Forums Forums Wirral History : Chasing the Past Wirral History Abandonded train station @ Singleton Avenue

The solid line on the map from Rock Ferry through to Bidston will be the dock branch, which apart from some bits of stolen rail, is still in situ.
Birkenhead Town station was at the mouth of Woodside Tunnel & closed approx. 1941.

Bob.

The dock branch is shown coming off the line to Bidston, & crossing the Four Bridges. That line from Town Station (not shown on the map, closed 1945) to Bidston, via Park Station, also not shown, is as ficticious as the triangle off the Wrexham-Bidston line.

Here's a map showing Town Station. The right hand of the two tunnels ran under Lower Ivy St. to Monks' Ferry. The left hand tunnel ran under Chester St. to Woodside. The map shows the Dock Branch lines, which left the main line just before Town Station. Town Station closed in 1945.

i wonder...looking at where the line comes off (heading over bridges etc) seems to be near park station. In the tunnel, as you head towards liverpool, on the left had side, the tunnel seems to widen (almost like a branch joining from the birkenhead direction) - could there have been a line planned from there?? the map also doesnt show the triangle that was at seacombe junction (ie you could go from New brighton to seacombe as well as from Bidston) - just a thought - great map though !

But maps are useless if they're not accurate!

Anyone remember the tiny arched entrance to Town Station in little Grange Road, Which, in the 1950s had a sign over advertising the Abacus Engineering Co.? Presumably they used the Booking Hall and perhaps the yard.
Bri

Yes bri445, I well remember the Abacus Eng.Co. Didn't they have a windvane over the entrance in the form of an early locomotive? When the outbound buses stopped at the stop outside Sturlas store, the Abacus "entrance" was right across the road. All this before they messed up the Haymarket area with the new tunnel approach roads.

Thanks for energising another couple of brain cells in the memory dept. bri !!

I had an uncle who lived in Back St Anne Street, we used to listen to the trains going under the house, and things shook. Not that there was much to shake.I think a bit more research is required before something is discarded as not being a fact.This would be around 1954, and is a fact

By an amazing co-incidence I found a photo of the front of the building, while looking for a Well Lane school photo.
(This is from 'The Spire is Rising' by D M Harden, Countyvise, 1983.)

I must be running out of brain cells because I'd completely forgotten the engine wind vane, which was what would have caught my eye when passing in the No.50 or 58! It doesn't show in the photo, alas.

But note the spelling, over the door. What's that about?!
Bri

Good find

i believe there is a picture of the wind vane in an old rail magazine dating from 1967, i have it somewhere when i find i'll scan it in

Hi, can you place Back St Anne St. please?

Aabacus - a lot of firms use multiple "A"s at the beginning of their name to get it first in directories and so on.

Good point! That's probably it.
Bri

between Vittoria and Cathcart streets
st ANNE and Beckwith streets
on the 1911 Godfrey map

Thanks, Derek; found it.