In
the November 1986 edition of the MTPS newsletter there was a report on
a letter sent to the society chairman by the chief executive of
Merseyside Development Corporation, Mr. John Ritchie. The subject was
the possibility of a tourist tramway on the Liverpool waterfront (at
that time the MTPS was based at Princes Dock close to the Pier Head).
While not ruling it out, Mr. Ritchie suggested that the MTPS should
develop a proposal for Birkenhead as "opportunities are much more
promising there". Indeed, on October 27th a plan was unveiled in the
local press for a future Albert Dock type development around
Birkenhead, Woodside and Morpeth Dock. A tramway with "original
carriages" was to be part of the setup.
On
Wednesday 29th January 1987 two members of Wirral Borough Council
Leisure Services Dept. paid an informal visit to Princes Dock where
they met Secretary Bob Jones and took a look at the society's trams.
Jumping
forward to February 1989 the newsletter announced that informal
discussions were to take place between the MTPS and Wirral Borough
Council, who are planning a Tramway Museum at Woodside.
Andrew
Worthington, the Council's Leisure Services and Tourism Director was
quoted as saying "The tramway is perceived as a tourist attraction but
also as an obvious transportation system of great potential and
historical significance."
The
new tram line would commence at the present Woodside bus terminus and
go via Shore Road to the first bridge on Morpeth Dock. At current
prices, and not allowing for any points or passing loops, new German
single trackwork would cost over £575,000.
Though
sercretary Bob Jones has had previous dealings with Wirral Borough
Council due to his work on their Birkernhead horsecar No.7, this is the
first time the MTPS has been officially approached with regard to the
proposed Wirral scheme.
But
before this could come about, Princes Dock was required for
redevelopment and the transport collections had to move to
accommodation at Cammell Lairds in Birkenhead. In February 1991 the
newsletter carried a prediction by consultants for Wirral Council that
if there are no delays to the granting of a Light Railway Order, the
Woodside Tramway could be complete by July 1992.
They
made a clear recommendation that standard gauge be adopted for the
tramway, whose first phase is estimated at £437,390 including
contingency engineering design and supervision.
At
Woodside the tram terminus will be adjacent to a piazza in front of the
ferry terminal and a spur is included. At the junction with Pacific
Road it is proposed to install a triangular junction to give access to
the tramsheds from either end of Shore Road. (This was only partly
constructed as Pacific Road shed later became an Arts Centre and trams
were to be stored at Taylor Street.) The tramway would then proceed to
its other teminus, a distance of 715 chains. At this terminus there
could be a loop. Beyond this, phase two to Twelve Quays would be laid
on ballasted track which may be purchased secondhand.
