Topic: Liverpool Overhead Railway

[spen71]

Anyone remember this  well you have to be at least 60 to remember.  Will have to ask if my old man remembers it.

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

The Liverpool Overhead was the worlds first elevated electric railway.

[Eluamous]

I remember being fascinated by that railway when I saw it in one of my grandad's old photos.

Some interesting stuff on that site.

[Slick_Beef]

Anyone remember this   well you have to be at least 60 to remember.  Will have to ask if my old man remembers it.

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

The Liverpool Overhead was the worlds first elevated electric railway never knew that.

I love reading that site.. Learned a lot there about the transport around Liverpool.

It's amazing how little is left of the overhead railway, but I've talked with my gran about it before and she told me about it. If I remember right you can still seem some parts of the track supports and one station entrance door (bricked up) when you drive past the docks.

It's dead interesting reading about the old tunnel system too... I never knew until I read it on that site last year that there is a very old tunnel between Edge Hill and Wapping Docks that Merseyrail have thought about reopening (Don't know if it will ever happen like!)

[spen71]

I love reading that site.. Learned a lot there about the transport around Liverpool.

It's amazing how little is left of the overhead railway, but I've talked with my gran about it before and she told me about it. If I remember right you can still seem some parts of the track supports and one station entrance door (bricked up) when you drive past the docks.

It's dead interesting reading about the old tunnel system too... I never knew until I read it on that site last year that there is a very old tunnel between Edge Hill and Wapping Docks that Merseyrail have thought about reopening (Don't know if it will ever happen like!)

Thought the site by accident when looking at a camping forum I use (yes sad I know).  Next time I am back up I am going to have a look see about this.  Shame my Grandad is dead as he worked on the railways for years so he would have knew loads about this.

[Slick_Beef]

Yeah. Once you know where to look it's really interesting if you're into local history.

I notice loads of stuff that I'd never paid attention to before. For instance...

I must have walked past this tonnes of times as a kid:



But for some reason, despite the enormous sign on top, I never really knew it was such a big station!!


Also.. The car park at the back of central station.. Not sure if it's still there now but I never knew that used to be a very big station too.. and yet once you know, all the clues are there.


This is a good read too: http://www.subbrit.org.uk/sb-sites/sites/l/liverpool_edge_hill_cutting/index3.shtml


(Probably look really geeky now but I love all this stuff.. I think it started from a very young age wondering where that closed off part of the birkenhead tunnel used to lead to!)

[spen71]

That pic you tried to post did not work mate.  I prefer to call it not geeky though, just getting older.  My missus is calling me a sad bastard now for looking at them.

[Slick_Beef]

That pic you tried to post did not work mate.  I prefer to call it not geeky though, just getting older.  My missus is calling me a sad bastard now for looking at them.

Cheers mate, should be fixed now.

Decided not to bore my missus with it but when I show her round liverpool i prolly put her half to sleep with me little stories about local history!!

[Jonathan Hall ☆☆☆☆☆☆]

Yeah. Once you know where to look it's really interesting if you're into local history.

I notice loads of stuff that I'd never paid attention to before. For instance...

I must have walked past this tonnes of times as a kid:



But for some reason, despite the enormous sign on top, I never really knew it was such a big station!!


Also.. The car park at the back of central station.. Not sure if it's still there now but I never knew that used to be a very big station too.. and yet once you know, all the clues are there.


This is a good read too: http://www.subbrit.org.uk/sb-sites/sites/l/liverpool_edge_hill_cutting/index3.shtml


(Probably look really geeky now but I love all this stuff.. I think it started from a very young age wondering where that closed off part of the birkenhead tunnel used to lead to!)

Used to use Exchange Station as a kid until it closed in about 78 ish when they did the underground bit.

The car park bit at central is for the old high level station i think.

[JimmyGrunt]

love stuff like this.

[guest]

I love stuff like this. Brilliant.

http://www.subbrit.org.uk/sb-sites/stations/features/index.shtml - Bottom picture.

I always wondered what that weird bridge was there for when I was a kid. It looked so tacky and out of place. Now I know it was a track.

[Ben S]

Theres a car from the ovie going in the Museum of Liverpool when its complete.

[SmithdownAndy]

Yeah. Once you know where to look it's really interesting if you're into local history.

I notice loads of stuff that I'd never paid attention to before. For instance...

I must have walked past this tonnes of times as a kid:



But for some reason, despite the enormous sign on top, I never really knew it was such a big station!!


Also.. The car park at the back of central station.. Not sure if it's still there now but I never knew that used to be a very big station too.. and yet once you know, all the clues are there.


This is a good read too: http://www.subbrit.org.uk/sb-sites/sites/l/liverpool_edge_hill_cutting/index3.shtml


(Probably look really geeky now but I love all this stuff.. I think it started from a very young age wondering where that closed off part of the birkenhead tunnel used to lead to!)

I remember correctly
I'm 43 and remember as a young kid that's where you got the train to Southport, was replaced by Moorfields I think. Was a beautiful station inside if I remember correctly, got loads of old prints of the Overhead, affectionately known locally as the Dockers Umbrella, due to the fact if it was pissing down they all used to walk underneath it to keep dry on their way home or the pub.

[kavah]

i've just come in from the very cold and snowy michigan ave in chicago and walked under their overhead railway a couple of times, what a shame we got rid of ours :-(

[spen71]

I remember correctly
I'm 43 and remember as a young kid that's where you got the train to Southport, was replaced by Moorfields I think. Was a beautiful station inside if I remember correctly, got loads of old prints of the Overhead, affectionately known locally as the Dockers Umbrella, due to the fact if it was pissing down they all used to walk underneath it to keep dry on their way home or the pub.

You should scan and get them prints on here.

[walshys_mullet]

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=7ocSv4y9uCU

[spen71]

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=7ocSv4y9uCU

That is class that.  My old man had actually forgotten  about.  That is what you get for moving to Chester. lol

[Slick_Beef]

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=7ocSv4y9uCU

That's terrific, thanks for posting that. Love seeing "Old Liverpool"!

[bradders1011]

Bump.

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/7FybD9u094E" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/7FybD9u094E</a>

[hesbighesred]

This is awesome! I get the ferry to work every day, amazing to see how it used to look.

I don't know about anyone else but I always feel a real sense of loss when I read about the infrastructure we used to have that all got torn up and replaced by cars. Particularly so in Liverpool, given the Birkenhead teams as well - oldest tram network in the world now reduced to a tourist line from a lovely transport museum that remains closed until further notice for reasons unknown.

[rob1966]

Saw one of the carriages at the Museum the other week, loved it.

[Red Beret]

Saw one of the carriages at the Museum the other week, loved it.

You used to be able to sit in it pre Covid.

[rob1966]

You used to be able to sit in it pre Covid.

Would have been ace that, I know my Dad went on the Overhead with his Dad as a kid, I'd have loved to travel on that.

[Son of Spion]

You used to be able to sit in it pre Covid.

We sat in it last time we were in. Before COVID, of course.

Great piece of Liverpool history. My Dad and Grandparents used to talk about the LOR a lot.

[AlphaDelta]

Just imagine what it was like, getting that Overhead Railway when the docks was in its heyday. Ships from all around the world, all the arl dockers going to and from work, and you could see the lot from an overhead railway. 

I sometimes allow myself to daydream, that we invent a time machine or that you woke up back in the 60's or 70's, like Life on Mars? Imagine exploring Liverpool then. 

[Son of Spion]

Just imagine what it was like, getting that Overhead Railway when the docks was in its heyday. Ships from all around the world, all the arl dockers going to and from work, and you could see the lot from an overhead railway. 

I was just reading a little bit on the LOR. Apparently, after a survey it was found that many of the viaducts were in need of structural repairs, which were deemed unaffordable. Hence its closure in 1956 then demolition in the year or so afterwards.

The Dock Road used to be my favourite road in the city. As kids we'd ride over to Llandudno, Conwy etc on our bikes. We'd always ride down the dock road to get the ferry across the river. I loved seeing the ships and freight trains crossing the road. I recall seeing the Atlantic Conveyor tied up alongside a sister ship in one of the docks. It was later sunk in the Falklands War.

It's such a shame the railway has gone. Same with the docks that have been filled in and lost too. I'd love to have seen a portion of the old landing stage restored and preserved too. Too much of our history has been ripped out.

[CornerFlag]

If you can get a copy of it, there's a great book called "Lost Lines: Liverpool and the Mersey" with a ton of stuff not just to do with the LOR (but it forms a good chunk of it) but all over the local area.

https://www.bookfinder.com/isbn/9780711031906/

[bradders1011]

As kids we'd ride over to Llandudno, Conwy etc on our bikes. We'd always ride down the dock road to get the ferry across the river.

Where was the ferry between? Hell of a peddle.

[Son of Spion]

Where was the ferry between? Hell of a peddle.

Pier Head and Birkenhead.

We'd get the first ferry across in the morning then get back in time for the last one back over to Liverpool.

[bradders1011]

Pier Head and Birkenhead.

We'd get the first ferry across in the morning then get back in time for the last one back over to Liverpool.

Birkenhead to Conwy and back?! Must have had thighs like an All Black prop.

[Son of Spion]

Birkenhead to Conwy and back?! Must have had thighs like an All Black prop.

We'd ride from Litherland to Pier Head. Get the ferry, then ride through Wirral to the Welsh Road, onto Queensferry then follow the coast road through Flint then all the way around.

I actually drove to Anglesey the other week and as I got to Conwy and Llandudno it crossed my mind how mad were must have been doing it on bikes with just five gears when we were school kids. It's mad stuff like that which makes childhood fun to look back on though.

Just riding down the Dock Road on the way into town was great. I loved it.

[rob1966]

We'd ride from Litherland to Pier Head. Get the ferry, then ride through Wirral to the Welsh Road, onto Queensferry then follow the coast road through Flint then all the way around.

I actually drove to Anglesey the other week and as I got to Conwy and Llandudno it crossed my mind how mad were must have been doing it on bikes with just five gears when we were school kids. It's mad stuff like that which makes childhood fun to look back on though.

Just riding down the Dock Road on the way into town was great. I loved it.

That's a 110 mile round trip that, fucking hell mate, that is impressive.

[Son of Spion]

That's a 110 mile round trip that, fucking hell mate, that is impressive.

We were always knackered afterwards. The home straight along the Dock Road was a lovely sight though.

[Indomitable_Carp]

Well I feel bloody lazy now!

We used to ride from Aigburth to Childwall and then up to Southport via the old Loop Line and that was enough for me. Train back!

[CornerFlag]

https://www.flickr.com/photos/16896988@N08/galleries/72157716487111582/

Some amazing shots here, most I'd seen but some I hadn't.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49814866637_e809978c9c_b.jpg is always one of my favourites.

[Son of Spion]

^
Great pictures.

[So… Howard Philips]

As a kid my folks would talk about the Overhead Railway as if it still existed. Bearing in mind I was 5 when it was being dismantled it was a very recent memory for them.

Those misty/foggy 1950s photos bring back so many memories particularly looking over towards the still working docks from near the Dockers Steps. Everything was black and white back then.

[Son of Spion]

https://youtu.be/7FybD9u094E?si=yMnCOIq_9TL6iO-P

Only on my phone so can't embed this, but I just came across it on YouTube.

[CornerFlag]

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dockers-Umbrella-History-Liverpool-Overhead/dp/187256805X

Fantastic book on it.