Former Transport Minister turned TV presenter Michael Portillo paid a visit to the Birkenhead heritage tramway on Wednesday 1st May. The star was filming for a future episode of his BBC television series ‘Great Railway Journeys’, and the filming session featured appearances on camera by Rob Jones of the Merseyside Tramway Preservation Society, and beautifully restored tramcar Birkenhead 20.
A filming session took place at Hamilton Square Station in Birkenhead, to discuss the town’s transport heritage, before heading on towards the tramway. MTPS volunteer John Hewitt, who acted as conductor on Birkenhead 20 during Mr Portillo’s visit, shared the following report of the day’s events with us which is reproduced below:
‘At 1:15pm, filming commenced in the square. The subject of the filming there was the history of Birkenhead, Shipbuilding, John Laird and George Francis Train.
Next, he arrived at Taylor Street at 3:25pm and shots were taken of Michael arriving with Rob and their discussing the tramway. Then, on board an immaculately turned out Birkenhead 20 (cleaned and polished especially for the occasion, mostly by me!) filming commenced after photographs were taken of Michael with the volunteers who were present working on Liverpool 245 in the shed.
We drove down towards Woodside and just before Pacific Road, Birkenhead 20 was halted and Michael was given some instruction on tram driving by Keith Carmichael, the senior driver. He was then allowed to take the controls from there to the summit of the hill whilst the crew filmed him driving. We then proceded down to Woodside Ferry with the film crew filming the tram’s arrival at the Woodside Terminus.
On the way back from Woodside Ferry, we did some run-past filming and turned the tram around a few times on the straight sections in order for this to be done. We then proceded to Taylor Street where Michael and the rest of the crew then bade farewell to us after a brief tour around Taylor Street Depot. Michael and the crew were presented with original Liverpool Last Tram Tickets as a memento of their visit. The weather was superb and everything went well without any mishaps.’
Initial suggestion is that the programme may not be broadcast until early next year, but when it is shown it is sure to generate some useful mainstream publicity for this tramway and the activities of the MTPS.
A posed shot with MTPS volunteers and BBC film crew standing along with Michael Portillo in front of Birkenhead 20 outside the Taylor Street tram depot. (Photo by Mike Mercer)
Birkenhead 20 comes out of Taylor Street depot with Michael Portillo on the top deck. (Photo: Dave Anders)
Filming takes place in Taylor Street depot. (Photo: Dave Anders)
Guard John Hewitt presents Michael Portillo with his ticket. (Photo: Dave Anders)