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Posted By: chriskay Birkenhead Ferries 1905 - 29th Nov 2011 5:13pm
I've just received from America (via e-bay) a little 32 page book of timetables/fares etc. which includes the tram timetables, some nice photographs and other stuff of interest.
When I've finished scanning it, I'll be posting some of it here.
Watch this space.
Posted By: ResearcherTony Re: Birkenhead Ferries 1905 - 29th Nov 2011 5:40pm
Very good Chris, sounds really interesting, really look forward to reading it.

out of curiosity Is there any you may have regarding the industrial revolution era towards the back end? I believe that the first tram actually started in Birkenhead did it not?

Posted By: chriskay Re: Birkenhead Ferries 1905 - 29th Nov 2011 7:10pm
First street tramway in Europe, 1860.

I've nothing from the era of the Industrial Revolution, although I'm lucky to live within a few miles of its birthplace in Coalbrookdale.
Posted By: chriskay Re: Birkenhead Ferries 1905 - 30th Nov 2011 2:50pm
Here's a couple of pages from the book. The book itself is only postcard size. These pages show the frequency of the Woodside ferries and of course they ran all night. I didn't know that when the goods boat wasn't running, you could take a car on the passenger boat.

Attached picture cover.JPG
Attached picture woodside timetable 1.jpg
Attached picture woodside timetable 2.jpg
Attached picture fares 1.jpg
Attached picture fares 2.jpg
Posted By: Anonymous Re: Birkenhead Ferries 1905 - 1st Dec 2011 12:02pm
Great stuff Chris. I never realised that they allowed Motor Cars on the passenger boats. Only after the Luggage boats had stopped and on Sundays according to the blurb (p5).

A bewildering scale of charges. Note the "lavatory is provided in Room No.2 for the use of all Stall Holders" (Sheer luxury!!)

Any more pages ??

Thanks.
Posted By: chriskay Re: Birkenhead Ferries 1905 - 1st Dec 2011 1:59pm
Yes, there's more to come. Wait till you see the goods ferry charges!
Posted By: chriskay Re: Birkenhead Ferries 1905 - 1st Dec 2011 3:07pm
Anybody looking for a job? How about being a porter at Woodside? Look at the rates of pay!!

Attached picture porterage.jpg
Posted By: poodlepup Re: Birkenhead Ferries 1905 - 1st Dec 2011 3:28pm
I too never knew they carried cars,thanks for sharing.
Posted By: Anonymous Re: Birkenhead Ferries 1905 - 1st Dec 2011 3:49pm
I say my man. I have a bundle of shawls, one portmanteau and a bonnet box. There's a halfpenny in it for you if you take them to my carraige.



Posted By: chriskay Re: Birkenhead Ferries 1905 - 1st Dec 2011 4:14pm
Look at the rates, guv'nor; three items at a penny each = 3d. (Unless any of them weighs more than 10lb., in which case it's tuppence): bring the scales, Alf, those shawls look heavy.
Interesting that the minimum charge on the Liverpool side is 3d. Bl**dy greedy scousers.
Posted By: chriskay Re: Birkenhead Ferries 1905 - 3rd Dec 2011 1:02pm
Here's the timetable of the Woodside goods boat and the goods charges on that service and from New Ferry/Rock Ferry. Although there was a separate goods boat from Woodside to Liverpool, on the New Ferry/Rock Ferry route, goods were carried on the passenger boat.
Note that certain dangerous goods were prohibited: if you were caught carrying nitroglycerine, you'd get a large fine and the nitro. would be thrown overboard!!


Attached picture woodside goods timetable.jpg
Attached picture woodside goods charges 1.jpg
Attached picture woodside goods charges 2.jpg
Attached picture new ferry goods 1.jpg
Attached picture new ferry goods 2.jpg
Attached picture rock ferry goods 1.jpg
Attached picture rock ferry goods 2.jpg
Attached picture bye-laws.jpg
Posted By: chriskay Re: Birkenhead Ferries 1905 - 3rd Dec 2011 1:12pm
Looking at these goods charges raises a problem.
Our mate Fred has died in New Ferry. Being a true scouser, he wanted to be buried in Liverpool and it's up to us to get him there.
Problem: do we grit our teeth and pay ten bob to take him on the New Ferry boat, or do we hire a handcart and wheel him to Rock Ferry and pay five bob, or do we take him all the way to Woodside and pay half a crown?
What isn't clear is whether, if we use the Woodside luggage boat, the charge for the four of us bearers is included or not. I suspect not, in which case, that will be another fourpence.

Answers on a postcard please.
Posted By: Anonymous Re: Birkenhead Ferries 1905 - 3rd Dec 2011 1:39pm
A real minefield of charges there! Pity the guy on the Landing Stage checking the goods against what is payable.

If I was one of Fred's relatives, I'd be folding him in two and bunging him inside a harmonium! That way it only costs a 1/-d.
Posted By: chriskay Re: Birkenhead Ferries 1905 - 3rd Dec 2011 2:15pm
Trouble with that, Pinz, is that with rigor mortis you'd never fold him.
Maybe the best bet would to be to prop him between two mates and "walk" him on; on a morning rush hour boat you'd probably get away with it, and only tuppence from New Ferry.
Posted By: Mark Re: Birkenhead Ferries 1905 - 6th Dec 2011 7:38pm
Excellent post chris happy
Posted By: ResearcherTony Re: Birkenhead Ferries 1905 - 6th Dec 2011 8:45pm
Originally Posted by chriskay
First street tramway in Europe, 1860.

I've nothing from the era of the Industrial Revolution, although I'm lucky to live within a few miles of its birthplace in Coalbrookdale.


i went to the victorian village and farm its brilliant
Posted By: chriskay Re: Birkenhead Ferries 1905 - 12th Aug 2016 1:03pm
With a recent thread about the tunnel & ferries, I thought it might be worth resurrecting this thread from nearly five years ago. If you enlarge it, the text is just about readable.
Posted By: mikeeb Re: Birkenhead Ferries 1905 - 12th Aug 2016 9:15pm
Originally Posted by chriskay
With a recent thread about the tunnel & ferries, I thought it might be worth resurrecting this thread from nearly five years ago. If you enlarge it, the text is just about readable.


Oh my god. Those toll charges are a minefield
How long did the complicated tariffs stand

Originally Posted by chriskay
if you were caught carrying nitroglycerine, you'd get a large fine and the nitro. would be thrown overboard!!

WTF?
Its like the wild west grin
I'm not joking, it is like the wild west omg

You are quite right Chris, it is worth resurrecting wink
Posted By: mikeeb Re: Birkenhead Ferries 1905 - 13th Aug 2016 2:21am
I have only read part of the toll charges, believe me when I say, people were different back then
The toll covered everything (well almost) including corpses. A cab and horse was 1d but a corpse was 2s 6d. What!? A lorry or wagon with 2 horses was 2s 6d, hahahaha

A pram was 2d
God only knows what a passengers fare is

"Luggage, furniture, rafts or timber and any other articles not particularly enumerated on this list may be carried and charged as per special agreement" laugh
I love it, it seems worse than customs
Posted By: mikeeb Re: Birkenhead Ferries 1905 - 13th Aug 2016 3:10am
Oh my god grin New Ferry toll: corpse inclusive of bearers 10s, I bet a few tagged along there claiming to be bearers

Barrel of petroleum, 4d from Woodside
0 from New Ferry
6d from Rock Ferry
None of this makes sense laugh

The number of passengers they can carry are huge, 'SS Bidston 1603'
'SS Claughton and Lancashire 1694'
They even had a paddle steamer 'PS Birkenhead 1230'
I don't know what today's ferry's can hold but I don't think it is 1000 plus

Even the porters charges are sceptical
If I had a time machine, the past is where I would go smile
Posted By: chriskay Re: Birkenhead Ferries 1905 - 13th Aug 2016 9:46am
Originally Posted by mikeeb


Barrel of petroleum, 4d from Woodside
0 from New Ferry
6d from Rock Ferry
None of this makes sense laugh


The pence column is missing from the New Ferry list. The charge is actually 6d. same as Rock Ferry.
Posted By: mikeeb Re: Birkenhead Ferries 1905 - 13th Aug 2016 6:37pm
Originally Posted by chriskay
Originally Posted by mikeeb


Barrel of petroleum, 4d from Woodside
0 from New Ferry
6d from Rock Ferry
None of this makes sense laugh


The pence column is missing from the New Ferry list. The charge is actually 6d. same as Rock Ferry.


You just spoiled it for me Chris grin
I must say, fascinating figures and contrasts between the ferries
Posted By: joney Re: Birkenhead Ferries 1905 - 14th Aug 2016 8:58am
I remember there being in service what I think was called a baggage boat which took horse drawn and motor vehicles which was boarded via the floating roadway to the left of the ferry terminal at Woodside. I think the tunnel saw an end to this.
Posted By: Wally1 Re: Birkenhead Ferries 1905 - 14th Aug 2016 4:48pm
Originally Posted by joney
I remember there being in service what I think was called a baggage boat which took horse drawn and motor vehicles which was boarded via the floating roadway to the left of the ferry terminal at Woodside. I think the tunnel saw an end to this.


My parents referred to them as the "Luggage Boats" and
I think they ran until just after WW2.
Posted By: derekdwc Re: Birkenhead Ferries 1905 - 14th Aug 2016 6:03pm
Either online or somewhere on Wiki there are a couple of pics of laden luggage boats
Here are 2 pics of the floating roadway



Attached picture drive_on_to_ferry_[1600x1200].JPG
Attached picture drive_on_to_ferry_b_[1600x1200].JPG
Posted By: bert1 Re: Birkenhead Ferries 1905 - 14th Aug 2016 6:16pm
Luggage Boats, Barnston and Churton were scrapped in 1939, they were sent to Rotterdam to be broken up.

Luggage Boats, Oxton, Bebington and Liscard were fitted with cranes during the war. Amongst other duties they also lifted planes sent from the states from American ships when they missed the tides. The ships would have to anchor and the luggage boats brought the planes ashore.

Pic of Barnston & Churton being towed away for scrapping.

Attached picture oxton churton.PNG
Posted By: derekdwc Re: Birkenhead Ferries 1905 - 14th Aug 2016 6:25pm
Interesting vid at 5.30 mark of vehicles/carts ready to load at liverpool click on last post in topic

or youtube
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