I was interested to read discussion of Liverpool's Overhead Railway and John Lennon's reference to it in an early version of the lyrics for the song "In My Life" in "An Irishman's Diary" by Karl Whitney, The Irish Times, 12th May 2008.
Chris
Christopher T. George
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Editor, Loch Raven Review
http://christophertgeorge.blogspot.com/
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I think they were down by the time John was a schoolboy? Do you know whether they feature in Nowhere Boy, the new movie out?
The new Amsterdam at Liverpool?
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Deprived of its unique dockland waters Liverpool
becomes a Venice without canals, just another city, no
longer of special interest to anyone, least of all the
tourist. Would we visit a modernised Venice of filled in
canals to view its modern museum describing
how it once was?
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What makes you think that? I was 18 at the time and had never ridden on it. The only way I got to ride it was when the managing director of the company I worked for ( A railway nut) closed all branches for the day, hired buses and transported the whole staff to Dingle for the last ride. We were picked up at the North end and bussed back to work. I wont mention the name of the company because WW gets all wound up about them.
When the smoke has cleared and the bullets cease.another soldier rests in peace. The politicians who caused the fight, rest at home no danger in sight
...took me on it when I was much younger than that. I started at Quarry Bank the year John L. left it...
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It was the only easy way to "see the ships" and was a great cheap ride for any young kid.
Not as many attractions back in those days for kids to get to.
Any remember the platform passes to "see the trains", and the pass to get on the observation deck to "see the planes" at Speke Airport? We paid our precious pennies to "see stuff".
The Overhead Railway was a kids weekend fun ride.... I vote Yes, he went on it.
I think you're right az_gila,
I remember going up St John's restaurant tower as a child......meal was ok, but the moving floor and changing vista, well....that was something else! I came back from the toilets [in the central core] and sat down at somebody else's table, as the floor had rotated around a couple of degrees while I was answering nature's call........it was a long call though!
I would have loved the overhead railway experience......but alas, too young! However, the London to Lime Street train rides on an elevated section of track, just after Edge Hill station and before the tunnel - you can see over the terraced houses' roofscape [mary poppins like] towards the cathedrals. This is how I imagine the Docker's umbella was like?
Last edited by dazza; 01-05-2010 at 01:25 AM. Reason: missed apostrophe...bloody 'ell
The new Amsterdam at Liverpool?
Save Liverpool Docks and Waterways - Click
Deprived of its unique dockland waters Liverpool
becomes a Venice without canals, just another city, no
longer of special interest to anyone, least of all the
tourist. Would we visit a modernised Venice of filled in
canals to view its modern museum describing
how it once was?
Giving Liverpool a full Metro - CLICK
Rapid-transit rail: Everton, Liverpool & Arena - CLICK
Save Royal Iris - Sign Petition
There is an article on the Overhead in this !956 issue of Meccano Magazine, on page 554.
Meccano Magazines dating from 1923 to 1970, plus other years are available for free download here.
Some good articles to read, especially during the war years, and the adverts and prices are interesting too.
There will always be people who take things the wrong way.Click HERE to hear a clicky sound.
Stephen's new site has just gone live:
http://www.liverpooloverheadrailway.com/index.htm
The new Amsterdam at Liverpool?
Save Liverpool Docks and Waterways - Click
Deprived of its unique dockland waters Liverpool
becomes a Venice without canals, just another city, no
longer of special interest to anyone, least of all the
tourist. Would we visit a modernised Venice of filled in
canals to view its modern museum describing
how it once was?
Giving Liverpool a full Metro - CLICK
Rapid-transit rail: Everton, Liverpool & Arena - CLICK
Save Royal Iris - Sign Petition
What is sad about the Overhead was that in the 1940s it was proposed to make a full loop using the Overhead. All rail was nationalized, apart from the Overhead, and it was realized that a loop could built by using existing lines. The Outer Loop from Hunts Cross to Aintree would be the eastern part of the loop the Overhead the western part of the loop. The Overhead on Race days did make it way to Aintree. So no problem in getting the Overhead on the Outer Loop in the north end. The Overhead would link onto the line to Hunts Cross at Herculaneum Dock.
The stations and track were there. All it needed was electrifying. It would use modern light-rail Overhead trains 3 cars long. If this had been done Merseyrail would have been superb today and the Overhead still with us. What a lost opportunity. Typical of Liverpool.
Here is the Outer Loop in red - it runs further north to Aintree. The blue is the existing Northern Line.
The new Amsterdam at Liverpool?
Save Liverpool Docks and Waterways - Click
Deprived of its unique dockland waters Liverpool
becomes a Venice without canals, just another city, no
longer of special interest to anyone, least of all the
tourist. Would we visit a modernised Venice of filled in
canals to view its modern museum describing
how it once was?
Giving Liverpool a full Metro - CLICK
Rapid-transit rail: Everton, Liverpool & Arena - CLICK
Save Royal Iris - Sign Petition
check my page on my site for more info on this branch http://oritelad.webs.com/liverpooloverheadrailway.htm
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