Mersey Ferries - Volume 2 - Wallasey Ferries

ISBN: 1 903599 08 3 2

Authors:  T.B. Maund & Martin Jenkins

Published by:  Black Dwarf Publications, 70 Tutnalls Street, Lydney, Gloucestershire GL15 5PQ. www.lightmoor.co.uk

pp 200 Glossy Paper Hard Covers Price £20:00 in UK

"Mersey Ferries Volume 2 - The Wallasey Ferries" has been in the shops for about 18 months. A copy has been on my shelves since it first appeared in 2003. It is an essential reference work for anyone interested in the ferry services linking Wallasey with Liverpool.

 "Mersey Ferries Volume 2 - The Wallasey Ferries" follows the format of the first volume in this series. "Mersey Ferries Volume 1 - Woodside to Eastham" which recorded the history and development of the ferry services operating to locations on the Mersey between Eastham and Birkenhead.

Volume 1 was produced by the now defunct Transport Publishing Company of Glossop and is now out of print, though perhaps one day it may be reprinted?

Many people like myself who acquired the first volume back in 1992 must have wondered if Volume 2 would ever appear. However, the long wait for Volume 2 was worthwhile.

The book traces the history and development of the Wallasey Ferries in great depth from the early days of ferry services from Wallasey to Liverpool, through the years of private, municipal and latterly passenger transport authority ownership. 

A highly informative text is complemented by many fascinating photographs. Most of which have never appeared in previous publications dealing with the Mersey Ferries. In addition to the photographs, diagrams, maps and plans provide further enlightenment as to the development of the ferry terminals.

The development of the terminals on the Wirral shore is as important to the story of the Mersey Ferries as that of the vessels which berthed there. On reading this book I found my knowledge of the terminals alone was considerably enhanced. 

Over the years I had become aware of differing configurations of the long vanished Egremont terminal that had appeared in various published views.  In views dating from the 20th Century the Pier had a conventional landing stage at the riverward end. However, older photographs revealed something completely different. At the end of the pier was a "Running Out Stage" which dated from 1875.

This ingenious device was a moveable  stage which "ran out" on rails laid on a slipway beneath the pier to enable vessels to berth at differing tidal levels, its movement being powered by a steam engine located in the terminal building on shore. The "Running Out Stage" was linked to the Pier by an adjustable link span, supported by a tripod structure.

The exact design and operation of the "Running Out Stage" has never been covered in great detail in previous published works on the Mersey Ferries. This volume certainly rectifies this deficit through many photographs and working diagrams.

The account of the evolution of the present Seacombe Terminal, which once boasted an hydraulic vehicle lift, proves to be just as interesting as that of Egremont. Though no evidence of the lift remains plans reveal its configuration and the fact that it was once intended to equip it with railway tracks and a link to the MD&HC rail system. The rail link failed to materialise as MD&HC failed to make provision of rail vehicles on the Liverpool Stages though the lift operated until replaced by a fixed floating roadway. The story of Seacombe Terminal concludes with the installation of the present Landing in 1999.

The three remaining vessels operating on the Mersey Ferries services today were all built to Birkenhead Ferries designs, even though they now all sport Wallasey Ferries names following the renaming of WOODCHURCH to SNOWDROP in 2004.

This book charts the development of vessels by the Wallasey Ferries, which whilst similar in some respects to the Birkenhead vessels were in many cases very individualistic, even down to the fact that the gangway spacings of the Wallasey Ferries were narrower than those on the Birkenhead Ferries. Something which led to problems and prevented the easy switching of vessels, especially when the ferries provided an important commuter link. Therefore it was not surprising, that eventually the Merseyside Passenger Transport Executive eventually decided to standardise on just one design - that of Birkenhead probably aided by the fact that the last batch of Birkenhead ships were younger than the larger fleet of Wallasey vessels.

Wallasey Ferries, serving the once important resort of New Brighton had to fulfil a dual role, both that of commuter ferry and also pleasure steamer. The need to move large numbers of post war pleasure seekers to New Brighton culminated in the construction of the  ROYAL IRIS [1951] and ROYAL DAFFODIL[1958].

The ROYAL DAFFODIL, which still just hangs on to existence on the River Thames in increasingly decaying condition, was a state of the art diesel-electric ferry designed to fulfil a leisure cruise role and could be thought of as the ultimate Mersey Ferry. This vessel was actively promoted by specially bodied bus which was designed as a likeness of the ROYAL IRIS and which toured Britain promoting the Ferries and New Brighton. The bus also provided a promenade bus service during the summer months.

Over the years there have been many books which have covered the Mersey Ferries. However, these two books provide for the definitive history. All other books on the subject pale by comparison.

Even if you have not yet been able to track down a copy of Volume 1, Volume 2 is a free standing account of the Wallasey Ferries in its own right. It is a volume which should be on not only every ship enthusiast's shelf, but also on the shelves of anyone with an interest in Merseyside and the county's local history.

A number of book shops on Merseyside hold copies, including the shop at the Merseyside Maritime Museum. Alternatively you can order a copy  direct from Black Dwarf Publications at www.lightmoor.co.uk.

Egremont on Trials

Royal Iris Pomotional Bus

Snowdrop [II]

Egremont Terminal

Commuters at Seacombe