LIVERPOOL PART 1

We now head down to the restored waterfront, where we find the Pump House and Tall Ship Zebu in July 2018 (Andrew Fieldsend).

Not far away and not to be missed, the Baltic Fleet in Wapping.

To the Pier Head, once a great transport interchange.

Here's the Liver Building and the Dock Board offices, with ferries for the Wirral.

A more modern view of a Mersey ferry arriving at Liverpool.

It's 1980 and the Isle of Man ferries are at the Pier Head.

Ferries to the Isle of Man were once served by Riverside railway station.

The Liverpool Overhead Railway once ran past the Pier Head. This is 1932.

Below the Overhead were the lines of the Mersey Docks & Harbour Board.

The Pier Head was used by Merseyside PTE as a terminus and parking area in the 1980s.

Crosville also terminated nearby.

Now we'll take a wander around the city's railway stations, starting at the long closed Liverpool Central (High Level) in LNER times.

Liverpool Exchange served L&YR routes north and eastwards. 

Exchange station lasted until the 1970s.

Here's the exterior of Exchange station, in L&YR days and after closure (photographed in 2014).

Liverpool Lime Street is the main InterCity station these days. Here, it's 1962 and 46237 has just arrived from Euston.

Now, a few items of motive power seen in the late 20th century.

Moving forward, operators included Virgin Trains, First North Western and Northern Rail.

Down below, Merseyrail services call.

Back at concourse level, Merseybus 1847 waits for a group of Crookham Travellers.

But there's time for a quick pint in the station's Wetherspoons, the North Western.

THat's it for now. More buses and, of course, more beer, next time.

FAREWELL TO THE WIRRAL

First stop today is Green Lane station, still in Birkenhead, where 42970 is seen in the carriage sidings in 1958.

 To the south is Rock Ferry station, where the Mersey Railway EMUs terminated.

A Mersey Railway omnibus stands outside the station.

47439 has charge of the Royal Train at Rock Ferry in 1982.

No pint here! The Great Eastern at New Ferry has closed.

Time to scoot across the Mersey and leave the Wirral behind. You can see the route here. On the other side of the river was Brunswick loco shed, where this Manchester, Sheffield & Lincolnshire Railway 2-4-0, no. 152 is seen.

Into early LNER days at Brunswick.

Not far away is the Liverpool suburb of Dingle. Still no beer though. The Poets Corner has been converted into flats.

Onwards to Toxteth, once the scene of serious rioting. Here, one could find Higson's Brewery.

Higson's Brewery later became Cain's with its Brewery Tap (the Grapes) below.

On to Smithdown Road now, once served by Liverpool's trams.

The Willow Bank pub on Smithdown Road is still open. It's a Greene King house now.

The nearby Royal Hotel has been closed and converted into student flats. The suberb exterior has been restored.

The Edinburgh at nearby Wavertree is, these days, a fine community pub.

My friend Richard Huggins went to Wavertree in 1993 and photographed a few passing buses.

Heading towards Liverpool city centre, we pass Edge Hill loco sheds, where LMS 6931 is seen. 

Preserved SR 850 Lord Nelson visited Edge Hill depot in 1981.

To the city's great shame, it allowed the nearby Mount Vernon pub to be demolished.

To conclude today's tour, we'll finish at Liverpool's two cathedrals. Furthest out of the city is the C of E version, seen under construction and, in 1989, more or less complete.

Within sight is the RC cathedral.

Next time, an in depth look at Liverpool city centre.