This is interesting: a postcard showing the roadway paved with the cast iron setts, but not in the pattern shown in the earlier picture in this thread and the setts appear to be rectangular. Is this really a photo, as indicated, or is it a drawing? eBay item number:291640244654
This is interesting: a postcard showing the roadway paved with the cast iron setts, but not in the pattern shown in the earlier picture in this thread and the setts appear to be rectangular. Is this really a photo, as indicated, or is it a drawing? eBay item number:291640244654
Drawing me finks.
God help us, Come yourself, Don't send Jesus, This is no place for children.
Would that be 'Bomb Disposal Unit', given the reference to explosives?
Now, winding back a few days - a reference to the trams. From 'A History of Crosville Motor Services' (R.C. Anderson, 1981)
"The Mersey Tunnel was constructed in tubular form with the roadway cutting through the centre axis of the tube making an upper and lower section, with the intention that trams should run through the lower section. It was largely due to the fact that Liverpool was still developing its tramway system in 1935 when the tunnel was completed, while Birkenhead was scrapping its trams, that this through operation never came to pass. Long arguments were going on right up to the outbreak of war in 1939 between the corporations of Liverpool, Birkenhead and Wallasey, with the Mersey Railway as a critically interested third party. It was because of these arguments that the opposition to the Crosville application was so strong, and that no bus service, even municipal, ran through the tunnel until the advent of the PTE, apart from an emergency service during World War II when the ferries were temporarily closed. However, a bus service did connect Liverpool and Birkenhead as early as 20 September, 1909 when the Great Western Railway’s road motor department introduced a service between Liverpool and Birkenhead (Woodside) GWR railway stations. Three buses were used, and besides calling at various fixed points in Liverpool (as per printed timetable) arrangements could be made to pick-up groups at a pre-arranged originating points. Buses were conveyed across the River Mersey on the luggage ferry boat. The service was not considered successful and it was withdrawn in December 1909."
n.b. Crosville was an old established bus company based in Chester, providing services on Wirral, Liverpool, North and Mid-Wales, Runcorn and Warrington. It had been part of the Tilling group and therefore had integrated links with the likes of Ribble and other bus operating companies in other parts of the country, all of which became part of NBC (National Bus Company). The most visible aspect of this (in later years) was that their buses were either National Leaf Green or Poppy Red (with a white band), while the coaches were all white. The Group was too large and successful for the Government of the 1980's and like many others, was split-up by Act of Parliament. Through a series of changes, the former Crosville Rock Ferry Depot is now a Stagecoach one, but it was from here that the Liverpool to London X1 overnight express services coaches began their evening run.
Thanks, Norton; of course, now you mention it, Birkenhead's trams were finished altogether in 1937, although the process had started much earlier. Oh, and thanks for the translation of B.D.U.
Fake, Photo or Creative artwork? (Answers on a postcard - a real photograph one, naturally.)
I refer of course, to the picture in a previous reply used to demonstrate the metal tiles of the roadway. I think it could have been derived from the one attached (below) which is obviously just before it opened to traffic.
I'm not sure if I remember them all the way through, but certainly at the mouth of the tunnel there is a drain channel running across. They are like a series of cast iron covers with little squares on the top, just like the tiles were, but with a drainage slot in the top. Usually there is a loose one or a sunken one to let you know the change of surface.
Naturally, it is quite possible that they were replaced during a resurfacing, but I seem to think that that was the boundary. Also, I suspect that resurfacing has taken place about every 25 years. I've got mental pointers to these dates, but I'd say 1958, 1983 & 2008 - something like that. Note that the section from the toll booths to the tunnel mouth grating was not done until a couple of years after the last general resurfacing.
On each resurfacing, the double white line and rumble strip has been of a different design and spacing, so that might be a clue when looking at old photographs.
I'm sure that when I used to occasionally cycle through the tunnel in the early 50's that the surface was tarmac: those cast iron setts would have been lethal to a bike.
Purchased the book "The Story Of The Mersey Tunnel - Officially Named Queensway" There was a sign in bookshop window saying "Back in 5 Minutes" After waiting 10 minutes and still not returned I decided to get in my car and search for a phone number for the shop but could not find one. Was looking on his amazon page and found this review on the book I take it that was you Chris? "The Bible" hahaha, I like it https://www.amazon.co.uk/Story-Mersey-Tunnel-Officially-Queensway/dp/B005E9K73M#customerReviews £11.95, a bargain and in excellent condition (like new)
