Forums Forums Wirral History : Chasing the Past Wirral History Birkenhead Sewerage

Great stuff. Finally some definitive info.
And to think this all started with a 2 line reference in the book "Sidelights on Tranmere".

Your excellent work MrG65 has answered a lot of questions and put some hard facts on a lot of theories about the sewer layout. Many thanks again !

Due to the depths involved, I would think a lot it would be driven tunnel as opposed to cut & cover. Driving a heading through sandstone (?) only 51" dia. must have been good for the back !!

Extracts from "Civil Engineer" or similar from time of construction might throw some light on the tunnelling techniques (an unhealthy interest of mine!).

A few folk on here owe you a pint sir !

Can you post the information you have on the Great Culvert please?

From what little I know about this, it could be one of the wonders of Birkenhead, comparable to Hamilton Square even! I would love to see photographs of it if any exist.

I'll put the Great Culvert Report up in a new thread in the near future - bit of typing for me to do.................

I did say I'd put the third and final part of the Report forming the earlier bulk of this thread up, for completeness. I can't seem to post the information in a table format, so it'll have to go up as a clump of text.

Ok, here's the final part of the Report, dealing with a forward programme of Borough-wide improvement works. Probably not as interesting as the first two parts, and posted for completeness.

The first cost given for each item is the total estimated cost; the second is the Corporations estimated approximate liability. It all looks better and much more readable in tables.

--------------------------------------

PROSPECTIVE COMMITMENTS FOR NEXT FIVE YEARS.

With regard to the Corporation’s commitments for schemes of work in hand or in contemplation, I submit herewith a schedule of the works which have been commenced and are being carried out under my supervision, and also of works upon which I have reported (with or without estimates) to the various Committees concerned.

ROAD & IMPROVEMENT COMMITTEE.

FIVE YEARS’ PROGRAMME OF WORKS ON CLASSIFIED ROADS TOWARDS WHICH THE MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT MAKES GRANTS.

1 Woodchurch Road widening 35,500 15,325
2 Widening Railway Bridge, Woodchurch Rd. 20,000 5,000
3 Old Chester Road widening south of Kings Lane. (Joint Scheme). 10,775 (Corporation’s proportion) 5,510
4 Bebington Road widening 14,700 7,650
5 Chester Street from a point just north of St. Mary’s Gate to the south side of the railway bridge on the easterly side, and on the westerly side from Mason St. and for a short distance into Waterloo Place. 90,000 53,400
(The estimate in connection with item 5 is based on the assumption that the licences of “The Letters” Public House and “The Shakespeare” Hotel can be transferred to other sites, and no amount is included in this estimate for the value of the licences.)
6 Railway Bridge, Chester St. 50,000 12,500
7 Storeton Road. 34,500 21,400
8 Upton – Barnston Road. 31,000 14,200
9 Pensby Road 24,000 13,000
10 Bedford Road 22,000 8,350
11 Hoylake Road 9,000 3,600
12 Boundary Road 25,000 13,250
13 New Chester Road 25,000 10,000
14 Borough Road 6,000 1,500
The estimated total cost of these works is £397,475 of which it is expected £184,685 will be a liability on the Corporation, and it is further anticipated that £20,000 of this expenditure may be incurred in the present financial year, and the remainder spread in equal payments over the succeeding four years.
With the exception of items 1 and 7, none of these works are actually in hand at the present time, but it is expected that a commencement will shortly be made with items 3, 8 and 14.
Total:- 397,475 184,685

FURTHER PROSPECTIVE EXPENDITURE

In addition to the above-mentioned works which the Council have submitted to the Minstry of Transport as their programme for the next five years, the following works are in contemplation without reference to time of completion.

WORKS IN HAND AT PRESENT ON ROADS & TOWARDS THE COST OF WHICH THE MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT OR UNEMPLOYMENT GRANTS COMMITTEE MAKE CONTRIBUTIONS.

15 Borough Road, Reconstruction of carriageway between Prenton Rd. and the Borough boundary. 8,600 5,375
16 Argyle St. South. Paving of carriageway from Helena St. to Hinderton Rd. 900 450
The first three of the following road improvements were included in the Birkenhead Corporation Bill 1930, and most of them will very shortly be put in hand:-
17 Well Lane Improvement 1,600 1,600
18 New Road from Holborn Hill to Thompson St. 660 660
19 Derby Road Improvement 1,250 1,250
20 Further widening of Derby Rd., over land belonging to Public Assistance Comm. 524 524

FURTHER ROAD IMPROVEMENTS ON ROADS FOR WHICH THE NECESSARY LAND OR PROPERTY INVOLVED HAS HAD OR WILL HAVE TO BE ACQUIRED BY NEGOTIATION.

21 Old Chester Rd. from Queen St. to Bebington Road. 70,000 47,500
22 New roads and sewers in development of Royden Estate 20,000 20,000
23 New road opposite Birkenhead Priory (St. Mary’s Gate). 15,000 15,000
24 Prenton Rd. East. 8,700 8,700
25 Prenton Rd. West 6,500 6,500
26 Balls Road 4,500 4,500
27 Fairclough Lane 300 300
28 Bidston Road 5,500 2,800
29 Claughton Rd. 3,000 3,000
30 Sparks Lane, Thingwall 13,000 13,000
31 Church Road 3,000 1,500
32 Greenway Rd. 10,500 10,500
33 Palm Grove (resurfacing) 4,717 2,700

SEWERING WORKS IN RESPECT OF THE COST OF WHICH ASSISTANCE MAY POSSIBLY BE OBTAINED FROM THE UNEMPLOYMENT GRANTS COMM.

34 New sewer in Park Rd. North & Cavendish St. 17,000 10,625
35 Tollemache Rd. Sewer 10,500 6,563
36 St. Paul’s Rd outfall sewer from river to Albany Rd. 85,000 55,125
37 Extension of sewer from Albany Rd. through Victoria Park to Borough Rd. at Temple Rd. 40,000 25,000
These two latter works are fully described in the first part of the report.
38 Reconstruction of defective sewers in old part of Borough between Argyle St. and Duke St. 100,000 100,000
OTHER SEWERS IN RESPECT OF THE COST OF WHICH IT IS NOT EXPECTED ASSISTANCE CAN BE OBTAINED.

39 New sewer from the Upton – Barnston Rd. valley sewer around Thingwall corner to the summit of Pensby Road 5,500 5,500
40 New sewer, Mill Rd. to Upton – Barnston Rd. 2,600 2,600
41 New sewer in Thingwall from Sparks Lane to Pensby Road. 1,100 1,100
42 New sewer to cottages, Thingwall Common adjoining Sanatorium 1,300 1,300


ESTATES & DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE

The erection of 182 houses on the Albany Rd. Estate at a cost of £64,174; 20 tenements between Priory St. and Church St. at a cost of about £9,350, are almost completed, and I am not including these amounts in the total figure.

43 The erection of 308 houses on the Dacre Hill Estate by the Works Department, estimated cost, with streets and sewers (Coporation liability £3.15.0 x 40 years x 308) 116,714 46,200
44 A programme which has been outlined by this Committee for the erection of 5,111 new houses during the next five years, together with the cost of clearing the insanitary areas in the town and providing for the housing of dispossessed tenants, is estimated to cost (Corporation liability £3.15.0 x 40 years x 5111) 2,190,000 766,650

SANITARY COMMITTEE

45 Garage and fitting shop 7,500 7,500

TRAMWAYS COMMITTEE

46 Tram and bus garage at New Ferry (U.G.C. Grant applied for but not yet promised)

To purchase the land 18,500


2,100 11,500


2,100
47 Mess Rooms and Cash Office at Woodside Ferry 1,400 1,400
48 Messroom, Laird St. Depot, nearing completion 4,206 4,206

ELECTRICITY COMMITTEE

49 Transformer Stations, during the next five years
To purchase of sites for –do- 10,000
2,000 10,000
2,000

FINANCE COMMITTEE

50 Provision for administrative staffs which cannot be conveniently housed in the Town Hall at the present time. Purchase of sites for –do- 15,000

2,500 15,000

2,500

M. & C.W. COMMITTEE

51 South End Clinic 7,157 7,157

HEALTH COMMITTEE

52 Extensions to I.D. Hospital at present in hand 9,000 9,000
53 New offices for the Medical Officer of Health and other officials engaged on the medical services of the Borough, including site 25,000 25,000

MARKETS & BATHS COMMITTEE

54 South End Baths (U.G.C. grant applied for but not yet promised) 47,500 30,000
55 Weights & Measures Offices at the Rendel St. Entrance to the Tunnel. 3,600 3,600

PARKS & CEMETERY COMMITTEE

56 Layout of Arrowe Park which is being carried out in conjunction with the Parks Superintendent 37,539 37,539
57 Layout and fencing to Cemetery at Landican and erection of Chapel and Registrar’s lodge, including cost of land 46,000 46,000

WATCH COMMITTEE

58 Alterations to Bridewell at Sessions Court 1,560 1,560
59 Extensions to Central Fire Station and the provision of a new Branch Station at the South end of the Borough 23,000 23,000

EDUCATION COMMITTEE

60 A programme of new schools and additions and alterations to existing schools which are in hand at the present time and which it is hoped to complete within three years, comprises 10 new schools and extensions and alterations to six existing schools estimated to cost:- 360,000 180,000
61 Purchase of sites yet to be obtained for above, including Alpha Drive, Bedford Drive, Hemingford St. Brett St. but exclusive of lands now belonging to the Corporation 70,000 35,000

LIBRARIES COMMITTEE

I have not included the cost of the new Central Library towards the cost of which the Corporation should have a sum approaching £60,000, before building actually takes place.

Totals 3,839,002 1,791,730

The above-mentioned items comprise work which I have in hand in varying stages between the preparation of the preliminary designs and the supervision of the construction and completion.
The total cost of the works is about £3,839,002, which, after deducting the grants which may be received from the Minsitry of Transport, the Board of Education, the Unemployment Grants Committee, or other sources, leaves a liability on the Corporation of £1,791,730.
These totals, however, do not include the cost of the following works for which the total capital expenditure cannot at present be conveniently or accurately estimated.

TOWN PLANNING

On Town Planning an expenditure of something between £1,000 and £5,000 per annum will be incurred in connection with works which will arise out of the promotion and carrying out of a Town Planning Scheme, if the scheme be vigorously pursued and brought to fruition. In connection with this expenditure the fact should not, however, be lost sight of that any expenditure on Town Planning at the present time before the development and building up of the undeveloped area is carried out will repay the community very handsomely in the near future.

I have not included expenditure by the Corporation on road-making and other private improvement expenses for which they are liable in front of places of Worship and many other similar items which are generally defrayed out of the annual expenditure on Revenue Account, nor have I included any expenditure which the Corporation may be called upon to bear in conjunction with other authorities for the drainage of the areas tributary to the Birket and Fender Brooks, and for which no definite scheme has yet been submitted, but this is an expenditure which will have to be met in the near future.

I regret that owing to pressure of work in various directions in the Department it has not been possible in the time at my disposal to have plans and sections of certain of the above-mentioned works made, and data obtained, so as to prepare detailed estimates, but probably the estimates are sufficiently close for the Committee’s present purposes.

(SIGNED) R.W. JOHNSTON
Borough Engineer & Surveyor.

----------------------------------

Thanks for all the work you've put in on this. Look forward to learning more about the Great Culvert too.

I'd like to thank you for your work here too. It is quite fascinating. How do you gain access to these documents please?

I am interested in the original sewers mentioned in the town clerk's report. In particular there was a reference to

(f) Outfall No. 6. adjoining Rock Park and draining an area of about 149 acres.

I assume that this would have been interrupted by the subsequent building of the bypass and more recently I imagine it's diverted into the Dell pumping station and thence to the treatment works at Bromborough. I suspect the same thing has happened to the St Paul's road outfall, but I also suspect they they still see occasional use as storm outfall under conditions of heavy rain.

I think part of the original outfall no 6 runs along the foreshore in front of the northern end of Rock park. There is a series of manholes there, and at one point a manhole cover has been replaced with a sheet of steel, which gets thrown off when there is heavy rain - I've seen a river of dilute sewage issuing from it once or twice. The incoming tide floods the tunnel which is several feet in diameter and runs parallel to the shore, then, but Ive no idea where the end of the outfall is. I guess it must be well below low water and probably has a flap valve which allows water to leave it but prevents the tide filling it. Any information on this would be gratefully received.

The St Paul's road outfall can be seen from a small boat - or the ferry when it passes that way - at low tide. It runs below the road leading to the oil terminal and seems to be a pretty large tunnel maybe six feet in diameter.

I look forward to the great culvert report too. Just a thought, by the way, would it be easier to scan the document(s), thereby saving yourself a shedload of typing?

If you want it in typed form, then perhaps interested people here would be prepared to help converting the scanned images? I would certainly happily volunteer to do this if it helps.

Hello Excoriator

It's strange, but the documents were amongst a pile of papers to be thrown out a number of years ago; I just thought they were interesting and rescued them. They've languished in a drawer in my desk for a while until the Tranmere Overflow Sewer issue made me revisit them.

I only have a couple left; the majority, including a letter with a genuine Laird (can't remember which one) signature I sent off to be archived.

The Rock Park outfall was picked up and taken back in the new (mid 1990s) Beaconsfield North Interceptor Sewer (beneath the by-pass) to the Dell and then pumped to treatment. You're right that the St. Paul's outfall is still there. I remember being given access along the Tranmere Oil Terminal jetty to have a look (had to surrender my cigarette lighter for some reason.......... ). I believe it acts as a relief overflow, as does the one at The Dell, where there is a pumping station to take foul flows to treatment.

I suspect that any seawater entering the system on the foreshore at Rock Park is "doing the rounds" and ending up at The Dell, either to be pumped for treatment or discharged back to the river. Either way, a bit of a waste.

As for the Reports and typing them up, I've tried Optical Character Recognition software and the result looked like something from the back side of the Rosetta Stone. Scanning and posting will work of course, but I don't think it's as nice as reading a post directly in a forum. I appreciate the offer for help, but I've already started, and as I touch-type anyway, it's not really so bad.......... bit of music on, pdf on one side of the screen, Word document on the right. I'll get there in a while.

Regards

Mr G65.

I think the remaining part of the Rock Park outfall still operates as an overflow, as I say I've seen a veritable river emerging from a coverless manhole on the beach during heavy rain. I assume it is simultaneously pouring from the exit which is probably below water. I can see no sign of it however.

In better weather it fills with a dramatic whirlpool on the incoming tide (this takes perhaps 20 minutes to complete, through a 2 foot square manhole, so there is a fair volume to be filled) As the tide goes out it empties and the cycle repeats. One can look down into the tunnel when the tide is out which is brick lined I think and it runs parallel to the river wall. One can trace its route along as there are leaks (and i think partial collapses) from which air is expelled as it fills with water. But the trail ends about halfway along the Rock Ferry Esplanade. I don't think there is a connection from this to the Dell pumping station.

Currently the hole is covered with a steel plate - somebody has decided it is potentially dangerous which it cetainly would be if you fell in - but it will be thrown off again next time there is very heavy rain no doubt.

Also about halfway along the Rock Ferry Esplanade is sort of stone 'box' projecting from the wall. This too was covered with a steel plate which has corroded through. there seems to be surface water running through the bottom of this. During rain, one can hear water running through it. This too might be a storm outfall, for again in heavy rain I've seen sewage emerging from it in large quantities. Whether it ends up in the same tunnel I have no idea. I have picked this up thanks to dog-walking, not dedicated examination or research by the way. Twice a day I walk along with dog, rain or shine, and have simply noticed whirlpools and bubbles. Incidentally, the trail of bubbles does a sharp left at the pier end and goes under the wall inland. I suspect it may have originally come from Rock lane or Bedford Road. Rock Lane (East and West) has a characteristic trail of ventilated manholes in the middle of the road. I can't recall if Bedford Road has them for sure, but I think I've seen them there too.

I remember the dell pumping station being built, and apart from its own outfall which involved partly tunnelling and partly cut and cover of three foot diameter concrete pipe down to a portal at low water there was no other interception work done on the beach.

I look forward to reading the stuff on the great culvert in due course though. That must have been quite a project to build!

Regards

Great read guys thanks for Info....

This is drifting away from the original "Birkenhead Sewerage" topic I think, towards your Rock Ferry foreshore posts , but just to respond.

I've mentioned the Beaconsfied North Interceptor Sewer in another thread, Interceptor link which picks up ALL outfalls from St. Paul's Road south up to and including the old Dell outfall. The majority of the outfalls were retained as emergency overflows.

Two old combined sewers come out at Rock Park, under the foreshore for a short distance, then turn at right angles north and south to meet at a point from where the old outfall took flow out into the River. The design to deal with these involved a tunnelled connection back to the main interceptor sewer under the A41.


The Dell outfall acts as an emergency storm overflow, and legislation at the time meant it had to be extended to Mean Low Water Spring Tides.

MrG65

Sorry if I'm diverting your sewerage. I'll happily start a new thread on the Rock Park Sewerage system. Let me know if you would like me to do this.

Are you saying that the tunnel under the foreshore I have seen evidence for has been intercepted and now flows back into the Dell Pumping Station via the A41? I agree that the original sewers were probably intercepted but this is somewhat different. It is the storm overflows I am interested in. Where is this outfall? It seems unlikely from what I know to lead back into the Dell sump.

It is generally possible to see where (relatively) freshwater outfalls are even at high tide. The sewage makes its way to the surface and can be seen at - say - the Dell and Beaconsfield outfalls. Additional evidence is that they often attract the attention of hungry gulls.

The Dell pumping station is supposed to be unmanned. However, it often has a clutch of United Utility vans parked near it, and seems to require considerable attention. I will call in and ask the people there what the connection is. It may well be that you are right and that they are unaware of where the thousands of gallons of seawater they are processing daily is coming from.