Wallasey Pool

Last updated

Wallasey Pool was a natural tidal inlet of water that separated the towns of Wallasey and Birkenhead on the Wirral Peninsula, England. Originally flowing directly into the River Mersey, it was converted into the sophisticated Birkenhead Dock system from the 1820s onwards by land reclamation, with the main portion of the pool becoming known as the Great Float. In 1933, with the exception of a small lake, the head of Wallasey Pool at Poulton was converted into Bidston Dock. By 2003, this dock had been filled in. [1]

Contents

Redevelopment

A new development was approved for Birkenhead docks in 2010. [2] The Wirral Waters development will transform the docklands area into business, leisure and retail facilities. [3]

Bridges

Four road bridges cross the former Wallasey Pool, over what is now Birkenhead Docks:

Egerton Bridge is situated between Egerton Dock and Morpeth Dock and is a bascule bridge. It was built between 1928 and 1931, replacing an earlier hydraulic swing bridge. The bridge and the machine house were completely restored in 1993 and opened to the public in 1995. [4]

A red girdered bascule bridge at Tower Road connects the Seacombe district of Wallasey with Birkenhead. Known as the Four Bridges, as originally four movable bridges existed along Tower Road: two between the Great Float and Alfred Dock, one between the Great Float and Wallasey Dock and one between the Great Float and Egerton Dock. [5] When originally built, all four were hydraulic swing bridge types. In the 1930s most were replaced by bascule bridges. [6]

Joining the southern end of the Poulton district of Wallasey with the north end of Birkenhead, Duke Street bridge is also a bascule (see-saw) bridge but with painted green girders. Originally, it was also a swing bridge. [6]

Furthest upstream is the Penny Bridge, which crosses the head of the pool to connect Poulton with Bidston in Birkenhead. Replacing an earlier wooden bridge of 1843, the name derives from the 1896 one penny toll to cross in one direction. [7] [8] The bridge was replaced again in 1926 [7] [9] and provided access to Bidston Dock. The dock itself has been filled in and the bridge was replaced by a fixed roadway in 1996.

Bidston Moss

The fishing lake at Bidston Moss. Fishing lake at Bidston Moss-by-Peter-Craine.jpg
The fishing lake at Bidston Moss.

Bidston Moss was originally low-lying wetland marsh at the head of Wallasey Pool. In 1936 most of the land was given over to residential, commercial and industrial landfill. Since the cessation of waste disposal operations in 1995, Merseyside Waste Disposal Authority and the charitable trust Groundwork Wirral have undertaken environmental restoration works to landscape the site. [10] The site is now known as the Newlands Project Nature Reserve, is 68 hectares (170 acres) in size, with a fishing lake and a 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) of cycling trail. [11] The site is also accessible, to the public, from Cross Lane and the Wallacre in Wallasey. [12] The nearest car park is at Bidston station. [13]

The footbridge into the nature reserve, from Wallasey. Footbridge, Bidston Moss Nature Reserve (geograph 2985682).jpg
The footbridge into the nature reserve, from Wallasey.

Related Research Articles

Birkenhead Town in England

Birkenhead is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral, Merseyside, England; historically, until 1974, in Cheshire. It is on the Wirral Peninsula, along the south bank of the River Mersey, opposite the city of Liverpool. At the 2011 census, it had a population of 88,818.

Bidston Suburb of Birkenhead, Wirral, England

Bidston is a village, a parish and a suburb of Birkenhead, on the Wirral Peninsula, in the modern county of Merseyside. The area is a mixture of the well-preserved Bidston Village, Bidston Hill, a modern housing estate, and the Bidston Moss nature reserve, industrial estate and retail park.

Moreton, Merseyside Town on the north coast of the Wirral Peninsula, Merseyside, England

Moreton is a town on the north coast of the Wirral Peninsula, Merseyside, England. It is located approximately 8 km (5.0 mi) to the west of Wallasey. Historically part of Cheshire, it is now within the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral. The town was divided in 2004 between the local government wards of Leasowe & Moreton East and Moreton West & Saughall Massie. Moreton is also part of the parliamentary constituency of Wallasey.

Great Float Body of water in England

The Great Float is a body of water on the Wirral Peninsula, England, formed from the natural tidal inlet, the Wallasey Pool. It is split into two large docks, East Float and West Float, both part of the Birkenhead Docks complex. The docks run approximately 2 miles (3 km) inland from the River Mersey, dividing the towns of Birkenhead and Wallasey. The Great Float consists of 110 acres of water and more than 4 miles (6 km) of quays.

Egerton Dock Disused dock in Birkenhead, England

Egerton Dock is a dock at Birkenhead, in England. The dock is situated between East Float and Morpeth Dock, within Birkenhead's dock system.

Morpeth Dock Landlocked dock in Birkenhead, Wirral, England

Morpeth Dock is a dock at Birkenhead, Wirral Peninsula, England. The dock is situated between the River Mersey and Egerton Dock.

Alfred Dock Docks in Birkenhead, England

Alfred Dock is a dock at Birkenhead, Merseyside, England. The dock covers an area of 8 acres (32,000 m2) and provides access to the Great Float from the River Mersey.

Bidston Dock Former dock in Bidston, England

Bidston Dock was a dock at Birkenhead, in England. It was situated to the west of the Great Float, between Bidston and Poulton.

Wallasey Dock Former dock in Wirral, England

The Wallasey Dock, was a dock at Birkenhead, Wirral Peninsula, England. The dock was accessed via East Float to the west, until Wallasey Dock was filled at the turn of the millennium.

The Wirral Railway was a railway network in the northern part of the Wirral Peninsula, England. It was incorporated in 1863 as the Hoylake Railway, running from Hoylake to Birkenhead Docks. After changes of name and of ownership, it was purchased by the Wirral Railway Company Limited in 1884. The network was extended to West Kirby, New Brighton, and Seacombe, and to Birkenhead Park station where it joined the Mersey Railway, enabling through trains through the Mersey Railway Tunnel to Liverpool. In the 1923 grouping the Wirral company became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway, which electrified the line in 1938, allowing passenger services to be integrated with the Liverpool urban system. Most of the Wirral Railway network is still in use today as part of the Wirral Line of the Merseyrail commuter rail network.

Wallasey Town in Merseyside, England

Wallasey is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral, in Merseyside, England, on the mouth of the River Mersey, at the northeastern corner of the Wirral Peninsula. At the 2011 Census, the population was 60,284.

Wirral Peninsula

Wirral, also known as The Wirral, is a peninsula in North West England. The roughly rectangular peninsula is about 15 miles (24 km) long and 7 miles (11 km) wide and is bounded by the River Dee to the west that forms a boundary with Wales, the River Mersey to the east, and the Irish Sea to the north.

Bidston railway station Railway station on the West Kirby branch of the Wirral Line, England, and a terminal for the Borderlands Line

Bidston railway station is a railway station that serves the village of Bidston, Birkenhead, on the Wirral, England. The station is situated at the junction of the West Kirby branch of the Wirral Line, which is part of the Merseyrail network, and with the Borderlands Line from Wrexham Central, operated by Transport for Wales. Bidston is the northern terminal of the Borderlands Line.

Birkenhead North railway station Railway station on the West Kirby & New Brighton branches of the Wirral line in England

Birkenhead North railway station is situated in Birkenhead, Wirral, England. The station is situated on the Wirral Line of the Merseyrail network, close to the junction of the New Brighton and West Kirby branches. Birkenhead North TMD, situated just to the west of the station, is the main Traction Maintenance Depot for the Merseyrail fleet.

Poulton, Merseyside Human settlement in England

Poulton is an area of the town of Wallasey, in the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral, Merseyside, England. It is located on the Wirral Peninsula and bordered by Liscard to the north, Egremont to the north east and Seacombe to the east. The West Float, is to the south.

Twelve Quays Ferry terminal and business park in Wirral, England

Twelve Quays is a ferry terminal and business park which is located between East Float and the River Mersey at Birkenhead, in England. Twelve Quays separates Woodside from Seacombe.

Birkenhead Dock Branch Disused rail line in Wirral, England

Birkenhead Dock Branch is a disused railway line running from the South junction of Rock Ferry, to the site of the former Bidston Dock on the Wirral Peninsula, England. The branch is approximately 4 1⁄2 miles (7.2 km) in length. Although called a branch, the line was accessible from both ends, from Bidston East junction and from Rock Ferry railway station. The former Mollington Street Rail Depot was branched into the line. A section of the line runs through Haymarket Tunnel and a low-level cutting through the centre of Birkenhead; visible from the road flyovers. The former Canning Street North signal box has now been demolished following fire damage, and the rails across the level crossing there have been removed due to the provision of cycle lanes on the roadway. The non-standard gates remain on the east side, but a fence has been erected on the other side despite the railway being officially out of use, rather than closed. Level crossings are also located at Duke Street and Wallasey Bridge Road. The railway lines are still partially intact.

Claughton, Merseyside Village in England

Claughton is a village and suburb of Birkenhead, on the Wirral Peninsula, Merseyside, England. It is situated approximately 3 km (1.9 mi) to the west of Birkenhead town centre, adjacent to Birkenhead Park. Administratively, Claughton is a ward of the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral. Before local government reorganisation on 1 April 1974, it was part of the County Borough of Birkenhead, within the county of Cheshire.

References

  1. ↑ Birkenhead Docks (photo18), Merseyside Views, retrieved 12 October 2007
  2. ↑ "Approval for £4.5bn Wirral waterfront regeneration". BBC News. 2010-11-29. Retrieved 2010-11-30.
  3. ↑ "www.wirralwaters.co.uk". Archived from the original on 2010-10-17. Retrieved 2010-09-28.
  4. ↑ The Birkenhead Dock System (art project), Metropolitan Borough of Wirral, archived from the original on 8 November 2005, retrieved 12 October 2007
  5. ↑ Birkenhead Docks (photo 46), Merseyside Views, archived from the original on 27 September 2011, retrieved 3 July 2009
  6. 1 2 Birkenhead Docks (photo 30), Merseyside Views, archived from the original on 27 September 2011, retrieved 3 July 2009
  7. 1 2 Kemble, Mike, Wallasey History (page 1), archived from the original on 22 July 2009, retrieved 3 July 2009
  8. ↑ Birkenhead Docks (photo 21), Merseyside Views, archived from the original on 31 March 2008, retrieved 3 July 2009
  9. ↑ Birkenhead Docks (photo 22), Merseyside Views, archived from the original on 4 April 2008, retrieved 3 July 2009
  10. ↑ Bidston Moss Vision Plan, Groundwork Wirral, retrieved 13 October 2007[ permanent dead link ]
  11. ↑ Newlands Project, newlandsproject.co.uk, archived from the original on 20 December 2013, retrieved 19 December 2013
  12. ↑ The access bridge from Wallasey
  13. ↑ Bidston Moss, Natural England, retrieved 19 December 2013

^ www.wirralwaters.co.uk The New Docklands development Scheme

Coordinates: 53°24′12″N3°02′16″W / 53.40320°N 3.03780°W / 53.40320; -3.03780

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.