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Showing posts with label Lord Leverhulme. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lord Leverhulme. Show all posts

Tuesday, 23 April 2013

Bromborough Power Station - April 2013

A rare venture for myself into Merseyside, the relatively short journey down the East Lancs Road to Liverpool and beyond is not a trip I've made many times in my life. In fact this was my first trip ever under the River Mersey into Birkenhead, Port Sunlight and Bromborough.

Although thinking about it I did once take a ferry across the Mersey and they kept playing that bloody song on a loop - I think I've tried to mentally block the memories of that day.

On this not so fine day I find myself in the company of fellow explorer Urban Spaceman and the new boy to our crew, the ever wordy Tin Dog.

Bromborough Power Station, well what can we say except that sadly there is not very much left other than its got this very lovely control room which reminds me of a 1970s jigsaw I once owned as a kid, Jon Pertwee, Doctor Who.

As I say not much left, this is the old switch room for the now demolished power station originally build for the Lever Bros industrial hub in and around the Port Sunlight and Bromborough area of Merseyside.

So not very much to look at on the outside...

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But once inside, a nice little gem.

Port Sunlight

With a Homer Simpson, oh you don't see it ? 

 Homer Simpson

You can almost imagine the scene in the 70's, the big control desk buzzing away and some guy with his feet up between the dials. Bored shitless and chain smoking his head off, with the room filled with the stale smoke from his Benson & Hedges full fat - possibly with a large mug of coffee or perhaps over stewed tea carefully nestled on a pile of dog eared Mayfair, Penthouse or similar gentlemen's magazine. This was the 70's, it was bleak and newsagents still sold The Sun, this was Merseyside, as a bonus for any any hard working Scouser you could even see the Mersey from the window. This is my memory of most places of industry in the 1970s as now reinforced by watching Life on Mars a few times too many, except I came from Bolton with no Mersey just the mere trickle of a river, The Croal.

 Bromborough Power Station

 Bromborough Power Station

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Small, compact, rewarding -  I rather liked this place.

Sunday, 14 April 2013

Lever Castle, Rivington, Lancashire - April 2013

Not sure why I've not visited this place, well I had back around 1977 with my parents, its on the doorstep pretty much.

Part of the old Lever Park, owned by Lord Leverhulme, this mini replica of Liverpool Castle was a unfinished project on the estate. Work commenced in only October 1911, but sadly abandoned following the death of Lord Leverhulme.

Sitting on the banks of Lower Rivington Reservoir a little away from the main Rivington gardens, Pike and Barns, I'd just never been back despite regular visits walks up to Rivington Pike.

Having flown over Lever Castle on a number of occasions of late, a gentle nudge by Judderman prompted a jump into car for a gentle spring walk down the leafy paths to the castle.

Lever Castle aka Liverpool Castle, Rivington

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 Sadly since my last distant visit steps to the upper levels have been removed, on the upside with the driveway closed to traffic the site is a cracking place to let the kids off the leash.

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The castle does have a few inner rooms and as the kids call them "secret passageways" for a little bit of an explore.

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Not so much Urbex but a nice little bimble with the kids, with apologies to the couple with the little boy as my daughters choice of clothing seemed to have caused "issues" as she came stumbling out of a dark passage.

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Liverpool Castle, Rivington