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Posted By: NEWBOY Abandonded train station @ Singleton Avenue - 29th Jul 2008 2:43pm
Hello,

Aparently there is an abandonded train station underground where singleton avenue meets woodchurch road. From what I heard it was built (Not as an underground t/s) and never used for whatever reason, so they concreted over it.

There is also an underground stream that runs under the road, perhaps this has something to do with it?

Does anybody know anythign about it?
Hmmm i never heard of that but there is a strange looking building there at the junction of singleton / Woody Road. It looks like an old sub station but maybe it was built for something else originally ???
where are we looking here?

[Linked Image]

Map of Singleton Avenue / Woodchurch Road Junction
Posted By: chriskay Re: Abandonded train station @ Singleton Avenue - 29th Jul 2008 3:15pm
The strange looking building is/was an electricity sub-station. I was taken in there as a child by my grandfather. At that time, it housed mercury vapour rectifiers (scary) to convert the incoming ac to dc for distribution to the local houses.
More info. in my post "Power supplies" on page 2 of the main Wirral History
Never heard about an underground station.
Posted By: NEWBOY Re: Abandonded train station @ Singleton Avenue - 29th Jul 2008 3:43pm
The substation is exactly that, a substation. I do not know where exactly but from memory I remember thinking it was by the substation, dad says under the traffic lights at the top of singleton ave.

Its all abit hearsay but it was my dad who told me about it and it was ment to be a continuation from the main line, fully built and then they scrapped the idea so filled it with concrete.
I remember reading in, I think it was "Railway Stations of Wirral" where it said there was a provision somewhere for an extension to existing lines as they'd uncovered a couple of railway markers but I can't think for the life of me where it said they were, I think it was around the Borough Rd area of Birkenhead actually so probably irrelevant.
Posted By: AR_One Re: Abandonded train station @ Singleton Avenue - 1st Aug 2008 3:26pm
Could it be the oddly shaped vacant plot at the bottom of Singleton Av where it meets Borough rd?
I can't find the reference, but I know I've seen it, to plans for a rail line (can't remember if it said underground) from Central to Parkgate, but was pre-empted by the Hooton/Parkgate line.
As I remember, the lot at the junction of Singleton Ave./Borough Rd. which now appears to be vacant, was an undertakers when I was a child.
There's clear evidence, as said by Newboy, that the substation is still there; you can see the equipment quite clearly here.
http://maps.live.com/default.aspx?v...hx=0&phy=0&phscl=1&encType=1
The Borough Road/Singleton Avenue Junction had Martins Bank (became Barclays) on one corner and the Post Office on the other with a building like a car show room beside it. The undertakers is further round on Borough road next to the (what was) Technical College

I am sure the underground station is a mis-interpretation of sub-station.

There was a well half way up Singleton Avenue which I think was covered with one of the trees eventually.

The trams passed the bottom and top of Singleton Avenue along Borough Road and along Woodchurch Road.
Posted By: Anonymous Re: Abandonded train station @ Singleton Avenue - 1st Aug 2008 7:14pm
I have a copy of "The Mersey Railway" by G.W.Parkin. On p.13 under "Proposed Extensions not Implemented" it reads " ....A turnout south of Upton Station was to connect with the Mersey Line at Birkenhead Central. The Wirral Company had no funds to execute these works and it was the M.S. & L. (later to become the Great Central) which finally joined up with the Wirral at Bidston, but not to Birkenhead Central. Standing on the B'head Cen.down platform, a discerning eye can detect how the building line of the original station buildings has been set back to permit the proposed line to sweep round and eventually take up alignment under Borough Road. Certain occupants of this building today need no reminding of this particular piece of railway history, for they work in triangular offices ! "

Hope the above throws a bit of light on the subject.

re: sub-station at the top of Singleton Ave. Chris recalls the mercury arc rectifiers (Frankenstein models). They must have gone by the mid '50's as I recall gazing into the building and looking at a pair of big rotary coverters. These did the same AC to DC conversion but were slightly more modern technology. I also remember a bit in B'head news saying the Singleton Ave. area was the last bit of B'head to be changed from DC to AC. At a guess this would be 1958/9 ish.
Posted By: Anonymous Re: Abandonded train station @ Singleton Avenue - 1st Aug 2008 7:23pm
The trams went along Borough Road, passing the bottom of Singleton Ave., thence along to Prenton Rd West. The terminus was at the top of Prenton Rd.W. near to the junction with Storeton Road. The trams never traversed Woodchurch Rd.

A while back, Chris re-produced a track plan showing the actual tram routes.
Posted By: Anonymous Re: Abandonded train station @ Singleton Avenue - 1st Aug 2008 7:45pm
thinkgood topic very interesting
Posted By: _Ste_ Re: Abandonded train station @ Singleton Avenue - 1st Aug 2008 7:53pm
Isnt it jason, isnt it just smile

There are really old streets underground manchester dont you know. they have shops and everything and are deserted.
I`d make a new topic about them but this is `wirral` history wink
Posted By: Anonymous Re: Abandonded train station @ Singleton Avenue - 1st Aug 2008 8:58pm
Originally Posted by Totopop
Isnt it jason, isnt it just smile

There are really old streets underground manchester dont you know. they have shops and everything and are deserted.
I`d make a new topic about them but this is `wirral` history wink


thinkinteresting
Originally Posted by Totopop
Isnt it jason, isnt it just smile

There are really old streets underground manchester dont you know. they have shops and everything and are deserted.
I`d make a new topic about them but this is `wirral` history wink


Oh, go on; I've done Stockport happy
Very good Pinz

You are quite right on the rotary converters and you guess the date about right, we had cookers etc with the big clunky sprung loaded DC switches. Although not the last DC area in UK it wasn't far off and I think it was the last on the Wirral, also the substation covered a large area and after conversion to AC, us at the extremes of the coverage had a very poor supply, often dropping to below 200V during peak times - the 405 line tele would go ape.

You are also quite correct about no trams on Woodchurch Road - don't know where I dreampt that one???
Posted By: Shambo Re: Abandonded train station @ Singleton Avenue - 3rd Aug 2008 2:15am
There's an old street under Renshaw St in Liverpool too...and gawd knows what else. Have a link...

http://undergroundliverpool.co.uk/renshawstreet
Posted By: _Ste_ Re: Abandonded train station @ Singleton Avenue - 3rd Aug 2008 9:58am
Originally Posted by Shambo
There's an old street under Renshaw St in Liverpool too...and gawd knows what else. Have a link...

http://undergroundliverpool.co.uk/renshawstreet


Awesome link shambo, thanks thumbsup
Posted By: Anonymous Re: Abandonded train station @ Singleton Avenue - 3rd Aug 2008 12:02pm
a mate of mine was telling me about this last night he was saying that a very rich liverpool man made them. it is ment to be a mini town it may be worth starting a topic on it
Posted By: chriskay Re: Abandonded train station @ Singleton Avenue - 29th Dec 2008 7:15pm
Well, here's an old thread resurrected. You'll need the whole of this map:
https://www.wikiwirral.co.uk/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/278593/1889_Birkenhead_Map.html#Post278593
Now, I don't know who Broom was, but his mapping is a bit slapdash. On the main rail line he's included Bebington & Green Lane stations, but omitted Town station & Monk's Ferry station & he hasn't attempted to show the tunnels on the Dock Branch. However, this is not the point of this post. If you look at the bottom of the map, there's a dotted line labelled "Authorised Connah's Quay railway", which was opened in 1896 & absorbed into the Great Central Railway in 1897. The interesting point which connects with this thread is the branch line, dotted, so proposed, which runs straight up the map, passing the top of Singleton Avenue (which had not yet been constructed, but you can see where it will be). Maybe there really was an underground station built there. The line runs into Central station, which all ties in with the info. which Pinzgauer posted. It's reasonable to suppose that this proposed line would have been underground through the town; after all, they had just finished the Mersey railway, opened 1886, so there was recent experience of major tunnelling.
yerr U'E
Posted By: Dava2479 Re: Abandonded train station @ Singleton Avenue - 29th Dec 2008 7:49pm
Lol
Posted By: Dava2479 Re: Abandonded train station @ Singleton Avenue - 29th Dec 2008 7:50pm
It`s worth doing a bit of research and see if we can find it.
Originally Posted by dava2479
It`s worth doing a bit of research and see if we can find it.



your the man for it go dava go
Posted By: chriskay Re: Abandonded train station @ Singleton Avenue - 29th Dec 2008 7:53pm
Originally Posted by the_wikimole_rob
yerr U'E


LOL, if you want a real toughie, try the Borough Rd. overflow tunnel; I'd love some pics. of the junction chamber under Borough Rd.
Originally Posted by chriskay
Originally Posted by the_wikimole_rob
yerr U'E


LOL, if you want a real toughie, try the Borough Rd. overflow tunnel; I'd love some pics. of the junction chamber under Borough Rd.







yer me to how you get in wheels was talking about that

PM me with info please dude
Posted By: Dava2479 Re: Abandonded train station @ Singleton Avenue - 29th Dec 2008 9:02pm
now that sounds like a guddon.
Posted By: chriskay Re: Abandonded train station @ Singleton Avenue - 29th Dec 2008 9:24pm
Now look, all you UE guys; I'm only joking about the overflow tunnel. It would be illegal & highly hazardous. Don't try.
Posted By: Dava2479 Re: Abandonded train station @ Singleton Avenue - 29th Dec 2008 9:25pm
We know Chris as Robbo said we only want information on it purely for interest sake.
Posted By: chriskay Re: Abandonded train station @ Singleton Avenue - 29th Dec 2008 10:32pm
All the info. I have is in the thread, sorry.

Cheers, Chris.
Posted By: AR_One Re: Abandonded train station @ Singleton Avenue - 29th Dec 2008 11:54pm
If we could get hold of some FBI mosquito bots that carry tiny cameras we could seek out these places with no chance of getting caught. :-)
Posted By: Dava2479 Re: Abandonded train station @ Singleton Avenue - 29th Dec 2008 11:58pm
think raftl
Posted By: oggie Re: Abandonded train station @ Singleton Avenue - 30th Dec 2008 1:12am
Originally Posted by NEWBOY


There is also an underground stream that runs under the road, perhaps this has something to do with it?

Does anybody know anythign about it?


The stream I know a little about.I lived at 149 Woodchurch Rd(At it's junction with Highgreen Rd) for a little while,before I moved there in 2004,the cellar of the house used to flood,the fire brigade were there quite often pumping it out due to an underground stream,it seems the house has now been "Tanked"and is less likely to flood??If you stand outside this house and look around,you would notice it was in the middle of a Y or T shaped valley Woodchurch Rd being the top bars and Highgreen Rd being the Horizontal bar(best way I can think of describing it at this ungodly[drunken]hour).Which then runs into Borough Rd,which I believe was a big stream/tributary for the Mersey in the bottom of a valley again,stands to reason I suppose.So a Goverment paid for railway would make a little sense as they would follow the lie of the land I suppose????????????

Chris wink

BTW I now live on the opposite side of that valley of Borough rd which is also quite damp whistle
Here's some info I have been trying to dig up ...

An iron track marker was unearthed in Aspendale Road, Tranmere, in the summer of 2006, by Mike Dennis the Site Manager, FAWLEY CONSTRUCTION, and his team. The embossed letters, N.W. & L. Ry. referred to the North Wales and Liverpool Railway. The letters column of the Birkenhead News at that time, revealed that a line was proposed from Birkenhead Central Station, via a tunnel, to the rears of Aspendale Road, Derby Road and Victoria Road. The line was to have continued to the other side of Borough Road, by the now demolished College, to Woodchurch Road, and on to the existing Wirral line at Woodchurch.

The lay-out of Aspendale Road and Maybank Road was such as to allow room for the railway line, and this was pointed out in a letter to the Birkenhead News, which also reported that a similar track marker to the one in Aspendale Road had been found around Holm Lane (Prenton - Oxton). Possibly, the engineers had been considering the constructing of another tunnel, under Oxton hill, to Borough Road.



The following link also discusses this issue and links the above together.

http://forums.travel.com/uk-railway-forum/463922-birkenhead-central-tunnel.html
Originally Posted by diggingdeeper
Here's some info I have been trying to dig up ...

An iron track marker was unearthed in Aspendale Road, Tranmere, in the summer of 2006, by Mike Dennis the Site Manager, FAWLEY CONSTRUCTION, and his team. The embossed letters, N.W. & L. Ry. referred to the North Wales and Liverpool Railway. The letters column of the Birkenhead News at that time, revealed that a line was proposed from Birkenhead Central Station, via a tunnel, to the rears of Aspendale Road, Derby Road and Victoria Road. The line was to have continued to the other side of Borough Road, by the now demolished College, to Woodchurch Road, and on to the existing Wirral line at Woodchurch.

The lay-out of Aspendale Road and Maybank Road was such as to allow room for the railway line, and this was pointed out in a letter to the Birkenhead News, which also reported that a similar track marker to the one in Aspendale Road had been found around Holm Lane (Prenton - Oxton). Possibly, the engineers had been considering the constructing of another tunnel, under Oxton hill, to Borough Road.



The following link also discusses this issue and links the above together.

http://forums.travel.com/uk-railway-forum/463922-birkenhead-central-tunnel.html


Very interesting stuff
Posted By: chriskay Re: Abandonded train station @ Singleton Avenue - 14th Mar 2009 4:05pm
This map from 1875 seems to have been used as the basis for some mark-ups, one of which may have been to show the land to be purchased for the construction of the line. The dotted lines seem to coincide with the description of the route in relation to Aspendale & Maybank roads (although they aren't shown on this map). Don't know why there should be a gap between the 2 sections though.
If I'm right, the tunnel from Central station would have ended near the top of Victoria Rd. & then there would have been a cutting from there to Borough Rd., which is 50 Ft. lower than the tunnel exit.

Or maybe it's just coincidence. think

(Actually, it's the line now occupied by Victoria Fields).


Attached picture track route.jpg
Something that is really weird on that map is the accuracy of most of the lines, then 488 - tranmere water works looks like a random shape but this is the correct shape for 488 according to the tithe maps. As many other boundaries are marked that would not be affected by the line, it looks unlikely that the purpose of the annotations are related to to the trains.

I am wondering if it is land that was already owned by the council or perhaps one individual????
Posted By: dingle Re: Abandonded train station @ Singleton Avenue - 15th Mar 2009 5:45am
So what exactly do those funny little squiggles mean top and bottom of the marked areas. It looks from the Tithe Map of 1836-1851 that that piece(s)of land was owned by one John Carter. In fact he owned most of the land from Victoria Rd to Harrowby Rd and Borough Rd to Derby Rd. Not sure about the Water Works shape according to the the 1875 Tithe Map it is similar to a trapezium?? Not good with geometry.
Posted By: Anonymous Re: Abandonded train station @ Singleton Avenue - 15th Mar 2009 9:51am
I think they the squiggles are Area Braces. In this case they are half braces. I'm assuming that they indicate that the land on one side (which will have the parcel no. and acreage shown) includes the now (because of the proposed railway etc.) isolated chunk of the parcel.

Just putting 2 + 2 together here. I maybe wrong.

Posted By: chriskay Re: Abandonded train station @ Singleton Avenue - 15th Mar 2009 10:07am
Those squiggles are called 'braces'. They show where 2 parcels of land are included in the same reference number & area. In this case, because they are in 2 parts, not joined, it means that the space between is not included in that parcel; if it was included, the braces would be joined & would look like an elongated letter S.
On that particular map, there's been a lot of combining & re-numbering of parcels, shown by the larger, handwritten numbers. The original parcel numbers are the smaller, printed ones & under the parcel number is the area in acres.

Ha, Pinz beat me to it.
On this 1938 map, is the curved markings above woodchurch rd another part of the planned line, it is not a tithe boundary.

Attached picture MapWoodchurchRdRail1938.jpg
Posted By: Anonymous Re: Abandonded train station @ Singleton Avenue - 15th Mar 2009 5:40pm
You could well be right dd. Never noticed those lines before. They have the same "feel" to them as the others further into town. Well spotted !

It would have gone slap through the Birkenhead Brickworks Company. Is the southernmost boundary line curving away to allow possible sidings at the brickworks ?? The brickworks would have been at peak operation then, with the housing expansion in most areas. Getting bricks out by rail may have been a good option at that time.
Posted By: chriskay Re: Abandonded train station @ Singleton Avenue - 15th Mar 2009 10:00pm
Mmmmm yes, interesting. That map doesn't have the look of an O.S. map; too coarse. Is it O.S., DD?
Yes, I am pretty sure you have a copy of this one as well.

1938 05SJ38NW
Posted By: chriskay Re: Abandonded train station @ Singleton Avenue - 16th Mar 2009 10:16am
Yes, I do have that one (although I've re-named them all, so the numbering has gone). I just thought that it didn't have the usual fineness of line of the OS. Here's another extract from the same map, showing that when they built Maybank & Aspendale roads, they didn't build on what we are assuming was the proposed line.

Attached picture Maybank.jpg
Posted By: bigpete Re: Abandonded train station @ Singleton Avenue - 7th May 2009 11:54am
Crackin' stuff - but one things occurs to me - Swan Hill - a short but fierce gradient - for trains to climb/descend...

Unless it was to be electrified....
If it was to link into the Wrexham line, as shown on some maps, it wouldn't have been electrified. I guess a cutting & embankment would have dealt with Swan Hill, or maybe they'd have continued the tunnel to the bottom of Swan Hill. Remember, there was a lot of tunneling expertise around at the time, just after the Mersey Railway tunnel.
Posted By: bri445 Re: Abandonded train station @ Singleton Avenue - 15th May 2009 7:03pm
I remember DC (?voltage) being used in the old tech college in Tranmere about 1953 and I don't think it was internally generated. I'd like to know something of the history of elec supply and changeover in Birkenhead. Presumably ALL the streets had to be recabled!
Bri
Posted By: jimbob Re: Abandonded train station @ Singleton Avenue - 15th May 2009 8:59pm
Dont know about the other area's of the town but in Lower Tranmere we had gas street lighting well into 1950s and no electric only gas supplies to the houses till arround 1950 and then electric AC cable was ran along the streets and slowly the houses got electric put in them, provided you or the landlord if the house was rented where prepared to pay for it to be ran into house {which most of them where those days}
It is interesting to note that the railway companies bought up much land on the Wirral. I presume with the intention of building lines across Wirral. I used to live off Palm Grove. There was a Methodist Church on the corner of Lorne Road and Palm Grove. About 25 years ago it was being pulled down and planning permission was being applied for to build houses. I was surprised to recieve a letter from The then British Railways Board informing me of their plans for the site. The church was built on land that they must have leased from the then railway company.
Posted By: davew3 Re: Abandonded train station @ Singleton Avenue - 12th Aug 2010 8:32pm
One of the books that Wirral Council reprinted in the late 80's,90's,I think called the Hundred of Wirral from about 1880,has a pullout map of Birkenhead with railway line markings showing what was built and what was going to be built.
There's supposed to be a trian underground in London on some long abandoned experimental line which was powered by compressed air. One story was that children discovered the train complete with skeletons of the passenegers who were trapped when it was inconsiderately sealed up. The other is that it is just the train that was sealed up. Let's hope so. Heard the story but have no idea where it is.
This is probably the foundation of the story....

http://www.subbrit.org.uk/sb-sites/sites/p/post_office_railway/index.shtml
Posted By: nuddy Re: Abandonded train station @ Singleton Avenue - 29th Jan 2011 8:33pm
At the bottom of Elmswood road, Borough road widens to double its usual width and then narrows again after Sing ave. Maybe the planners were expecting to build something there?
Posted By: chriskay Re: Abandonded train station @ Singleton Avenue - 30th Jan 2011 11:03am
Interesting. I also see that the corridor of land between Borough Rd. and Derby Rd. which was left vacant, presumably for the railway, is now Victoria Fields.
May I offer a few memories regarding this topic. The building now a vacant plot at the bottom of Singleton Ave had a sign saying Arrowbrook motors but I often waited for a bus opposite but never recall seeing any activity there. Round the corner the land where the Tech was built was allotments with a notice saying that it was owned by the Railway company I recall my father telling me that it was to be a station on the proposed line between Central Station and the Wrexham Line. Hope this is of some interest.
Thanks for that. It certainly helps to confirm the theory.
The proposed line is shown on Broom's 1889 plan.
https://www.wikiwirral.co.uk/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/278530/1889_Birkenhead_Map.html#Post278530
Posted By: bri445 Re: Abandonded train station @ Singleton Avenue - 22nd Mar 2011 11:56pm
Here's a Bartholomew 1898 Atlas map showing the line and intersections as if existing!
It's not very detailed as it's a big 'blow up' from a large map.

Bri


Description: 1898 Barth.
Attached picture link line 2.jpg
Posted By: chriskay Re: Abandonded train station @ Singleton Avenue - 23rd Mar 2011 4:02pm
Thanks for posting that map; most interesting that it shows the triangle which was never built. As far as railways are concerned, the map is a total fiction. Study the area around town. Unless I'm mistaken, that terminus is Monks Ferry which closed in 1878 when Woodside opened. Also, it shows a solid line between the Chester line & the Mersey Railway/Wirral Railway line to Bidston, & doesn't show the Mersey Railway line from Park Station (not shown) to Hamilton Square, which opened in 1888.
What was Town Station in Little Grange Road, it looks to be on the woodside rail running under Lower Ivy Street. 1911 map. Was it part of the scheme of things.
Posted By: 8HBob Re: Abandonded train station @ Singleton Avenue - 23rd Mar 2011 4:35pm
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.
Posted By: chriskay Re: Abandonded train station @ Singleton Avenue - 23rd Mar 2011 5:25pm
Originally Posted by 8HBob
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.
Posted By: chriskay Re: Abandonded train station @ Singleton Avenue - 23rd Mar 2011 5:40pm
Originally Posted by paranoidballoon
What was Town Station in Little Grange Road, it looks to be on the woodside rail running under Lower Ivy Street. 1911 map. Was it part of the scheme of things.


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.

Attached picture Town Station.jpg
Posted By: bazzoh Re: Abandonded train station @ Singleton Avenue - 23rd Mar 2011 7:36pm
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 !
Posted By: bri445 Re: Abandonded train station @ Singleton Avenue - 25th Mar 2011 8:14pm
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
Posted By: Anonymous Re: Abandonded train station @ Singleton Avenue - 25th Mar 2011 8:59pm
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
Posted By: bri445 Re: Abandonded train station @ Singleton Avenue - 25th Mar 2011 11:09pm
Originally Posted by Pinzgauer
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 !!


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





Attached picture Scan-110325-0001.jpg
Good find thumbsup
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
Posted By: chriskay Re: Abandonded train station @ Singleton Avenue - 25th Mar 2011 11:14pm
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.
Posted By: bri445 Re: Abandonded train station @ Singleton Avenue - 25th Mar 2011 11:25pm
Good point! That's probably it.
Bri
Posted By: derekdwc Re: Abandonded train station @ Singleton Avenue - 25th Mar 2011 11:56pm
Originally Posted by chriskay
Hi, can you place Back St Anne St. please?

between Vittoria and Cathcart streets
st ANNE and Beckwith streets
on the 1911 Godfrey map
Posted By: chriskay Re: Abandonded train station @ Singleton Avenue - 26th Mar 2011 10:33am
Originally Posted by derekdwc
Originally Posted by chriskay
Hi, can you place Back St Anne St. please?

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


Thanks, Derek; found it.
Posted By: chriskay Re: Abandonded train station @ Singleton Avenue - 26th Mar 2011 10:46am
Originally Posted by paranoidballoon
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


Close, but not quite under the house. The Mersey Railway Park Branch ran under Beckwith St. I'm pretty sure it was built cut & cover, so the line would only be a few feet below street level. I can imagine the noise was quite noticeable in Back St.Anne St.

Attached picture Back St.Anne St..jpg
Posted By: Anonymous Re: Abandonded train station @ Singleton Avenue - 26th Mar 2011 11:49am
Oh dear ! One out of ten for observation Mike. All the times I had passed and seen the Abacus/Town Station entrance, I never noticed it was spelt "Aabacus" as opposed to "Abacus".

What's that about you never stop learning ???

Yes, I agree dd. A good point indeed about the directory sketch.
Posted By: chriskay Re: Abandonded train station @ Singleton Avenue - 26th Mar 2011 12:23pm
Originally Posted by Pinzgauer
"Aabacus" as opposed to "Abacus".



Aabacas even seeyu
Posted By: Anonymous Re: Abandonded train station @ Singleton Avenue - 26th Mar 2011 12:39pm

That's 0 out of 10 then. I'm not playing any more !!!!!

Can't find an emoticon for sulking in the corner with thumb in mouth !!!!
Posted By: bri445 Re: Abandonded train station @ Singleton Avenue - 26th Mar 2011 6:16pm
Originally Posted by LukeORourke
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


I found it in my collection, Railway Magazine July 1967, in an article on Monks Ferry.
Note that it's named Grange Lane.
Bri


Description: Town Station wind vane
Attached picture Scan-110326-0001.jpg
Posted By: Anonymous Re: Abandonded train station @ Singleton Avenue - 26th Mar 2011 6:47pm
That's the one !! A good find. Thanks.
I have that magazine aswell, its a great article about monk ferry, along with many other railway magazine dating from 80s,90s and 00s with that one magazine the oldest in my collection!!!
Originally Posted by chriskay
Originally Posted by paranoidballoon
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


Close, but not quite under the house. The Mersey Railway Park Branch ran under Beckwith St. I'm pretty sure it was built cut & cover, so the line would only be a few feet below street level. I can imagine the noise was quite noticeable in Back St.Anne St.


It was, I had an uncle who lived there too.
oldman
I'm not sure what the building is in your photo of Birkenhead Town Station, but I'm pretty certain that it's not Town Station. These photos of the real Town Station were taken in the late 60s shortly before it was demolished - although it's not too clear, the street sign on the wall says 'Tunnel Road'. Perhaps the Aabacas building was something to do with the adjoining Goods Depot? Can anyone say where exactly was it?

Attached picture Town Station 1.jpg
Attached picture Town Station 2.jpg
Attached picture Town Station 3.jpg
Posted By: chriskay Re: Abandonded train station @ Singleton Avenue - 27th Mar 2011 5:45pm
Funny, marty, I was unsure about that first picture, but I recognise your picture as Town Station. If anything, the first picture must be the original Grange Lane terminus.
From the Disused Stations website.
http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/b/birkenhead_town/index.shtml

Posted By: bri445 Re: Abandonded train station @ Singleton Avenue - 27th Mar 2011 5:55pm
You're right and my book is wrong. The Aabacas building is the pale blue one in your middle photo.The chimney stack on the left and the stub of one in front of the fourth (modern) one match. The 2 horizontal darker blue 'stripes' show on the Aabacas, as does the curved top brick wall just above the shrubbery.
The Aabacas building, therefore, may have been offices for the 'saw tooth' roofed building along Jackson Street. Thus, it's not obvious why the weather vane would be on the Aabacas building, though I feel sure it was.
The long ramp appears to come from a building between your 'true' Station and the Aabacas one.
Bri
Posted By: bri445 Re: Abandonded train station @ Singleton Avenue - 27th Mar 2011 6:03pm
Thanks, Chris. It all makes sense now!
The weather vane was on the original station!
Posted By: chriskay Re: Abandonded train station @ Singleton Avenue - 27th Mar 2011 6:07pm
Reading the description in Disused Stations that Town Station was "only metres to the East" of Grange Lane station, I think the Aabacas/Grange Lane building is that marked XXX on the map. If it were the old Grange Lane station, that would explain the train weathervane. The saw tooth (North light) building would be the LNWR goods depot.

Attached picture Grange Lane.jpg
Based on this enlargement from an aerial shot of the Birkenhead Tunnel entrance, I think the Aabacas building is the one I've outlined in yellow at the north end of the old Engine Shed. It looks as if this was almost certainly the original Grange Lane terminus, though it's not what most people would remember as Town Station. I suspect it probably remained in use as the Railway Company Offices after the new Station/Booking Office opened at the corner of Tunnel Road.

Attached picture Town Station aerial.jpg
Posted By: bri445 Re: Abandonded train station @ Singleton Avenue - 28th Mar 2011 9:24am
That's just the view we needed! Perhaps the 'original' may show the weather vane?
B
Hi Marty!
I oftrn wondered what this station looked like! My Uncle worked at Mollington Street, as a Fireman, on the John Summers 9Fs. I would like to get some more information on this area, the Blackpool Street signal box, and its junction with Cammell Lairds- when was the bridge to Lairds lifted?
Posted By: KeithS Re: Abandonded train station @ Singleton Avenue - 30th Mar 2011 8:41pm
The connection into Laird's was, at the end, controlled by Green Lane Junction signal box and was taken out of use about 1981. I think the bridge lasted a few years after that before it was demolished.
The area of sidings shown on the map going off to the right (a mixture of carriage sidings and goods wagon sidings) was used by Lairds as a steel stockholding ground. They had three diesel self propelled cranes to shunt the remaining sidings.
Are there any photos available of this area (Green Lane, Blackpool Street, and the bridge over to Lairds?
Posted By: 8HBob Re: Abandonded train station @ Singleton Avenue - 6th Apr 2011 6:13pm
Originally Posted by KeithS
The connection into Laird's was, at the end, controlled by Green Lane Junction signal box and was taken out of use about 1981. I think the bridge lasted a few years after that before it was demolished.
The area of sidings shown on the map going off to the right (a mixture of carriage sidings and goods wagon sidings) was used by Lairds as a steel stockholding ground. They had three diesel self propelled cranes to shunt the remaining sidings.


Before Cammell Laird finished with internal rail traffic (around 1980) they had 2 4-wheel diesel shunting locos. One of these was sold to Steamport museum , Southport & the other for further use in industry somewhere in South Cheshire I think.
Prior to these they had Sentinel 4-wheel vertical boilered gear driven steam locos.
I think they originally had about six of these. One survived until late 1969 ,maybe early 1970. As I worked there I was interested in this & actually enquired in the yard's buying office how much they wanted for it. The answer was £95.00, but the main problem was finding somewhere to keep it. It was scrapped shortly after this. There were still steam powered travelling cranes working in the yard for some years after this.
Due to the camera ban in the yard photographs of any of these are hard to come by.

Bob.
Blackpool St/Waterloo place
In the 2nd pic didn't there used to be a gents toilet in the wall?

Can anyone recall what the building was at Central Stn

Attached picture waterloo st from pc world[1600x1200].JPG
Attached picture waterloo st from central stn[1600x1200].JPG
Attached picture Hind st.JPG
Attached picture jackson st 1904 [1600x1200].jpg

Description: what was this building
Attached picture what2 [1600x1200].JPG
Posted By: 8HBob Re: Abandonded train station @ Singleton Avenue - 6th Apr 2011 7:21pm
That appears to be the back wall of the original Mersey Railway carriage shed. The loco shed was at the other (Green Lane) end of the site & was demolished in the 70's.

Bob.
Posted By: Anonymous Re: Abandonded train station @ Singleton Avenue - 6th Apr 2011 7:26pm
That is the top of the back gable end of one of the running sheds. All repairs and maintenance of the Mersey Railway stock was carried out at Birkenhead Central until 1956/7 with the withdrawal of the early electric stock. B'head North M.P.D. took over then. Two of the three sheds were demolished, leaving the present one. This was used for stabling stock and light maintenance until recent times. The flat roofed brick building was built around the time of the above demolition as far as I can recall. I "think" this was a booking on point for the motormen and guards. Maybe someone can confirm this ?
Posted By: Anonymous Re: Abandonded train station @ Singleton Avenue - 6th Apr 2011 7:27pm
Sorry Bob. We overlapped !
Quote
Are there any photos available of this area (Green Lane, Blackpool Street, and the bridge over to Lairds?


There's a picture taken underneath the Lairds Bridge (3rd picture) at:
Clicky

And this is the nearest photo I've got of the area, taken from the top of either the Coaling Tower, or the Ash Plant at Mollington St Loco depot - 1966 Ian Allen Tour.

Attached picture Birkenhead1966-9FSpecial92203cmp.JPG
thenks for posting this- pics of this area are a rarity indeed!
Posted By: bri445 Re: Abandonded train station @ Singleton Avenue - 7th Apr 2011 7:57pm
Great action pic, before smokeless zones!
are there any pics of the green lane signal box?
Posted By: SUExx Re: Abandonded train station @ Singleton Avenue - 14th Apr 2011 9:30am
Originally Posted by blackadder
are there any pics of the green lane signal box?
.



Also are there any pics of bebington station signal box and the station masters house that used to be there, thanks.
I remember the bridge on Hind street, when we were kids we used to play round there one time we walked along the outside of it luckily no one fell but being kids we never saw the danger.There were also some railway buildings round there,they were abandoned so we used to play in them also.
Quote
SUExx: Also are there any pics of bebington station signal box and the station masters house that used to be there, thanks.


From The railways of Wirral thread
Sorry - a bit blurred, but it's all I've got.


Attached picture 92046-050867Beb.JPG
Posted By: nesdu Re: Abandonded train station @ Singleton Avenue - 11th Nov 2012 11:51am
Please see attached photo of Blackpool Street Signal Box (both of them) taken in October 1967. The newer box was fully equipped but never commissioned. I believe it was taken down and reconstructed somewhere in North Wales. Note also the empty coke wagons in the foreground, their loads having been discharged into the gas works hoppers. The photo was taken from the coaling stage at Mollington Street shortly before Birkenhead lost its complement of steam locos in November 1967.

Attached picture SCN_0001.jpg
Posted By: valli Re: Abandonded train station @ Singleton Avenue - 28th Feb 2013 12:51am
I recently read somewhere that beneath the Glenda Jackson Theatre
Borough rd, next to The Technical College was a command centre that would be used in an emergency situation It was said to have a rail link Could this be the abandoned train station.I cannot find the article I was reading but it was on Wikiwirral, Wirral Talk or Stumbleupon I will try to locate it but in the meantime if anyone remembers this centre from their time at Borough rd Tech please reply
Posted By: daveybm Re: Abandonded train station @ Singleton Avenue - 28th Feb 2013 9:14am
Details of the command centre here :-
http://www.subbrit.org.uk/rsg/sites/b/birkenhead/index.html
But doesn't say anything about a rail link.

Dave
Posted By: derekdwc Re: Abandonded train station @ Singleton Avenue - 28th Feb 2013 11:09am
Been trying to work out in my head this pic.
Taken from Mollington ST
If the tall building on the right is the tunnel vent, to me, it should appear about where the building on the left is (whatever that may be)
I tend to look at maps and think of the top part as North .
I think I'd be useless at orienteering



Attached picture mollington.jpg
Attached picture Mollington,own hall .jpg
Posted By: davew3 Re: Abandonded train station @ Singleton Avenue - 28th Feb 2013 2:56pm
Right= tunnel vent, middle=town hall, left=the church that used to be in Price st,knocked down and became Nat-West stationary then Barclays now ????????????.
Posted By: chriskay Re: Abandonded train station @ Singleton Avenue - 28th Feb 2013 3:11pm
Originally Posted by derekdwc

If the tall building on the right is the tunnel vent, to me, it should appear about where the building on the left is (whatever that may be)



Sorry, Derek, you've lost me; what should appear?
Posted By: davew3 Re: Abandonded train station @ Singleton Avenue - 28th Feb 2013 4:55pm
Should say the picture is looking towards the north and is correct when you check on Google maps.
Posted By: bert1 Re: Abandonded train station @ Singleton Avenue - 28th Feb 2013 6:37pm
Map might help

Attached picture moll.JPG
Posted By: derekdwc Re: Abandonded train station @ Singleton Avenue - 28th Feb 2013 8:28pm
Thanks bert - the map explains it all.
I always thought the ventilation building was around Taylor St area.
My mistake
Posted By: chriskay Re: Abandonded train station @ Singleton Avenue - 28th Feb 2013 9:13pm
There are three ventilation buildings.
1. Woodside, at the old entrance to Morpeth dock.
2. Sidney St. serving the main tunnel.
3. Taylor St. serving the Rendel St. branch.

Actually, there's something odd about that picture. From where it's taken, the Sidney St. vent shaft should be visible just to the left of the Town Hall and the Taylor St. vent shaft to the left of that.
Posted By: valli Re: Abandonded train station @ Singleton Avenue - 28th Feb 2013 10:53pm
Betamax in his post Birkenhead bunker also mentioned his tutor at the Bhead Tech college had told them there was a train link here when he took students down to show them the bunker.This is on wiki wirral Urban Exploration pages
Posted By: nuddy Re: Abandonded train station @ Singleton Avenue - 1st Mar 2013 7:53pm
The building on the right could be the Anglican Cathedral.
Posted By: chriskay Re: Abandonded train station @ Singleton Avenue - 24th Aug 2016 1:12pm
A lot of interest in this old thread dating back to 2008, so I thought I'd revive it.
Posted By: mikeeb Re: Abandonded train station @ Singleton Avenue - 26th Aug 2016 5:09pm
Originally Posted by chriskay
A lot of interest in this old thread dating back to 2008, so I thought I'd revive it.


Hahaha
Let me read through from the start wink
Borough rd. used to be the river borough and emptied into the mersey some of the side roads (fountain st for example and prob singleton avenue)fed the main rver and you can hear the water still running under some of the houses and in the opposite direction down to swan hill i have been in a house at the bottom (right next to the railway bridge and the water underheath was a torrent
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