Forums Forums Wirral History : Chasing the Past History Information Request Borough Rd Tunnel

I have a bit of a problem. So I will start at the start: I was born in 12 Dingle Rd which runs parralel to Borough Rd opposite Christ Church Claughton Primary School. Number 14 was attached to our house and next to number 14 was a vacant block of land. This block was directly opposite Beech Rd were it met Dingle Rd like a T intersection. From a very early age I can remember that the kerb and guttering at the front on Dingle Rd curved into this block(we will call number 16) just like a normal road would. So while I was perusing some old maps(forgotten which) I noticed that on one of them it had "Tunnel" just were number 16 was(there is a house there now). So I presumed that the tunnel went as the extention of Beech Rd to join Borough Rd about where Brattan Rd meets Borough Rd now. So I just thought if anybody was looking at old maps maybe they could keep an eye open for Tunnels like this one. I will keep looking and get back when I find anything.

got a map of it mate?

There are some very interesting shapes on the 1910 Tithe map at this address.
http://maps.cheshire.gov.uk/tithemaps/TwinMaps.aspx?township=EDT_404-2

I am really baffled by this at this address it shows a "dotted Line" running down Beech Rd through number 16 and out into Borough Rd.

http://maps.cheshire.gov.uk/tithemaps/TwinMaps.aspx?township=EDT_404-2

No, I am busily checking all my map links for it.

OK you can all relax I found a map http://www.british-history.ac.uk/ma...6&zm=1&czm=1&x=283&y=308 that shows UND with some lines and an arrow. So there was definately some sort of tunnel from the intersection of Beech and Dingle Rd. The question now is "Why in around 1876 would they dig a tunnel, to a road that was barely a line on a map". With all the knowledge we have on this site, please help me sort it.

Und - Short for "Undefined". Relates to an undefined boundary. Maybe in this case a Ward boundary. I've seen this before on large scale maps. I'm assuming that this is the same.

This is a handy site and will explain "Und"

http:/www.promap.co.uk/promap/historical_legends.jsp

Click on "National Grid 1:2,500 scale".

Page 2 of the pdf doc "Examples of Boundary Mereings" tells it all

Hope this helps.

I always knew that und. meand undefined on a map, but i think it also relates to roads. I have a layby opposite my house that goes onto wasteground, never built on since the road (cul-de-sac) was constructed. I have the deeds for the house and maps of my surrounding area dating back to about 1900. On the plan for my road, the layby is marked as undefined, but also "never to be built on"!
Originally, i think the plan was to construct another road the same running parallel to mine and this was to be a joining road! never done, "new" road was left as allotments then nursing home built! Layby and wasteland stil cant be bult on tho!!

Thanks for that link, Pinz.
Here's a map from 1912/13 which shows the area. the Ward boundary runs down the middle of Beech Rd. then continues in an undefined, but nominally straight, line to a defined point in Borough Rd.
The map shows the curve of the kerb that mindplayer mentioned, so it looks as if the intention was to continue Beech Rd. down to Borough Rd. A problem with this is that on that line it was either very steep, or there was a quarry there (where the petrol station is now). It would be interesting if mindplayer can find the map which shows the tunnel.
Incidentally, the word "mereing" is just a technical term for surveying.

TUNNELS yerr

Und short for undefined boundary. Thanks Pinz. Anyway I am still looking. But something interesting Chris said about Quarries?? If were the servo is, was a quarry it may explain why a tunnel was needed. Because to get up to Dingle, Beech and Milton it was very steep. Mmmm, just another puzzle. Anybody know how I go about finding quarries???

I'm pretty sure that it was a quarry (Petrol Station Site). Moons ago part or all of it was a scrap yard. The back wall had been quarried away.

I would have thought they would have accessed the quarry direct from Borough Road ? Can't really see the need to bore a tunnel there.

On a slightly different tack .... think of the quarry before the scrapyard/petrol station. Sharply rising ground behind, solid sandstone, deep cover, Tranmere, Bidston, wartime ??? Surely not ????

Thats correct pinzgauer the garage did have a scrap yard attached to it and when i think back the back wall of the scrap yard was a cliff /quarry type wall .Not been up that way for a while but strangely i am going up that way tomorrow so i will try to get a look at what it is now,there was a fire a couple of years ago at the scrap yard so i am not too sure if its still a scrap yard

Good man jonno.