This fine aerial photo was used as the frontispiece of the book "Outline plan for the County Borough of Birkenhead". This was commissioned by the Council and published in 1947. More of this book in a separate post.
There are many features in this photo which only the oldest of codgers will recognise; for instance, Town station in the bottom left corner. The tunnel entrance looks complete, but appears to have some curved seating at the left in preparation for the opening.
My question is: what's missing from the picture?

I know I've posted this before, but years ago. I'd ask any of the old codgers who remember it, not to give the answer; give the youngsters a chance.

Used to Enjoy the History forum, reason for joining. But now it seems you need to be a Wiki-Plus member to see attachments & pictures...

Admin Note : This is to protect the work and content of our members whom have contributed so much to the history forum. The work from our members has been taken and renamed and no credit given. Your membership subscription also goes towards keeping our forums online.

Yes, sadly, that's the case but £15 a year isn't much to pay to help keep the site viable.

I looks like there is no Pacific rd ventilation shaft
You can see the entrance to Morpeth dock which is the location of the shaft
Looking at the picture it is quit clear what is no longer there today

Well done, fellow youngster

Well spotted. You might want to revise that last sentence; the whole point is that it is there today.
Although it's at the bottom of Pacific Rd., it's normally called the Woodside shaft.
If you enlarge the picture you can see what looks like a crane jib on the site; maybe they've just started construction.
This is an example of the last minute panic when it was realised that more ventilation, at a cost of over an extra £2 million, was needed.

We know where and what you were referring too, Mikeeb

You might find said picture here:

https://historicengland.org.uk/images-books/archive/collections/aerial-photos/

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/nostalgia/amazing-historic-pictures-taken-above-7278953

I haven't been called that in a long time

When was that picture taken?

I don't know. I've no idea how long it took to build the Woodside ventilation shaft, but as far as I know, the tunnel wasn't opened before it was functioning. It's odd that seating appears to have been installed at the entrance; I wouldn't have expected that unless opening was to be soon after.

That picture appears to be 1934
Here it is from Britain from above, titled: Preparations for the opening of the Queensway Tunnel, Hamilton Square and environs, Birkenhead, 1934
http://www.britainfromabove.org.uk/image/epw045191
If you zoom in on the Woodside shaft location you can clearly make out a crane
Maybe the main shaft was not needed based on 1934 traffic levels
As the estimated traffic built up over years the shaft would be finished
I don't know

Well found: I'd looked on Britain from Above but not found it. According to the annotation, the picture was taken in July 1934 and the tunnel was opened on 18 July, so it was opened before the Woodside shaft was built, as you suggest.
I have the name of a contact in Merseytravel who shoud be able to give more info. but she's away until 22 nd. of August.
Another question arises from the picture; why the big loop from the entrance, via Sidney St., to the Woodside shaft?

Here is another one from July 1934 over the Liverpool shafts
You can see North John st and New Quay shafts completed but Georges dock shaft, although well underway and further along than the Woodside shaft, it is not complete and a lot of work still needed before it is operational
http://www.britainfromabove.org.uk/image/epw045194
This afterthought of more ventilation seems to have not affected the opening of the tunnel
Again I don't know, just guessing

In the last pic. you can see the tram circles between the Three Graces and the pier head, also an Overhead train, just left of the Liver Building.

You can even read the advertisements on it. Walkers Imperial Stout is clear and to the right of the 3 graces on the overhead, Walkers Scotch SELA Whiskey
Here is another one of Georges Dock shaft from July 1934
http://www.britainfromabove.org.uk/image/epw045195

Don't you think that £15 to look at the pictures on the History site is a bit much, with 12000 members £5 per member would probably be better and achieve more money. Rather than a few people paying £15.

"Outline plan for the County Borough of Birkenhead". This was commissioned by the Council and published in 1947

I have the book. Very interesting it is

Snod

Well, there may be 12,000 people who have signed up over the years but I doubt there are more than a couple of hundred active members now. Don't forget, it's not just the History section, pictures on other sections of the site will also be restricted.

Yes, I too have a mint copy, still in its slip case. I'm proposing to post a few excerpts from it, probably tomorrow in a new thread.

Please do Chris
I look forward to it

Funny that the History section were I came to in the first place to help I have to pay to see images, but the for sale section where people are making money from Wiki I can see & post pictures to, somethings a bit skewiff on Wiki if you ask me

It is a shame
The threads do open up with the pictures and story combined
After much deliberation, I paid the £15
The bonus is, we are not bombarded with dodgy adverts to pay for the site

I suppose, the site has go so big now, the cost will rise to host it

I'm guessing that if it didn't, it would pile straight into the railway tunnel at Hamilton Square (which looks to be on a straight line from the Road Tunnel entrance) plus, a winding curve would allow a more gentle gradient to get over the railway and then below the river bed? Just my thoughts.

They had a lot of problems with the acquisition of property
There was going to be one entrance in the garden of the Woodside hotel but was substituted for the 2 entrances at Chester st and Rendel st and it states that they had many problems obtaining property
Maybe the Sidney st ventilation shaft dictated that course for the tunnel

That makes sense: even if they had avoided the rail tunnel, the distance from the entrance to the river would probably be too steep in a straight line.

Not really, as I stated above they was going to just have 1 entrance at the Woodside hotel with no mention of how steep the gradient would be (from that book you recommended Chris)

Yes - as per the red route on the map, but still spiralling to get a decent gradient:

Aah, I see and stand corrected