Ventilation Station / Queensway Tunnel

[snappel]

Went on another tour of the Georges Dock Ventilation Station the other week. As I've said before, well worth it for the few quid they charge you. Excellent tour, plenty of info, cameras not a problem and it's not swamped in health and safety rubbish.

You start off in the main building, where the Art Deco theme continues inside. Fantastic architecture, reminded me of my late night infiltration of Battersea 'A' Station, but that's another story...


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First main area to be toured was the main control room. This alone was fantastic, and as was typical of the era it had been originally fitted out by English Electric, with a characteristic grey control panel. Unfortunely (for me anyway...) this is gradually becoming more and more computerised. As a result the days of the big control panel are numbered, and the engineers will be sad to see it go.


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From here it's down into the depths of the ventilation station, down a long series of staircases, through air-lock doors and eventually to 'road level' (i.e. normal ground level).


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Here you reach the huge exhaust fans. There are two of everything here to ensure there's always a backup system available. So two exhaust fans, and two clean air fans. Monstrous beasts, with fans nearly 30ft in diameter.


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Further down and it's more electrical gear, this time isolators, transformers and power supplies for the fan motors...


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Interestingly the tour route deviates into one of the old arches under the Georges Dock causeway that once ran between two parts of Georges Dock. From here you can see through a hole into the next arch, and all of them still exist underground. Another hole leads into the Cunard Building basement, but you'd need some pretty trick ropework or ladders to get through.


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Finally it's down to the tunnel level itself, through a network of tunnels and staircases. A small lift is available, but it's probably quicker to take the stairs.


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Interesting you can also go under the road deck in the tunnel, and alongside the 'central avenue' lower tunnel, which is used for the passage of air and cables and ducts. The huge air supply tunnels are also walkable, and at the end you can see them curve up as they run vertically up to the ventilation station. Then it's back to the surface.


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[taffy]

Thanks for a superb post. I've never seen any photos like this before

[Ged]

Thanks for sharing Snappel, the pics are great as is the tour no doubt.

[theninesisters]

A fantastic post Snappel! You really are yoliverpool's reporter in to exclusive places!!

[iain]

Thanks Snappel, I never realised how much was in there. Are the tours done regularly, or just "on demand"?

[Kev]

Thanks Snappel

[birdseye]

Fantastic photos. I'd love to go on that tour, how do you go about it?

[snappel]

Contact Mersey Tunnels here (http://www.merseytunnels.co.uk/nossl/html/contact.php). Definitely worth going, and the tours are regular (several a week) and I think are usually run in the evening, plus a daytime one on Saturdays.

Thanks for the comments.

[lindylou]

Thanks for posting the pics. I'm going to show my son - we were going to do that tour last year but I think I read that you have to be over 16.

[skgogosfan]

Thanks for posting those pix,snappel! It's certainly fascinating down there-I must go on that tour also.

Dave.

[drone_pilot]

snappel, you sould sent the third picture down to tom sleezeman as it shows a ghost on the stairs, he'll make a good story up about it.:PDT_Xtremez_42:

[snappel]

Ha ha, yes, ghost of the ventilation station control panel operator!!

[Kev]

I see the trips have become very popular recently according to the Echo.

[snappel]

I was told that when I was there. They're booking up very quickly.