Earlier this year we reported on the last remaining overhead support poles in Liverpool which are set to be removed during 2019. Now in sole use for street lighting an upgrade of this equipment will necessitate the removal of these remarkable survivors – still in place over 60 years since the last trams ran in the city. Dave Jones captured the below images for posterity.
A general view of various poles still in place.
A close-up of some of the poles. The second pole in still seems to have its finial in place.
Looking down the road we see a line of poles in situ – but for how much longer will this be part of the Liverpool streetscape? (All Photographs by Dave Jones, 24th January 2019)
Was this reserved track where the trees are now? If so, they are a wasted transport corridor.
It would be interesting to know which road is featured in Dave Jones’s excellent shots. Presumably, this was one of Liverpool’s former central-reservation sleeper-track routes: it was such an appalling decision to abandon these!
Liverpool is laced with reservations and I agree tat they are a wasted space. Unfortunately the drawbridge brigade do not want unsightly trams running past their house but are happy to have motor vehicles belching out fumes and parking on the grass verges and pavements
In both these articles you seem reluctant to tell us the location of these poles. Why?
The sole reason why I hadn”t mentioned the location was I didn’t know it – there’s no great conspiracy! It is Utting Avenue.
I am sure if somebody asked, these could be retained by one of the preservation groups, although I would say their structural integrity would need to be established etc. It would be a shame for them to be scrapped for the £10 etc.
Hi everyone,
Apologies to all, as i should have told Gareth the road these were one.
Apparently Liverpool was built with these wide boulevard roads and central reservations and all were used for trams. Last year when they dug up the central part of the East Lancs road they pulled up and cut / scrapped a lot of track.
Very soon, unless i can find more ties with the trams, the last bastion of anything to do with Liverpool tramways, will be the small section featured in a cabinet in the Museum, The beautiful Tram in Birkenhead, and lastly, the small piece of double track set in concrete in a bridge literally just the other side of the M57 (Manchester side) on the left as you go under the M57.
What’s even more sad about losing the poles, is that i approached Liverpool museum to try to get them to take a pole or even just some finials (there are about 40 finials left) but they are not interested.
Have you asked the TMS whether they might wish to take any of the finials for the national museum?
Beautiful Trams, plural, you imply there is only one in Birkenhead. There are 3 Liverpool trams there, plus one at Crich.
I have mailed both Liverpool museums and Crich but this was 4 months ago when i heard of the removal….. no answer.
I will try and get a few for myself, that’s for sure.
Yes, 3 over the water. My bad.