There are three tunnels: the Mersey Railway Tunnel (opened 1886), and two road tunnels, the Queensway Tunnel (opened 1934) and the Kingsway Tunnel (opened 1971). The railway tunnel and Queensway Tunnel connect central Liverpool with Birkenhead, while the Kingsway Tunnel runs to Wallasey.
What are the Mersey Tunnels called?
The Kingsway tunnel is 50 years old – and to celebrate we’ve put together a selection of evocative photographs taken during its construction. Started in 1966, the first tube of the 1.5 mile road tunnel between Wallasey and Liverpool took five years to build and was opened by the Queen on June 24, 1971.
What is Birkenhead tunnel called?
The Queensway tunnel
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.
Can you go through the Liverpool tunnel?
Both Mersey Tunnels are open 24 hours a day, 364 days a year (on Christmas Day only Kingsway (Wallasey) Tunnel is open). However, we may close one of the Tunnels, usually at night, to carry out maintenance. All planned closures are advertised on our website and you will still be able to use the other tunnel.
How many people died making 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.
How many tunnels are in Liverpool?
The Mersey Tunnels connect the city of Liverpool with Wirral, under the River Mersey. There are three tunnels: the Mersey Railway Tunnel (opened 1886), and two road tunnels, the Queensway Tunnel (opened 1934) and the Kingsway Tunnel (opened 1971).
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.
Are true Scousers from Birkenhead?
THE true Scousers come from the Wirral side of the river. The Wirral was once covered in birch trees and called Birch Head. Over the years this changed to Birkenhead.
Can you walk through Mersey tunnel?
Please Note: You cannot walk through either of the Mersey Tunnels. You may cycle through the Queensway (Birkenhead) Tunnel at certain times.
Do you have to pay to go through Birkenhead Tunnel?
You will need a pre-paid toll account and you must not be travelling for business reasons. For all other users the Class 1 toll is £2.00. There are no changes to the toll fees for Class 2, 3 or 4 vehicles for either pre-paid accounts or cash payments.
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.
What should you do before going into a tunnel?
On the approach to a tunnel:
- Make sure you get in lane early.
- Make sure your lights are on.
- Keep an eye out for speed limits, as they might change as you approach a tunnel so stay alert for signs near or on the tunnel entrance.
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.
Are there sharks in the Mersey?
And whilst most don’t often think of the UK for sharks , Merseyside has 23 known species.
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 .
How many cars go through the Mersey tunnel a day?
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.
What is the largest tunnel in the UK?
Standedge Tunnel & Visitor Centre is located off the A62 in Marsden, between Huddersfield and Oldham. As one of the Seven Wonders of the Waterways, the Standedge Tunnel is the longest, highest and deepest canal tunnel in Great Britain.
What are the 6 boroughs of Liverpool?
The Combined Authority is led by Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram and brings together Liverpool City Region’s six local authorities – Halton, Knowsley, Liverpool, Sefton, St Helens and Wirral – to tackle the big issues that matter to us all, together.
What is Liverpool famous for?
Its main claim to fame is that Liverpool is the hometown of the rock group, The Beatles. However, the city has many other attractions, including its waterfront with ferry trips, its iconic architecture, the Liverpool Cathedral, the city’s museum, and the famous Royal Albert Dock.
Does Liverpool have an underground city?
Under the streets of Liverpool, England’s Edge Hill district tunnels stretch for miles. The residents know they were built between 1810 and 1840 by eccentric local business man, Joseph Williamson, but no one knows their true purpose, reports Chris Baraniuk for BBC.
Is there an underground tube in Liverpool?
Liverpool Street Underground Station – Transport for London.