Home_Signal Posted September 23, 2012 Share Posted September 23, 2012 Hi, Next to Edgehill depot is a decaying vegetation riddled flyover, it is electrified, and seemingly used to serve whatever Wavertree Technology park has been built on... What did this electrified flyover serve? I seem to recall seeing in a book a reference to a Rathbone road coal depot? but can not find anything which actually explicitly confirms this. I do as a youngerman remember passing this and not thinking anything of it, but now it puzzles me... especially given it was electrified. Can anyone shed any light on this? As ever, kindest regards Simon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LMS2968 Posted September 23, 2012 Share Posted September 23, 2012 That will be what we called 'The Circle'. Heading east out of Edge Hill station on the right (south) is the remains of a rising viaduct. This swung right then left, crossing the Runcorn / Crewe / London line, then continued east at high level, passing Edge Hill sheds on its left. A south to east spur joined it. Nrear Rathbone road it began an anti-clockwise 180 degree turn over the L&M line to re-emerge on the north side of the layout. Thus could trains from the south or from the south dacks access the gridiron and sorting sidings to the north without fouling the L&M main line. I was very sad when The Circle was taken out of use and dismantled. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Home_Signal Posted September 23, 2012 Author Share Posted September 23, 2012 Ah ok... thats interesting, was it also the entrance to the old steam shed? or was that reached another way? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LMS2968 Posted September 23, 2012 Share Posted September 23, 2012 The entrance to the shed was off it near to where the spur and line from Wapping joined, at Edge Hill No 11 box (Engine Shed Jct). The line was a lot higher than the shed so engines entered by a downwards gradient of 1:27, if I remember correctly. This could cause some embarrassment if the crews got a bit carried away with the brake! The viaduct carrying the Wapping - Circle line actually crossed in front of the shed buildings and segregated them from the servicing area. There was another way off the shed under the Wapping line and trailing into the Down (towards Lime St) L&M line, but I don't think it got much use. When I was there (1973), to go off shed we'd take the loco up the gradient and then reverse down the Wapping line and then into Edge Hill station and so down to Lime Street station. In earlier days, the engine would turn left at No 11 and take the spur towards Runcorn, then reverse again at Wavertree Jct. It was a huge and truely fascinating area. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold beast66606 Posted September 23, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 23, 2012 The remaining part of the viaduct rises from near the power box, at the top (the current end) was a junction, Viaduct Junction, there were two routes,turn left and go up and over the Chat Moss (Manchester lines) dropping down again near to Olive Mount Junction. Turning right took the the train to Engine Shed Junction (where the line to the shed connected) and onto the Circular goods, from this direction the only option was around the "Circle", crossing the Chat Moss and dropping down to Exhibition Junction and onto the Waterloos (which are the sidings to the left as you pass through Edge Hill station on the way out of Liverpool) Adding to the above post, there was also (long since removed) a connection from the shed directly onto the Chat Moss lines, underneath Viaduct Junction. Rathbone Road depot was. as it's name implies, immediately on the Edge Hill side of Rathbone Road. on the down (shed) side. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Delamar Posted September 23, 2012 Share Posted September 23, 2012 (edited) here is a shot of a class 40 in 1962 passing under the flyover.. http://www.davidheys...9-edge-hill.jpg another before the wires. http://www.geolocati...951fcc.jpg/-/en remains of the other side of the flyover looking towards Olive mount.. Manchester main line by edgehillsignalman, on Flickr and prior to electrifiction, Edge hill power box under construction Edge Hill by Kerry Parker (KP), on Flickr Edited September 23, 2012 by michael delamar 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyingsignalman Posted September 23, 2012 Share Posted September 23, 2012 (edited) Here a few photos of Engine Shed Jcn and Viaduct Jcn taken on 21/8/1978. Engine Shed Jcn box looking from the loco depot From the other side The remains of Viaduct Jcn. Looking from Viaduct Jcn towards Edge Hill, showing the Rathbone Road shunter and a former connection from the loco depot to the main lines (which had been altered to become Rathbone Road coal depot). Looking over Down Hill sidings from Viaduct Jcn, loco is 81 006. Finally a photo of Picton Road box taken from the road bridge also taken on 21/8/1978. Edited September 23, 2012 by flyingsignalman 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
APOLLO Posted September 23, 2012 Share Posted September 23, 2012 Is this usefull ? 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Delamar Posted September 23, 2012 Share Posted September 23, 2012 nice shot of engine shed junction box.. http://www.flickr.com/photos/david_christie/6919867203/ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyingsignalman Posted September 24, 2012 Share Posted September 24, 2012 Two more pics taken the same day as the others, 21/8/1978 A class 40 leaves the depot, the heaps of coal in the background are in Rathbone Road coal depot. Another class 40, 40 031 in Tuebrook sidings. 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LMS2968 Posted September 25, 2012 Share Posted September 25, 2012 All those photos brought back so many memories. Thanks for sharing them. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold beast66606 Posted September 25, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 25, 2012 This may help - it's from a massive plan of Edge Hill, dated 1961 The line in question is labelled up / down Wapping more or less in the middle of the photo Viaduct Junction details, the curve from bottom right to middle top is the main Liverpool - London line and is at the lower level, the connection from the shed to the down fast that I described is also visible The original Rathbone Road sidings are visible on this shot, these were replaced by the ones I described above I'm happy to take more detailed shots if anyone wants any 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Home_Signal Posted September 25, 2012 Author Share Posted September 25, 2012 That is superb guys, not only answers the question but what a wealth of additional detail. Makes you wonder just how much unpublished stuff exists in our drawers and cupboards which would fill so many gaps! Getting high on the fumes of excitement - imagine a railpedia 'confession booth' of these unpublished pictures etc... my mother might finally get her answer about the number of totems at Calstock station!!! what would we talk about at xmas after that?!?!? Again thank you very much for your inputs! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyingsignalman Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 (edited) Rooting through negatives I found this taken, the same day as the others, 21/8/1978. We'd walked from Viaduct Jcn site towards Engine Shed Jcn. I think that the line on the left was used to give access to the holding sidings, with engines coming off by the relay room in front of the signal box. The last photo of Beast's shows the area, the line to the left being marked "Rathbone Road Siding" Here is a scan of a diagram I drew from a S&T diagram dated 21/1/1976. I hope its clear enough to be of some use. (edited to change diagram image from photo to a scan) Edited October 3, 2012 by flyingsignalman 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gridiron Posted October 14, 2012 Share Posted October 14, 2012 I used to live opposite the Edgehill Circular Line facing the Gridiron with great views of both from a front bedroom window. I took these two pictures on the last day of steam in 1968 from the bridge over Rathbone Road and show the electrified Gridiron. If you look at the picture looking towards Edgehill, the electrified line to the left used to cross the Chat Moss line below on the flyover allowing electricly hauled trains to reach the head of the Gridiron from the sidings to the south of Edgehill station arriving from the south and east without having to cross the main lines again. This often resulted in trains being propelled up the flyover to the signal in the picture. Trains from Wapping dock were hauled. Electrification of the Gridiron must have been a huge white elephant as in all the years it was electrified up to the time of closure I can only remember a handfull of electrically hauled trains reaching Rathbone Road, even after the end of steam. I seem to remember the last train on a Saturday dinnertime was commonly a Super D with a Wapping guards van on the rear, anybody got any pictures of this? 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gridiron Posted October 27, 2012 Share Posted October 27, 2012 I used to live opposite the Edgehill Circular Line facing the Gridiron with great views of both from a front bedroom window. I took these two pictures on the last day of steam in 1968 from the bridge over Rathbone Road and show the electrified Gridiron. If you look at the picture looking towards Edgehill, the electrified line to the left used to cross the Chat Moss line below on the flyover allowing electricly hauled trains to reach the head of the Gridiron from the sidings to the south of Edgehill station arriving from the south and east without having to cross the main lines again. This often resulted in trains being propelled up the flyover to the signal in the picture. Trains from Wapping dock were hauled. Electrification of the Gridiron must have been a huge white elephant as in all the years it was electrified up to the time of closure I can only remember a handfull of electrically hauled trains reaching Rathbone Road, even after the end of steam. I seem to remember the last train on a Saturday dinnertime was commonly a Super D with a Wapping guards van on the rear, anybody got any pictures of this? Sorry I have just noticed that this picture has been flipped. The houses on the right are on Piguhue Lane and should be on the left of the picture. Will try to sort this out and repost the picture correctly. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold beast66606 Posted October 27, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 27, 2012 hth Nice pictures - do you have any more ? 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold beast66606 Posted October 27, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 27, 2012 Some of Picton Road And one showing it's heritage - the indentation left by the LNWR name, which was letters screwed to the board - Edge Hill No.16 (over sharpened to emphasise) 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Delamar Posted October 28, 2012 Share Posted October 28, 2012 one thing id like to see good pictures of are the metal flyover bridge, could never work out if it was on one level or 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold big jim Posted May 16, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 16, 2013 bit of a bump for this topic but where are the gunnell sidings in edge hill? beast has given me a good idea where they may be but i cant find them in my sectional appendix (or indeed the wapping sidings), we seem to think they are the sidings off the wappings, accessed from hand points on the left hand side (as you enter) wapping siding or possibly the 2 sidings where locos using the wappings run into to get behind the signal to rejoin the train Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Delamar Posted May 16, 2013 Share Posted May 16, 2013 do you mean the Gullet sidings? you are in the right area. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyingsignalman Posted May 16, 2013 Share Posted May 16, 2013 bit of a bump for this topic but where are the gunnell sidings in edge hill? beast has given me a good idea where they may be but i cant find them in my sectional appendix (or indeed the wapping sidings), we seem to think they are the sidings off the wappings, accessed from hand points on the left hand side (as you enter) wapping siding or possibly the 2 sidings where locos using the wappings run into to get behind the signal to rejoin the train Do you mean the Gullet Sidings? According to the TRACKmaps (Quail) book 4 they are adjacent to the Down Through and Down Wapping lines between Spekeland Road Depot and the Station. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Controller Posted May 16, 2013 Share Posted May 16, 2013 bit of a bump for this topic but where are the gunnell sidings in edge hill? beast has given me a good idea where they may be but i cant find them in my sectional appendix (or indeed the wapping sidings), we seem to think they are the sidings off the wappings, accessed from hand points on the left hand side (as you enter) wapping siding or possibly the 2 sidings where locos using the wappings run into to get behind the signal to rejoin the train It looks as though it could be 'Gullet' sidings. Up and Down Wapping sidings are shown in Quail as being the two roads that end inside Crown Street Tunnel. Gullet Sidings are shown as being the five electrified through sidings between them and Speleland Road depot. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold big jim Posted May 16, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 16, 2013 yep, looks like i meant the gullet sidings, got to conduct a tamper from edge hill to huyton on sunday, happy with the route out to huyton just needed to confirm where the machine will be stabled on the day, had it been the tuebrook side then i'd not do it as i've never been into that side of edge hill (and its token working!) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold beast66606 Posted May 16, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 16, 2013 All seem to agree with what I told Jim earlier 8) (phew) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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