Wirral Transport Museum facts for kids
Wallasey Corporation tram No. 78 in the tramshed, with Hong Kong tram No. 69 to the rear.
|
|
| Established | 1995 |
|---|---|
| Location | Taylor Street, Birkenhead, Merseyside. CH41 1BG United Kingdom |
| Type | Transport museum |
| Collection size | Trams, buses, other vehicles, static displays, model railway |
The Wirral Transport Museum is a fun place to visit in Birkenhead, England. It's about 0.5 miles (800 meters) from the Mersey Ferry at Woodside.
This museum is packed with old and classic vehicles. You can see trams, buses, cars, motorcycles, and even a fire engine! Sometimes, you can even ride a vintage tram from the museum to the ferry. Inside, you can watch people working on projects in the workshops. There's also a huge 26-foot-long model railway and a recreated 1930s garage. It's free to enter and explore all the cool transport history.
Contents
History of the Museum
The Wirral Transport Museum first opened in 1995. It started as the tram shed for the Wirral Tramway. For many years, Wirral Borough Council owned and ran the museum.
In 2009, the council thought about changing who managed the museum. They wanted a community group to take over. By 2014, they were talking with volunteers about running the museum.
A famous comedian named Ken Dodd visited the museum in 2011. He even rode one of the trams for a BBC show!
In March 2023, the museum's ownership changed. Wirral Council gave it to Big Heritage. This is a non-profit company that also runs other visitor places. The council said it cost a lot to run the museum each year. Big Heritage hopes to welcome many more visitors. The museum closed in April 2023 for improvements. It is planned to open again in the summer of 2026.
Trams at the Museum
.jpg)
The museum's tram collection was created with help from volunteers. These volunteers are part of the Merseyside Tramway Preservation Society.
The Wirral Tramway started running in April 1995. It used trams built in Hong Kong in the 1940s style. At first, another company ran the trams. But in 2005, Wirral Borough Council took over.
One Hong Kong tram, number 69, is named George Francis Train & Phileas Fogg. It got a new paint job in 2005. Another Hong Kong tram, number 70, is named Thomas Brassey. He was a famous railroad builder. This tram is painted in a special 'Birkenhead Blue' color. This color was only used on Birkenhead's buses after 1934.
Liverpool tram 245 is a Baby Grand type. It belongs to National Museums Liverpool. It has been kept at Birkenhead since 2006. Volunteers helped restore it so it could run again. This work was finished in 2014. A grant of £50,000 from a lottery heritage fund helped pay for the restoration.
Other trams that can run include Birkenhead 20 and Wallasey 78. Liverpool 762 and Lisbon 730 are also part of the working fleet. You can also see a horse-drawn tram, Liverpool 43, on display inside the museum.
Buses on Display
The museum has a great collection of old buses. These buses come from different transport companies.
Birkenhead Corporation Buses
- BG 8557: This is a 1943 Guy Arab bus. It was rebuilt in 1953.
- BG 9225: A 1946 Leyland Titan PD1/1a bus.
- RCM 493: This is a 1964 Leyland Leopard L1 bus.
- GCM 152E: A 1967 Leyland Titan PD2/37 bus.
Wallasey Corporation Buses
- AHF 850: A 1951 Leyland Titan PD2/1 bus.
- CHF 565: This is a 1954 Leyland Titan PD2/10 bus.
Crosville Motor Services Buses
- 319 PFM: A 1960 Bristol Lodekka / ECW FS6G bus.
- DVG 487: This is a 1981 Bristol VR / ECW bus.
- B200 DTU: A 1985 Leyland Olympian/ECW bus.
Other Cool Exhibits
The museum also has many other interesting things to see. You can find a model of a crane that used to be at Bidston Dock. There are also many model buses and trams. You can even see a model of the old Mersey ferry SS Thurstaston.
One popular exhibit is a 26-foot-long OO gauge model railway layout. There's also a recreated garage from the 1930s. You can also look around a shop scene from the past.
The museum displays several vintage cars. These include a 1970 Austin 1800 and an Austin 7. You can also see a Morris Minor Traveller. A Triumph Dolomite 1300 is there too. Don't miss the 1946 Wolseley 14-series police car!
You'll also find many old motorcycles. These include a BSA Bantam and a Douglas. A 1956 BSA C10L and a 1938 Norton 16H are on show. There's even a 1964 Honda CB92. For mopeds, you can see a Yamaha QT50 and a 1967 Honda P50.
See also
- Wirral Tramway
- Birkenhead Transport
- Birkenhead Dock Branch
