Forums Forums Wirral History : Chasing the Past History Information Request Gated Roundabouts

wow thats a great piece of research, many thanks for that, you must of been around when the port sunlight fire station was in operation as well.

good health

pace.


As an extra item i believe the rail engine for the new welsh snowdon line comes from india

I left Wirral in the mid '60s and don't actually remember the fire station, but it was/is? behind the library/visitor centre.
Bri

I suppose once you've loaded 4 of 'em and climbed up and down that ladder you don't worry too much about 'Health & Safety'!!

Bri

I used to often play in Victoria Park as a child in the late 50s and early 60s. I recall seeing the large loads pass through the gates in the roundabout at the bottom of Bedford Road. A lot of the very big loads were moved by Pickford's Scammell trucks. I was fascinated enough to join the Scammell Truck club as a young lad which entitled you to a great badge which I have long since lost!

The loads looked similar to the one in the photo here carried on a flatbed from the Vulcan Foundry:

http://www.enuii.org/vulcan_foundry/photographs/colour.htm

This site has some wonderful shots of Scammells through the years:

http://www.heavy-haulage-history.de/pages/main/meilen1929b_e.html

Here are 2 sites of haulage:

http://www.chrisbennett.co.uk/history.htm

http://www.chrishodgephotos.co.uk/funpics/pageww/pageww.htm

While I was searching for pics - I came across a photo of a steam lorry belonging to Criddles of Liverpool who used to operate around Birkenhead. I recall standing at Central Station in the late 50s and seeing one pass:

http://www.igg.org.uk/gansg/00-app1/rt-combk.htm

Some of the trains/engines also arrived by rail from various locations. I used to live in Argyle Street South opposite the old coal yard. Once, I saw carriages destined for the Royal Thai family stabled in the coal yard!

Here is another interesting link about haulage around Merseyside as well as other fascinating details - scroll down the page and download the PDF of his Dad's memories:

http://www.wildies.org.uk/

I find it hard now to believe how busy Birkenhead was when I was a child - 100's coal lorries passing into the coal yard, the traffic jams every day and night into the tunnel - controlled at Central Station by one police officer!, the 24hour rivetting at Cammell Lairds, 100 plus steam engines at Mollington Street engine sheds and the coking plant. Then if you went to the docks it got busier - I loved going on the top deck of the 10 or 11 or 12 especially if it was a yellow Wallasey bus - looking at all the ships and activity!

Cheers

Colin