Wirral Tramway facts for kids
Two trams pass each other at Pacific Road.
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| Operation | |
|---|---|
| Locale | Wirral |
| Open | 14 April 1995 |
| Status | Temporarily closed |
| Lines | One |
| Routes | Wirral Transport Museum to Woodside Ferry Terminal |
| Owner(s) | Wirral Council |
| Operator(s) | Merseyside Tramway Preservation Society |
| Infrastructure | |
| Track gauge | Standard |
| Stock | see vehicles |
| Statistics | |
| Route length | 0.7 miles (1.1 km) |
| Stops | 6 |
The Wirral Tramway is a special old tram line. It opened in 1995. The Wirral Borough Council and a group called Hamilton Quarter started it. At first, Blackpool Transport ran the tramway. In 2005, the council took over running it.
The Wirral Transport Museum and the tramway were created with help from many volunteer groups. These groups included the Merseyside Tramway Preservation Society. In 2023, the museum was given to a new group called Big Heritage CIC. Both the museum and the tramway have been closed since then.
Contents
History of the Wirral Tramway
The idea for the tramway was approved in 1994. The Wirral Borough Council got permission to build it. The tram line opened on April 14, 1995. It was a single track. It ran from the Woodside Ferry Terminal to a stop near Pacific Road.
The tram depot, where trams are stored, was just before the Pacific Road stop. The track was about 400 yards (370 m) long. The rails used for the track came from an old tram system in Liverpool. There were plans to make the line longer. This would help with a project to improve parts of the Birkenhead docks.
Two trams were specially built for the Wirral Tramway in 1992. They were made in Hong Kong. These trams have two levels and are fully enclosed. They use a standard track width. The trams arrived in the UK in 1993. They were tested on the Blackpool tramway before the Wirral line opened. Blackpool Transport Services managed the tramway's operations at that time.
Tramway Extensions and Changes
The tramway was later made longer. It now goes past the Wirral Metropolitan College. It then turns away from the river at Egerton Wharf. After crossing the A554 road, it runs between industrial buildings. Finally, it crosses Taylor Street to reach the Wirral Transport Museum. There is a side track before Taylor Street. There is also a passing loop at Pacific Road, which lets trams pass each other.
In 2010, the Wirral Council looked at its important properties. They decided to sell the tramway, the museum, and the depot. Merseytravel first showed interest in buying them. However, they decided not to because of the cost. The council then looked for other groups to run the tramway.
Merseytravel later thought about it again. They considered that the tramway could become part of a bigger system. This new system would serve the Wirral Waters development. This is a project to improve the docks north of the tramway. Discussions happened with Peel Holdings, who were in charge of the dock project. They were willing to give land for the tramway. They also suggested making the line even longer. This extension would be about 1,900 yards (1,700 m) long. Merseytravel thought about using three old trams from Blackpool for this new service.
Volunteer Operation
In February 2014, the Wirral Council met again. They learned that Merseytravel was no longer interested in buying the tramway. However, the Merseyside Tramway Preservation Society (MTPS) had a good plan. They wanted to take over running the museum and tramway. Peel Holdings was still interested in a "Wirral Street Car Project." This project would provide tram service to the Wirral Waters development. So, the council decided to let the MTPS manage the tramway.
During these discussions, the tramway had to close in October 2011. This happened after the council's electrical engineer retired. The MTPS was first told they could not run the tramway in 2012. But this decision was changed. The tramway started running again in early January 2012. It closed again from October 2012 to February 2013. This was to put new safety rules in place. Since January 2014, the MTPS has been in charge of the tramway. It is now run completely by volunteers.
Wirral Street Car
The Wirral Street Car is a plan to make the tram line longer. The idea is to connect it to the Merseyrail train network. This would help people get to the planned Wirral Waters development. The project might use old tracks and trams.
Vehicles on the Tramway
The Wirral Tramway has two special trams from Hong Kong. They have numbers 69 and 70. These numbers continue the numbering of the original Birkenhead Corporation Tramways, which went up to 68. These trams run from the Wirral Transport Museum.
The Merseyside Tramway Preservation Society (MTPS) also uses other trams. These include:
- Liverpool Corporation Tramways 'English Electric' tram No.762. This tram was taken out of service in 1956. Its bottom part was used as a clubhouse. The MTPS saved it in 1977 and restored it. It started public service in 2001.
- Birkenhead Corporation Tramways Open Top Milnes tram No.20. This tram is very old, from 1900. It was used as a potting shed after the tram system closed in 1937. The MTPS found it in 1983 and restored it. It started running again in 1999.
- Wallasey Corporation Tramways 'Bellamy' Brush tram No.78. This tram was built in 1920. It was used for storage on a farm after the Wallasey system closed in 1933. The MTPS got it in 1986. They received funding to finish its restoration. It started service in 2002.
- Lisbon (Carris) Single Deck tram No.730. This tram is from Lisbon and dates back to 1930. It was given to the MTPS in 2004. The Lisbon system uses a different track width. So, the tram had to be changed to fit the Wirral Tramway. It became the only single-deck tram on the line in 2006.
- Liverpool Corporation Tramways 'Baby Grand' tram No.245. This tram belongs to the Liverpool Museums. It is part of the National Collection. It was moved to the museum in 2006. The MTPS agreed to restore it. This work was finished in 2014. The tram started carrying passengers in September 2015.
- Warrington Corporation Tramways Milnes tram No.28. This tram was originally No.2. It was used as a shelter until 1977. The MTPS got parts to help restore it. They decided to rebuild its top deck with covered balconies. The restored tram will be numbered 28.
There are also two other trams at the museum:
- Birkenhead Horse tram No.7 (currently stored).
- Liverpool Horse tram No.43.
Both of these trams need new wheels. They cannot run on the tramway right now.
- Douglas Bay Horse Tram 11
- Douglas Bay Horse Tram 47
These two trams also need new wheels. They cannot run on the Wirral Tramway because they are the wrong size for the tracks. The Douglas Bay Horse Tramway uses a narrower track. The Wirral Tramway uses a standard track width.
The museum also shows many other old vehicles. These include cars, buses, and motorbikes. There is also a large model railway. Volunteers run the museum. They can tell you a lot about the exhibits. The museum is one of the best transport museums in the country. It connects directly to Woodside with the Wirral Tramway.
