Fontenoy / Hodson St station

[terrysmith]

Thanks Ged. All that is a haze as the Waterloo Goods depot was demolished in the 1800s I was under the impression Gt Howard St was above on the viaduct and was passenger only with steps access to the Waterloo Good Depot below, which meant that the Goods depot was goods and passenger at one time.

I have seen no artists impressions, or photos of the Waterloo Goods Depot, which was historical in itself. I was under the impression it was all under a roof.

I recall its sister at Park Lane, at the end of the Wapping Tunnel, which was in operation until around 1971/72.

The most impressive rail Goods Depot was the Cheshire Lines goods Terminal at Sefton St at Brunswick Dock. A very large, well made, good looking building, that was demolished around 1976.

Out of these goods depots, at the front, MDHB trains would cross the Dock Rd and run under the Overhead railway taking cargos to and from the various docks. Small three wheel unit Scamell articulator trucks would be buzzing around everywhere in and out of the docks and goods yards.

I joined British Rail in 1966 in the centralised accounts office at Waterloo Dock depot. The goods side had been closed for a few years so we played football at lunchtime in the empty warehouse. The yard was fully roofed over and I remember watching from the office window the demolition of the yard. I also remember standing by the rail side as a steam engine pulled a train of West Indian immigrants from the Riverside station and went through the tunnel to Edge Hill.
There was a fire in the office in 1966 (Harry Lightfoot got the blame) which meant we decanted to an office at Alexandra Dock before moving onto Nelson House at Lime Street probably in 1967.
By the way the fire was purely accidental.Harry was a true WW11 hero.
Since then I have been fascinated by the old tunnels and despair at the lack of imagination which closed the tunnels and the same lackof imagination that struggles to see them as part of the answer to today's problems

[PhilipG]

Both these tunnels were just for goods, so would only need stations at either end.
They both connected with docks.
Presumably the idea was to avoid transporting goods by road, and loading wagons as liittle as possible.

[oritelad]

just been to look at the site of the old hodson station in the cutting and wow after all these years since the early 70s the hodson station is clear of all the years over overgroth and rubbish i have some great photos let hope work on the new line happens soon anyone have any info on this?

[PhilipG]

Went to have a look on Sunday, and never knew that it's possible to take photos.

From Fontenoy Street.
Hodson Street is the left half of the photo.
Don't know what the opening on the right was for.


Byrom Street.


The walls at the Byrom Street end are just a bit too high.
If one of our car-driving friends could take a small step ladder, or even a chair, that would do.

[Ged]

And this is how it looked when I took a few photos a few years back.





If you can imagine looking up from down there on Philip's first photograph. When I walked through there, you could see the Fontenoy Gardens tenement landings - where the new housing now is, well, it's not that new anymore.

It was a landmark so we knew where we were, the next shaft of light we saw was the Norton Street ventilation shaft. You can just see it popping up here and it's still there now behind the coach station.




(2nd pic by Joe Devine)
.

[PhilipG]

Now that I've seen this cutting, and seen that the line is not far below street level, could the reason be that it was too shallow to cover?

[Waterways]

Both these tunnels were just for goods,

Passengers used the Waterloo to Riverside station at the Pier Head. Last used taking troops to N Ireland in 1971.

so would only need stations at either end.
They both connected with docks.
Presumably the idea was to avoid transporting goods by road, and loading wagons as liittle as possible.

The idea was to have direct rail access to the north and south ends docks. Get the goods as close to the ships as possible and in and out the port ASAP. It worked.

[Ged]

Now that I've seen this cutting, and seen that the line is not far below street level, could the reason be that it was too shallow to cover?

This line also ran below two cemeteries one of the North side of Hunter Street in the grounds of the old friends meeting house (quakers) which was demolished in 1945 (resumed after the war)for the building of Gerard Crescent and another further up on the South side near Chrisitan Street which was the cemetery belonging to Christ Church.

[PhilipG]

Passengers used the Waterloo to Riverside station at the Pier Head.

I should have said they were both designed as goods lines and in the case of the Waterloo Tunnel only carried passengers after Riverside Station opened in 1895.
Presumably the liners' passengers changed at Edge Hill for trains to other places.

[Waterways]

The Hodson St cutting was a runaway wagon trap - it widens out to 4 tracks It may have been open to lift out crashed railway wagon and get the tunnel up and running ASAP. Remember these tunnels were the main goods in and out of the docks from the land side at one point.

[oritelad]

if you stand on the old fountain you can get photos facing that way take a look at my hodson station photos of my site

[Waterways]

The Waterloo and Wapping Tunnels - the red lines. The nearside is the Waterloo Tunnel (well Victoria Tunnel and Waterloo all in one tunnel). These tunnels run under the city centre and not using them is criminal and gross amateurism by Merseyrail planners.

[PhilipG]

if you stand on the old fountain you can get photos facing that way take a look at my hodson station photos of my site

How are people supposed to take your site seriously if you keep calling this cutting Hodson Station?
You're not doing yourself any favours, because you've done a lot of work and put a lot of effort into your site.
I've already said this to you privately.

[Ged]

if you stand on the old fountain you can get photos facing that way take a look at my hodson station photos of my site

So it was you who chipped that old Melly fountain

Seriously though, someone has given an explaination as to why the cutting was there and so wide and there is no photographic or map evidence of any station ever existing there and no logistical reason for one to have been there in the past.

[Waterways]

How are people supposed to take your site seriously if you keep calling this cutting Hodson Station?
You're not doing yourself any favours, because you've done a lot of work and put a lot of effort into your site.
I've already said this to you privately.

Philip. this is foresight as it earmarked to be a station.