for decades. Brilliant they were too. Simple switching connected with the automatic signalling. Not a lot to go wrong. To my knowledge, since the Loop/Link upgrades, there have been at least three different types of board. The mechanical flip-over type followed by dot matrix thingies. We'll see how long these highly expensive and sophisticated electronicrap things last !!

I noticed on the undated photo that we have not one but two 'third rails'. Here, as with the Overhead railway and a lot of London Underground, the power rail was laid central to the two running rails. As the outer power rail exsists as well, this must date it during a transition period of the rolloing stock - but I don't know when (yet).

When electrified in 1903 it was on the 4 rail system. Outer rail was positive, centre rail negative return. Centre neg. rail removed when the original Westinghouse cars were withdrawn in 1956. Since then it's been outer positive rail and running rails provide the negative return.

When the LMS electrified the Wirral Lines in 1936 they used the 3 rail system. There was a changeover system over at B'head North from 3 to 4 rail and vice versa for through running over the Mersey lines. (Earthing the frames of the cars or centre shoes)

Yes, the L.O.R. was centre positive until they wanted through running with L&Y Railway. They then changed to outer positive rail with neg. running rails.

Ive got a copy of the builder's specification for the construction of Hamilton Square station, dated November 1884. There are no drawings or photos unfortunately.
This is within a book of specifications & costings, previously the property of C.D. Fox , the principal engineer & director of the company.

Bob.

Is that scanable Bob or is it too big ? It would be great to see if at all possible. Have studied the history of the Mersey Railway for years, but never seen any builders specs.

Wasn't loco No.6 named "Fox" ??

It's a very delicate bound book. I could try it on our large scanner in work.

It also contains :-
The board of Trade letter authorising the opening of the line
Quotes for boilers & pumping engines
Full spec & side elevation plan for coaches
Hand written specs for both types of steam locos.
Signal specs & prices
Guibal fan specs

That would be great if you do it WITHOUT damaging the book. I presume the Guibal fan was the one at the fan house in Hamilton Street?

Thanks Pablo42.

The old electric departure indicators from the Mersey Railway stations made their way to the British Railways Collectors' Corner shop which was located near Euston Station.

I remember seeing them for sale in the mid 70s. Wouldn't have minded one but I was still at school and I think they wanted a fair bit for them.

Presumably they were sold and lurk in someone collection. I did buy an enamel electric live rail warning sign though. However, sold it over 10 years ago now - wish I hadn't!