*UPDATE*
A History of Liverpool's Railway Development can now be found here (http://www.yoliverpool.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4176)

================================================== =======

I'd love to see some pics of these stations/ tunnels etc...

I would too theres something cool about the undergrounds in cities.

I heard something the other day about a tunnel from Speke Hall or somewhere that can fit a small plane inside!! Is it true?

Havn't heard that a plane can fit inside, but I was told that there was a tunnel, or tunnels leading from Speke Hall down to the river. Something to do with secret escape routes for the Catholic priests.
I've heard that there are lots of underground tunnels in Liverpool. Probably some we don't even know about. Are there some under the Town Hall & Exchange Sq. ??

Liverpool Castle used to have a few tunnels. There must be loads linking the courts etc..

Visitors have been given the rare chance to get the inside track on the Mersey Tunnels on Sunday 21st August 2006.

Free guided tours gave the opportunity to see newly constructed escape refuges, the engineering control room and one of six ventilation stations.

Merseytravel chair Councillor Mark Dowd, said: "They are a fantastic feat of engineering and these tours allow people into the tunnel's heart."

The visitors were seeing the Queensway Tunnel in action.

The open day is part of the build up to Liverpool's year as European Capital of Culture in 2008.

Neil Scales, chief executive of Merseytravel, said: "We are planning to launch tunnel tours on a much bigger scale later this year."

I'll start with Undergroud Railways

Liverpool has four underground stations:

Source (http://www.scouseology.com/?page_id=247)

Liverpool has five. The Dingle underground station is still there intact.

Liverpool has five. The Dingle underground station is still there intact.


http://www.subbrit.org.uk/sb-sites/sites/l/liverpool_overhead_railway/lor_old6.jpg

DINGLE STATION c1930


http://www.subbrit.org.uk/sb-sites/sites/l/liverpool_overhead_railway/lor3.jpg

DINGLE STATION 1999 — Now an engineering workshop.

SOURCE (http://www.subbrit.org.uk/sb-sites/sites/l/liverpool_overhead_railway/index1.shtml)

So... Liverpool has FOUR underground stations... :celb (23):

http://www.subbrit.org.uk/sb-sites/sites/l/liverpool_overhead_railway/lor_old6.jpg

DINGLE STATION c1930


http://www.subbrit.org.uk/sb-sites/sites/l/liverpool_overhead_railway/lor3.jpg

DINGLE STATION 1999 — Now an engineering workshop.

SOURCE (http://www.subbrit.org.uk/sb-sites/sites/l/liverpool_overhead_railway/index1.shtml)

So... Liverpool has FOUR underground stations... :celb (23):

Superb :PDT_Aliboronz_24:

I remember walking through the Kingsway tunnel when it was first opened, did anyone else?
My grandfather also walked through the Queensway Tunnel.

I remember walking through the Kingsway tunnel when it was first opened, did anyone else?
My grandfather also walked through the Queensway Tunnel.

I walked through it too.........I remember scrbbling through the tunnel, with a plastered foot after falling off the slide in Central park,, and we went to visit me nan on Commercial rd afters ... after seeing the Queen ;)... sod her we said

Its one of those events that you tell people and they don't believe you, that you walked the tunnel.

I once heard there used to be a tunnel leading from Garston docks to the Garston Hotel (now demolished). I was told it lead to a celler that was used for the sailors to drink in rather than use the main lounges.

Dont know how true this is does anyone else know of this.

Its one of those events that you tell people and they don't believe you, that you walked the tunnel.


CLICK (http://www.bbc.co.uk/liverpool/localhistory/my_memory/tunnel.shtml)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/liverpool/localhistory/my_memory/tunnel_walk_cert.jpg

http://www.bbc.co.uk/liverpool/localhistory/my_memory/tunnel_walk.jpg

Just for those that have never traveled through one of the tunnels

http://www.bbc.co.uk/liverpool/realmedia/virtual_tours/tunnel.ram

Well, Kev asked if I had any pictures of tunnels, underground locations, etc, in Liverpool, so I've selected the best ones. I expect most of these are reasonably well known, but interesting all the same I hope.

Waterloo/Victoria Tunnels

The former rail link from Edge Hill to the north docks and Riverside Station, this tunnel stretches a couple of miles under the city. I walked it a couple of years ago, the torch running out just as we reached the end. Luckily there was a way out, otherwise we'd have had to walk back in the pitch dark!! Most of my pictures of this are crap, as the camera I had only did 2s max exposures.

http://www.forties-design.co.uk/l2/reports/images/waterloo/2003_0101Image0037.jpg
Looking up one of the ventilation shafts

http://www.forties-design.co.uk/l2/reports/images/waterloo/2003_0101Image0047.jpg
Discarded trolley wheelset

http://www.forties-design.co.uk/l2/reports/images/waterloo/2003_0101Image0103.jpg
Victorian brick-lined sewer running underneath the tunnel

http://www.forties-design.co.uk/l2/reports/images/waterloo/2003_0101Image0105.jpg
The exit, piled high with tyres

Fairly recently I went back to explore the old arch that carries the Northern Line over what would have been the LNWR line running out of the Waterloo tunnel. This was interesting as we found a second arch buried under the embankment, and also a network of passages and vaulted tunnels actually inside the main brick arch structure.

http://www.forties-design.co.uk/l2/reports/images/waterloo/Dscf1515.jpg

http://www.forties-design.co.uk/l2/reports/images/waterloo/Dscf1535.jpg
Inside the brick structure, which is hollow!

http://www.forties-design.co.uk/l2/reports/images/waterloo/Dscf1553.jpg
The buried tunnel, just about accessible

Woolton Quarry Tunnel

This one was short, but quite interesting. A tunnel cut into the sandstone quarry face of a quarry in Woolton, most of which has now been built on. The tunnel curves into the rock, then meets another tunnel at 90 degrees, which is blocked after a few yards. Perhaps this was once used to move stones up to the top of the hill? I can't find much info on this one...

http://www.forties-design.co.uk/photos/woolton/entrance.jpg
The entrance

http://www.forties-design.co.uk/photos/woolton/in.jpg
The tunnel curves uphill

http://www.forties-design.co.uk/photos/woolton/bricks.jpg
The top section is brick-lined

Bramley-Moore Dock Tunnel

On the west side of Bramley-Moore Dock is a reasonably modern tunnel running underneath the quayside. Not sure what it's for, but it runs across the dock drainage system, with a hole at one point that enters the tidal drain. There was lots of junk in there, and what looked like rails for some kind of hopper wagon or movable machinery. There were no shafts leading into it from above, just two side entrances.

http://www.forties-design.co.uk/l2/reports/images/bramley/Dsc_0198.jpg

http://www.forties-design.co.uk/l2/reports/images/bramley/Dsc_0201.jpg

http://www.forties-design.co.uk/l2/reports/images/bramley/Dsc_0202.jpg

http://www.forties-design.co.uk/l2/reports/images/bramley/Dsc_0208.jpg
Shaft down into the drain

The drainage system beneath the dock is interesting. Part of it would have been used to control the depth of water in the dock. Evidence of this is a big sluice gate that connects to the drain which could have been used to equalise the depth of water in the dock with that of the river.

A drain runs right along the length of the quayside, and at some points there are access points such as the one pictured below. Further exploration wasn't possible as the tide was only halfway out and the steps disappeared into murky water. I'm guessing entry here would allow passage to the sluice about 300 yards round the dock and perhaps the workings of other hydraulic machinery, but I'm not sure I'm that brave!!

http://www.forties-design.co.uk/l2/graphics/specials/docks/Dsc_0104.jpg

Prince's Landing Stage Tunnel

This short tunnel was exposed when work began clearing the site for the new development. The tunnel lead from the inner dockside down to the lower level of the landing stage. The walls and roof were lined with glazed bricks, and the tunnel has subsequently been backfilled or destroyed.

http://www.forties-design.co.uk/l2/reports/images/princesdock/2005_0123Liverpool40006.jpg
Looking towards the landing stage

http://www.forties-design.co.uk/l2/reports/images/princesdock/2005_0123Liverpool40007.jpg
Landing stage lower level

http://www.forties-design.co.uk/l2/reports/images/princesdock/2005_0123Liverpool40008.jpg
Entrance to the tunnel - clearly the tunnel once ran a bit further

Queensway Tunnel

I expect we've all been through here on numerous occasions. These photos are taken from a recent tour I went on. Very interesting, especially getting into the lower section of the tunnel.

http://www.forties-design.co.uk/photos/georges/Dsc_0052.jpg
One of the huge fans

http://www.forties-design.co.uk/photos/georges/Dsc_0081.jpg
Looking up the ventilation shaft

http://www.forties-design.co.uk/photos/georges/Dsc_0095.jpg
Steps down to the road tunnel

http://www.forties-design.co.uk/photos/georges/Dsc_0101.jpg
The underneath of the road deck, where is was proposed to run a tramway

Georges Dock

When the Three Graces were built, Georges Dock was used as a foundation. The Cunard Building was built in one section of the dock, and the Georges Dock Ventilation Station for the Queensway Tunnel was built next door. From the ventilation station it is possible to access one of the original arches in the bridge across the dock. Subsequent arches run in the direction of the river, and apparently in one of them is an old boat. These arches I think are liable to flooding, hence the basement of the Cunard Building having water pumping facilities.

In some parts of the Cunard Building basement, the original dock wall can be found.

http://www.forties-design.co.uk/photos/georges/Dsc_0087.jpg
Georges Dock bridge arch

http://www.forties-design.co.uk/l2/reports/images/cunard/dockwall.jpg
Georges Dock wall, Cunard Building basement

http://www.forties-design.co.uk/l2/reports/images/cunard/pumps.jpg
Pumping equipment, Cunard Building basement

Royal Insurance Building Shelter

During the Second World War, parts of the (currently empty) Royal Insurance Building's basement were converted for use as an air-raid shelter. These rooms were probably coal stores originally, but were cleared out so that local workers could take shelter from the bombing raids. I knew nothing of these rooms until I explored the building (don't worry, I didn't break in!).

Below the lower ground floor we entered the basement and found strange escape hatches. Some appeared to lead into what looked like coal chutes - others went from room to room. All had 'Escape' or 'No Exit' painted on them in wartime style signwriting. Also of interest was a removed staircase with paint still visible. On a later visit a friend of mine notices a typed piece of paper pasted to the wall, which cleared up the mystery - it was instructions on how to use the escapes to get out of the shelter! This would have been in the event of building collapse. Amazing that the instructions had survived.

http://www.forties-design.co.uk/photos/ri5/Dsc_0567.jpg
Exits through the coal chute

http://www.forties-design.co.uk/photos/ri5/Dsc_0131.jpg
Typed instructions

http://www.forties-design.co.uk/photos/ri5/Dsc_0554.jpg

There's just too much stuff beneath this city...

What fantastic pictures they are really something else.:eek:

Fantastic!

Snappel, I always get a buzz when I view your pics. :thumbsup:

Wow. I never knew of most of these.
Something like Seattle, there are parts of the old town buried beneath the streets that can be accessed by tunnels. Ta for the pics M8.

In the 50's I knew a Mr. Elston. He was a director of a small car dealership in Mount Pleasant, so small they only kept 2 cars in the showroom, it was about halfway up the hill. He told us that when they were fixing up the basement for storage they discovered a brick built arch, they went down the tunnel behind it for quite a way and came to a collapse, they were scared of it falling more so came out and they had the arch bricked up. I have always wondered where it went, are there any other tunnels known in that area?. I mentioned it to the guide at the Williamson tunnels and he said he had never heard of it.

Bramley-Moore Dock Tunnel

On the west side of Bramley-Moore Dock is a reasonably modern tunnel running underneath the quayside. Not sure what it's for, but it runs across the dock drainage system, with a hole at one point that enters the tidal drain. There was lots of junk in there, and what looked like rails for some kind of hopper wagon or movable machinery. There were no shafts leading into it from above, just two side entrances.

http://www.forties-design.co.uk/l2/reports/images/bramley/Dsc_0198.jpg

http://www.forties-design.co.uk/l2/reports/images/bramley/Dsc_0201.jpg

http://www.forties-design.co.uk/l2/reports/images/bramley/Dsc_0202.jpg

http://www.forties-design.co.uk/l2/reports/images/bramley/Dsc_0208.jpg
Shaft down into the drain

The drainage system beneath the dock is interesting. Part of it would have been used to control the depth of water in the dock. Evidence of this is a big sluice gate that connects to the drain which could have been used to equalise the depth of water in the dock with that of the river.

A drain runs right along the length of the quayside, and at some points there are access points such as the one pictured below. Further exploration wasn't possible as the tide was only halfway out and the steps disappeared into murky water. I'm guessing entry here would allow passage to the sluice about 300 yards round the dock and perhaps the workings of other hydraulic machinery, but I'm not sure I'm that brave!!

http://www.forties-design.co.uk/l2/graphics/specials/docks/Dsc_0104.jpg


Kevin, the drainage tunnels. These I presume are on the river wall - the land at the side of river. Some docks had sluices to equalise with high tide - the highest dock level was that of the high tide, which varies throughout the year. If the water level was lower in the dock, or higher because of rain, the water went either into the river or into the dock.

I'm not sure about Bramley Moore, however some dock were impounded. That meant pumps raised the level of the docks above that of the river to get deep draught ships in. The South Ends Docks did this. This usually meant having a proper "lock", not just a gate, at the river. A ship went into the lock and the water level of the lock was raised to that of the higher dock. This was an expensive undertaking and massive pumps were needed and sometime ran 24/7 when the high tide levels were at their lowest. It was considered cheaper than draining docks and deepening them, which meant reinforcing the bottom of the quay walls. The docks were deepened at one point, but ships just kept getting bigger.

The same rule applied to dredging. It was cheaper to dredge than deepen river and bay shipping lanes. The Mersey shipping lane were deepened to 28 foot from 25 foot - low tide depth, with max 32 foot tides - in 1968, then in 1975, after the south end docks closures it went back to 25 foot. So, ships with a max draught of about 55 foot draught could enter the river. Biggest ship ever was 350,000 tons tanker at Tranmere.

In New York the container port is being deepened by blasting the harbour entrance bedrock - a very expensive undertaking. Then probably training banks are installed and constant dredging too.

New York harbour around Manhattan was only ever 17 foot average depth with 2 to 3 foot tides. A shipping lane had to be dredged to get the Queens Mary and Elizabeth in.

In the 50's I knew a Mr. Elston. He was a director of a small car dealership in Mount Pleasant, so small they only kept 2 cars in the showroom, it was about halfway up the hill. He told us that when they were fixing up the basement for storage they discovered a brick built arch, they went down the tunnel behind it for quite a way and came to a collapse, they were scared of it falling more so came out and they had the arch bricked up. I have always wondered where it went, are there any other tunnels known in that area?. I mentioned it to the guide at the Williamson tunnels and he said he had never heard of it.

There was a copper mine in the Middle Ages at wait for it.....Copperas Hill. Recently a hotel being built there they discovered one of the access shafts. It is huge down there. They poured concrete in to seal it up.

These are fantastic pictures. In fact 'fanastic' doesn't do them justice nor the work which went into bringing these into the public eye :) Brilliant. If any time I need to use these for anything I can come here!!

Excellent ! Thanks for sharing.

Superb, thank you— you've certainly got more 'bottle' than me!! :eek: :)

Superb, thank you— you've certainly got more 'bottle' than me!! :eek: :)

Probably plenty of bottles of beer :PDT_Aliboronz_24:

Snappel, you are a great resource. I'd love to explore more myself, but wouldn't know where to find underground attractions and would probably come unstuck if I did locate any!

Thanks for sharing this.

P.S. Would you let people (me) join you on future explorations?

In the 50's I knew a Mr. Elston. He was a director of a small car dealership in Mount Pleasant, so small they only kept 2 cars in the showroom, it was about halfway up the hill. He told us that when they were fixing up the basement for storage they discovered a brick built arch, they went down the tunnel behind it for quite a way and came to a collapse, they were scared of it falling more so came out and they had the arch bricked up. I have always wondered where it went, are there any other tunnels known in that area?. I mentioned it to the guide at the Williamson tunnels and he said he had never heard of it.

where about is this buliding now i would like to go and find out but it sounds like itsthe tunnel leading to the old cathdral there ends havebeen bricked up too

I found a long tunnel.
It seemed to go for a mile.

I found a long tunnel.
It seemed to go for a mile.

Is that part of Lime Street Station?

Is that part of Lime Street Station?

Moorfields.

Moorfields.


I was gonna say the tunnel sytem that runs between James Street and Water Street....good job I didn't :)

I was gonna say the tunnel sytem that runs between James Street and Water Street....good job I didn't :)


I love that tunnel. I also like the one between Old Hall Street and Moorfields. It looks quite old - did it used to go to Exchange station?

I was gonna say the tunnel sytem that runs between James Street and Water Street....good job I didn't :)

You could be right.
I'm not sure now.

You could be right.
I'm not sure now.

I'm gonna stick my neck out and claim that it is cause it looks the spit of another photo in Underground Liverpool :)

I'm gonna stick my neck out and claim that it is cause it looks the spit of another photo in Underground Liverpool :)

I definitely took this one. :celb (23):
It's the tunnel that leads to Water Street.

how old is the current central station now?

About 30 years old.

About 30 years old.

ta snappel
anyone have any pics of it way back then?

ta snappel
anyone have any pics of it way back then?

Do you want pics of the Victorian building, or this one before it was revamped?
(I bet you're going to say both! - but if you had to choose?)

http://www.subbrit.org.uk/sb-sites/stations/l/liverpool_central_hl/index.shtml

Do you want pics of the Victorian building, or this one before it was revamped?
(I bet you're going to say both! - but if you had to choose?)

this current one Philip..:)
great link Jona:celb (23):

this current one Philip..:)
great link Jona:celb (23):

I can help there, but I'm off out now.
Join my Old Liverpool group (please, you'll be the 30th member), because I'm doing "Now & Then" shots of my photos.

have joined up philip!
some great pics!

Hi All,

As loads of us are interested in all things underground - myself included - I have purchased 'www.undergroundliverpool.co.uk' so when I actually get a spare moment from the million and one other things I'm doing, I'll set up a website.

I've also ordered some business cards so that when I get some information about something underground, I (and we) can look a tad professional and give the impression we're actually utterly health and safety compliment rather than the bunch of on-line scallies that we are :Colorz_Grey_PDT_16:

When I've got something up and running, I'll pop some letters off in the post of places that we've heard of and want to see and we can go from there!

Hi All,

As loads of us are interested in all things underground - myself included - I have purchased 'www.undergroundliverpool.co.uk' so when I actually get a spare moment from the million and one other things I'm doing, I'll set up a website.

I've also ordered some business cards so that when I get some information about something underground, I (and we) can look a tad professional and give the impression we're actually utterly health and safety compliment rather than the bunch of on-line scallies that we are :Colorz_Grey_PDT_16:

When I've got something up and running, I'll pop some letters off in the post of places that we've heard of and want to see and we can go from there!

Great idea matey! :)

Temp address is at http://testing19766.moonfruit.com/

First two pages are up and running!

The splendid view when you look down the Byrom street, Waterloo tunnel cutting. If you listen carefully (in between buses going past) you can hear water dripping.

I can testify that it's very moist down there!!

Temp address is at http://testing19766.moonfruit.com/

First two pages are up and running!

looking gooooood!

Looks as if its gonna be a crackin' Website Jona..Best of luck Lad

Temp address is at http://testing19766.moonfruit.com/

First two pages are up and running!

Site looks great, Jona! Keep us posted on when it goes live. In Ripperologist we have reported on Williamson and the tunnels before, so I will be pleased to give you a plug in our "I Beg to Report" section.

All the best

Chris

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/147/387106016_602db1518a_o.jpg

(Not in Williamson's Tunnels.... in the Catacombs of Paris!)

Cheers for the heads up guys! :PDT11

Hoping to secure a page for the church on Overbury Street when I get a reply and I've also been given a pointer in the right direction for a set of tunnels underneath Scotland Road - St Anthony of Egypt. Anyone know of this church and can point me in the right direction or have heard of owt??

oooooooooohhh excited!

Had permission from Nick Catford at Sub Brit to feature the Crown Street and Wapping Tunnels on the website so that's another page linked up!

Cheers for the heads up guys! :PDT11

Hoping to secure a page for the church on Overbury Street when I get a reply and I've also been given a pointer in the right direction for a set of tunnels underneath Scotland Road - St Anthony of Egypt. Anyone know of this church and can point me in the right direction or have heard of owt??

There is a crypt and catacombs under St. Anthony's, Scotland road but they're open to the public and i've been down them but they're not very extensive and I think only are within the footprint of the church/churchyard.

Had permission to link to St James's Cemetery so that page is now done!

lovin' the front page! hehe

What's with the front page? What has that got to do with 'urban exploration'?

Is a secret code so that people with a fetish for woman playing in the dirt can find them here!!!!

:020:

So it's Underground Liverpool FHM then. :eek:
Using pics of ladies to attract attention :badgrin:

Although it really makes me think of the 'put the lotion in the bucket' scenes from The Silence of the Lambs.:D

:020:

Where has the last post from Jona76 gone?
The one about the pic of the close friend of his (girl from Newcastle) on the front page of his underground site?

Are the gremlims in the forums? :eek:
Is it like The Matrix, and the computers are taking over :crybaby:

Yeah there are more Metal Slug animations in the smilies. :PDT_07:

:020:

I havn't got a clue what this conversation is about :noid:

LindyLou. Click on the underground website link on message No3 from Jona and all will become clear.

Tunnel-wise, nothing in the World beats this (http://fogonazos.blogspot.com/2007/02/largest-drain-hole-ever.html).

Tunnel-wise, nothing in the World beats this (http://fogonazos.blogspot.com/2007/02/largest-drain-hole-ever.html).


Hi Snappel

Great site!

http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7114/258/1600/55637069_b0cb618683a.jpg

Just one of the amazing pics and information to be found on Fogonazos Blog (http://fogonazos.blogspot.com/2007/02/largest-drain-hole-ever.html), including photos of the largest drainhole in the world (it's in California!), pictures of Hiroshima after the atomic bomb (not for the squeamish), and pics of shipwrecks worldwide, etc.

Chris

LindyLou. Click on the underground website link on message No3 from Jona and all will become clear.

thanks Ged, I just saw the web-site in question. :)

What's with the front page? What has that got to do with 'urban exploration'?

Is a secret code so that people with a fetish for woman playing in the dirt can find them here!!!!

:020:

oh, I see what you mean .. :)

.. like, what's a young dollybird got to do with tunnels ?? :) :)

oh, I see what you mean .. :)

.. like, what's a young dollybird got to do with tunnels ?? :) :)

I could have just stuck a boring tunnel picture up but I thought I'd spice it up a tad....the one of me stripped down to my shorts and boots while digging out the triple decker tunnel in the Williamson's Tunnels wasn't really best for the front page :eek: :)

I could have just stuck a boring tunnel picture up but I thought I'd spice it up a tad....the one of me stripped down to my shorts and boots while digging out the triple decker tunnel in the Williamson's Tunnels wasn't really best for the front page :eek: :)


ahh, I'm sure it would have been alright ! :slywink: :D

wow i havent relly posted much but cant wait to see you full site.

top job well done

Got the shock of me life today. Sitting in work and looking out on to the railway track that is just past Wavertree Tech Park funnily enough in the Tech park! I sit just by where it branches off to the tunnel to up to Edge Lane.

Anyway, there were a load of bods on the track doing some repair work to a massive set of wooden blocks and they lifted em all up. What is below but a stonking great brick shaft that went for ...well I couldn't see from the angle I was at but it seemed massive!

I know Wavertree is quite high ground but I'm totally totally lost where it leads to!! I've attached a map of where it was - the cross shows the exact point.

If you look on http://www.old-maps.co.uk/ the 1851 map for that spot has the Picko Lane Bridge crossing the railway so it may be something to do with that.

this is a fright line that used to be a passanger till it closed to passangers in 1948 but this is the cut of that leads to the docks its the Canada Dock Branch line and the reason you seen men on it working is because this line is to be reopoened to passangers by merseyrail by 2011

this is a fright line that used to be a passanger


So, was it used by the ghost train then? :rolleyes:

How do you KNOW they are working on it because it is being re-opened to passengers in 2011? That's rubbish! There's 10 times more chance it's just routine Permanent Way maintenance...

I have now added a new page to my Underground Liverpool - a very brief description of the blocked up Tunnel and the Ice House under the Town Hall.

These were taken by an elderly gent some time ago so if I am able to get down there, I will try and get some more pictures and a better description!

There is a crypt and catacombs under St. Anthony's, Scotland road but they're open to the public and i've been down them but they're not very extensive and I think only are within the footprint of the church/churchyard.

So have I,the area they cover is around the same as the church-but they're very spooky all the same.

Jona's mystery shaft...that area was riddled with sidings,flyovers,flyunders etc not so long ago. Edge Hill was one of the biggest goods sorting areas in England and most of WTP was part of that area. So perhaps it's a ventilation shaft for a tunnel below?

http://www.dollrevolution.co.uk/images/wtp-sidings2.jpg

Dave.

i know the line is reopening as i have regular contact with someone from merseyrail and have seen the merseyrail plans for 2011

So have I,the area they cover is around the same as the church-but they're very spooky all the same.

Jona's mystery shaft...that area was riddled with sidings,flyovers,flyunders etc not so long ago. Edge Hill was one of the biggest goods sorting areas in England and most of WTP was part of that area. So perhaps it's a ventilation shaft for a tunnel below?

Dave.

Aye, I just can't see why there would be a tunnel system below and where it would lead to. I'm really going to have a good nose around there as they've been doing bits and bobs to that line for the 12 years I've been there now.

i know the line is reopening as i have regular contact with someone from merseyrail and have seen the merseyrail plans for 2011I didn't ask how you knew the line was reopening, I asked how you knew that's why they were working there last week.

Now all updated and can be found at www.undergroundliverpool.co.uk

A work in progress site but it'll do for now!

Now all updated and can be found at www.undergroundliverpool.co.uk

A work in progress site but it'll do for now!

Whos in the picture of on the Introduction page?:unibrow:

Great site, Well done:handclap:

I cant believe i missed this thread.

Any news From St Annes Church yet????? i wanna go back.

Great that Jona.

This is a pic that a lady called Liser sent me a couple of years back when we were corresponding about the Edge Hill cuttings. She referred me to the Subterranean site that your does as they seem to have done thier homework. Any truth in the story about the council once looking at the Wapping and Waterloo tunnels as a mean of road transport to and from the docks to ease traffic congestion.

Cheers Guv!

Only just got my business cards through so I'm going to write a letter tonight and have it in the post for em!

Great site, Well done:handclap:

I cant believe i missed this thread.

Any news From St Annes Church yet????? i wanna go back.

The Cheshire Lines route approaching from Walton had a branch which, after passing through Walton Hill Tunnel (242yds long) under Rice Lane, then Breeze Hill Tunnel (646yds long), ran alongside the Lancashire and Yorkshire and the Liverpool, Bolton and Bury Lines and reached Huskisson Goods and Passenger Stations situated between Bankhall Lane and Boundary Street.



Just found these on Flickr:

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/228/448389563_2e767d849b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/4737carlin/448389563/)

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/229/448387295_7797b1407f.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/4737carlin/448387295/)

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/209/447746719_2592e83a09.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/4737carlin/447746719/)

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/170/447720033_36e7308f87.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/4737carlin/447720033/)

Are they members here by any chance?

I might know them. Got a link to the Flickr?

Well that ventilation shaft is open again today, tape around it and you can see in for a little distance. Trust me not to bring in my bloody camera when I was going to! Taken some on the mobile so I'll post em up tonight but if it's like this at 5:30, I'll be 12x zooming in on it!

Here are the pics taken with my poor camera phone - taking the H2 in to work tomorrow for some better shots!!

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Hi Jona,

What do you think of Jim Moore's book Underground Liverpool? I think my favourite picture in that book is the one of the Breeze Hill underground service reservoir. It looks like a flooded cathedral. Probably the reality is less stunning. I'd love to see it.

thats been waste ground for so long now i would of loved to see it in its day any pics i got told there was a breeze hill fair on top

@Jona - What do the vent shafts hide?

thats not a vent shaft btw theres never been anythink under there the line going into that tunnel is the fright only line that is the canada dock branch it is sopose to be geting opened to passangers again by merseyrail

How do you know? I might be a vent shaft for an air-raid shelter for all you know...

thats not a vent shaft btw theres never been anythink under there the line going into that tunnel is the fright only line that is the canada dock branch it is sopose to be geting opened to passangers again by merseyrail

Wavertree is one of the highest points in Liverpool so there is a good chance that this is some sort of ventilation shaft or the like. Why it's there I've simply no idea. It wouldn't have been for a pulley system like the Moorish Arch, there's no noticible gradient from Edge Hill Station to here but I'm going to pour over my maps again tonight and see what it could have been. It is fairly unusual because it is situated between the goods line and the passenger line and I would suspect it goes straight down rather than branching under the tracks, with the amount of coal shifted everyday.

Straight down where :shock:?!! These places are fascinating, never knew the extent of these things before.

Could it not be access to the point motors or signalling kit?

Could it not be access to the point motors or signalling kit?

That's just it, there's nothing around that part of the line apart from one red light for when trains wait just before coming out of the tunnel. As it's a straight run from the Tech Park Station to Edge Hill station, there's just nothing around there that I can see that would justify such a large opening.

Did you get those zoom shots Jona? I was thinking maybe it's an entrance to an air raid shelter for railway workers. That area was a hive of activity and sidings 50 years ago,supposedly Edge Hill was the largest marshalling yard in England which means it would have been a fair distance to public air raid shelters and also a main target for bombers,hence the need for a special one for the workers. That's just a guess though. If so,however,it's probably a handy store for NR equipment/junk etc today.

Dave.