The History: The Birkenhead Dock Branch is a disused railway line which runs for about four and a half miles between the South Junction of Rockferry to around Bidston Dock, as part of the Chester and Birkenhead Railway. Some of the line runs through Haymarket tunnel and there was a level crossing through the centre of Birkenhead. A great deal of the trackwork is still in place. This railway is one of the oldest stretches of track in the world. It has been used by both steam and diesel engines. It was opened in 1847 and closed in 1993.
The Explore: Getting through the overgrowth was an absolute mission and it was pretty unrelenting for the first half hour or so. We explored on a really hot day and ran out of water pretty much immediately. We followed the railway along from the old signal box, stopping for a while at the Haymarket tunnel. We had a look at the Monks Ferry tunnel and the Woodside tunnel but we were unable to access either of them. We followed the tracks about as far as Green Lane where we got worried that we would end up coming out onto the live railway. As we could not find any other way out, we retraced our steps, battled through the overgrowth once more and ran straight to the corner shop upon emerging for some much needed cans of drink! A nice, interesting walk to do on a sunny day, dotted with lots of relics of the old railway history.
The burnt out Canning Street signal box
A picture to show the density of the overgrowth
A large cutting underneath the flyovers next to the Birkenhead Tunnel
A mysterious hole in the ground. Does anyone know what this is?
A view from the bridge with the Anglican cathedral over the water in the background
The Monks Ferry and Woodside tunnel portals
The Explore: Getting through the overgrowth was an absolute mission and it was pretty unrelenting for the first half hour or so. We explored on a really hot day and ran out of water pretty much immediately. We followed the railway along from the old signal box, stopping for a while at the Haymarket tunnel. We had a look at the Monks Ferry tunnel and the Woodside tunnel but we were unable to access either of them. We followed the tracks about as far as Green Lane where we got worried that we would end up coming out onto the live railway. As we could not find any other way out, we retraced our steps, battled through the overgrowth once more and ran straight to the corner shop upon emerging for some much needed cans of drink! A nice, interesting walk to do on a sunny day, dotted with lots of relics of the old railway history.
The burnt out Canning Street signal box
A picture to show the density of the overgrowth
A large cutting underneath the flyovers next to the Birkenhead Tunnel
A mysterious hole in the ground. Does anyone know what this is?
A view from the bridge with the Anglican cathedral over the water in the background
The Monks Ferry and Woodside tunnel portals
