Forums Forums Wirral History : Chasing the Past Wirral Now and Then Woodside Cottage

I came across this old photo of Woodside Cottage.
I've no idea when it was taken but my question is where was it taken ?

Woodside Cottage was the old Storeton Tramway crossing keeper's house. It stood where the tramway crossed Rest Hill Road.

Give that man a cigar

Anyone have an idea when the photo was taken ?

As a child, I remember it as a ruin. Roof and top storey missing. That would be the mid/late '50's. So photo obviously taken sometime before then. Maybe someone else can chime in with an accurate date and get a cigar too !!

The last truck passed that way in 1905. I can't tell from the picture whether the doorway has been blocked up; if it has, then the photo is later than that. The cottage was reduced to rubble in the early 1960's,(according to R.C.Jermy's book, The Storeton Tramway). I remember it being in reasonable condition in the late 1940's.

Thanks Guys.
I would assume that the tramway ran between the two sandstone posts ?
If that's the case, the rather makeshift barbed wire fence between the posts would seem to indicate that trams had finished operating.
Playing with the contrast in Photoshop shows the door to be intact.
I wonder what the numbers carved on the left hand gatepost signified ?
I know there's at least one gatepost still standing.

Correct about where the trains ran. Correct deduction re. barbed wire, therefore post 1905.
I remember when the rails across the road were still visible (early 1950's)

There was a small section, about 18", of rail still protruding through the edge of the tarmac when I left Birkenhead. That was is 1977. It was on the far side of the road, opposite the site of Woodside Cottage. Maybe under more layers of tarmac by now - or it's been "lifted" ??

Chris... Being a member of the Friends of Storeton Woods, have you any idea where that display length of fish bellied tram rail in the woods is from ? Maybe it was dug up from the crossing ? Just a thought.

That seems possible. My guess is that at some time the whole road bed was taken up & re-laid. Maybe someone up there could go & see if there's still a level section in the quite steep hill where the line crossed. HINT HINT

I'm taking my dog to the woods later today so it's no bother to take a few pics.

Here's a lovely sketch of the cottage by Peter Westley, used on the back of the book "The Storeton Tramway" by R.C.Jermy. He's captured the feel of those Scots pines beautifully.

I managed to get to the woods about 5pm.
The right hand gatepost, as you can see is still standing.
The Scots Pines have long gone though........








There's no sign of the original tracks on the other side of the road.Possibly concreted over ?





The display length of fish bellied tram rail in the woods is at the far end of the old tram path (from the Rest Hill end) on the right hand side.





Finally a couple of pics of the display.

Thanks for posting your pics Stranger. Notice the horizontal light coloured band on the gatepost has remained all these years. I wonder if that was under a metal strap for the original gate hinges ?

I suppose that's possible though if you look closely at the pic of the gatepost you can see the original gudgeon, almost covered with ivy, set into the sandstone.

Good Pics