The Queensway tunnel is a road tunnel under the River Mersey, in the north west of England, between Liverpool and Birkenhead. Locally, it is often referred to as the “Birkenhead tunnel” or “old tunnel”, to distinguish it from the newer Kingsway tunnel (1971), which serves Wallasey and the M53 motorway traffic.
Does the Mersey tunnel go under water?
Gateways linking the city and the Wirral, around 90,000 vehicles drive through the Mersey Tunnels on any average day. The two passageways are incredible feats of engineering, providing road access deep beneath the River Mersey.
How deep is the Liverpool tunnel?
The Mersey Mole” was the name given to the huge mechanical boring machine which sliced its way through the ground from Wallasey to Liverpool when the Wallasey tunnel was built. 19. The depth below riverbed of the Wallasey tunnel is an average 40ft.
How many people died building the Mersey tunnel?
Over 1700 men worked on the building of the Queensway Tunnel, with 17 sadly killed during the construction. Teams started work on both the Wirral and Liverpool sides of the Mersey. The two teams of workers met under the river in 1928 with barely an inch of difference between the two tunnels they had dug.
How was the Mersey tunnel built underwater?
It took about a year to complete. Then the giant laser-guided ‘Mersey Mole’ arrived to excavate the main tube. Having previously been deployed on the construction of Pakistan’s vast Mangla Dam, the 35-tonne, 45-foot long machine carved a route under the River Mersey, leaving a concrete lined tunnel in its wake.
Is it safe to swim in the Mersey?
*Please note that individuals should not attempt to swim the Mersey as it can be dangerous.
Has there ever been a shark in the River Mersey?
There has also been a rare sighting of a humpback whale videoed swimming in the Albert Dock which was captured in June 2015 by a Mersey boat crewman. Back in 2008, first-time anglers Zoey Mulhearn and Lynn Darnell caught a shark while fishing off New Brighton .
What is the deepest tunnel in the UK?
As one of the Seven Wonders of the Waterways, the Standedge Tunnel is the longest, highest and deepest canal tunnel in Great Britain.
What is the deepest tunnel in the world?
Gotthard Base Tunnel, Switzerland
The Gotthard Base Tunnel is the world’s longest and deepest tunnel. It runs under the Swiss alps between the towns of Erstfeld in the north and Bodio in the south. The tunnel is 57 km long and reaches a depth of 2,300 meters.
What is the deepest underwater tunnel?
Eiksund road tunnel
The 7,765m long Eiksund road tunnel is, to date, the world’s deepest undersea tunnel, reaching a depth of 287m below mean sea level at its deepest point.
Can you walk under the Mersey?
Please Note: You cannot walk through either of the Mersey Tunnels. You may cycle through the Queensway (Birkenhead) Tunnel at certain times.
What happens if you break down in the Mersey tunnel?
The Tunnel Police will tow your broken down vehicle out of the Tunnel to a safe place either on the Wirral or in Liverpool and there will be a charge to pay for this. At that point you need to telephone J.P. Recovery Services who can help get your vehicle to a garage.
How deep is the Mersey Rail tunnel?
about 52m deep
The drainage tunnel falls from the centre to pumping shafts on each side of the river, 1.6km apart. The Liverpool shaft is 4.6m in diameter and the Birkenhead shaft 5.3m in diameter. Both are about 52m deep and lined with cast iron tubes where they pass through water-bearing strata.
Why are there tunnels under Liverpool?
The Williamson Tunnels are a series of extensive subterranean excavations, of unknown purpose, in the Edge Hill area of Liverpool, England. They are thought to have been created under the direction of tobacco merchant, landowner and philanthropist Joseph Williamson between 1810 and 1840.
How deep is the deepest part of the River Mersey?
The Mersey Estuary continues through the ‘Narrows’ a straight narrow channel with depths of up to 30 m driven by a change in geology. It forms the Outer Estuary, a large area of inter-tidal sand and mud banks as it flows into Liverpool Bay on the Irish Sea.
Why is the River Mersey so polluted?
About the River Mersey
Like many rivers, the Mersey faces the widespread problem of littering and pollution, including from various types of plastics. Plastics have no place in the environment and can damage the health of aquatic ecosystems.
Are there whales in the Mersey?
Orca whale
Not a frequent visitor, but there have been distinctive black and white orca or killer whales seen in the River Mersey.
Is it safe to walk in Liverpool at night?
Liverpool is generally a safe place at night, despite its bad reputation, but as with any other big or small town, it’s important to always remain vigilant and aware of your surroundings during the nighttime to avoid crime, of course.
Are there dolphins in the Mersey?
Twenty-eight species of cetaceans have been recorded round the British Isles (Evans,1992), of which thirteen have occurred in the Mersey and east Liverpool Bay over the last 150 years. Harbour porpoise, bottlenose dolphin, bottle-nosed whales and common dolphins were the most sighted.
Why is the Mersey so brown?
It’s usually brown in colour, due to the strong currents which whip up the sand as the tide runs in and out. At the turn of the tide the sand settles and the river reverts to a greenish blue colour for a very short time.
Can you swim in the sea in Liverpool?
With clean water and beautiful coastal views, Formby Beach is the perfect spot for wild swimming. With water from the Irish Sea it can get quite nippy, but that could be exactly what’s needed for a refreshing swim. The waters are shallow and calm enough that it’s a safe beginner beach for novices.