Many thanks to Josef Hanik, Senior Ranger for Wirral Coast, for sending me the above photo of bathers enjoying the water at the long-gone West Kirby bathing pool. I presume the large building behind the bathing pool is the former Hydro Hotel. Was the bathing pool open to the public or just for patrons of the hotel? There’s no date on the image – care to hazard a guess?

While you’re not allowed to swim in Marine Lake today (other than for the Boxing Day Dip) it’s a very popular venue for sailing and wind surfing.

Possible related posts (computer generated):

1. Friday Photo: Marine Lake 1960s
2. Friday Photo: Marine Lake Jetty
3. Friday Photo: Emptied Marine Lake

Post from: WestKirby.org

Friday Photo: Bathing in Marine Lake

Ever wondered how West Kirby looked prior to the construction of The Concourse? Well thanks to the above photo kindly sent in by Terry Roberts you can! Click on the photo for a slightly larger version. You can see the old railway lines that one day must have gone along the Wirral Way.

Note what looks like a queue for a film at the former Tudor cinema. That building might be an Aldi supermarket one day – you never know!

Possible related posts (computer generated):

1. Free Swimming At Concourse
2. Friday Photo: Railway Bridge
3. Friday Photo: 1960′s Traffic

Post from: WestKirby.org

Friday Photo: Before the Concourse

Many thanks to Carolyn McCrae for sending in this old photo of former members of Caldy Cricket Club. The photo was taken at Mill Hey, Caldy in around 1953. Carolyn names some of the players but can you possibly complete the blanks?

From Left to right:
Back row: Tom Banks (Captain! and Carolyn’s father)/Arnold Spiers?/Phil Heppard?/?/?/Brian ?/?/?/?/Dick Tobey
Front row:?/?

Possible related posts (computer generated):

1. Friday Photo: West Kirby Bowling Club
2. West Kirby Sailing Club Bonfire

Post from: WestKirby.org

Caldy Cricket Club: Recognise anyone?

Many thanks to Terry Roberts for sending me this photo that shows the old bridge at the bottom of Grange Hill/Grange Road. Terry dates this photo at about 1956 and wonders by any chance if anyone recognises the boy in the photo.

I remember the old bridge being there in the late 1970′s early 1980′s but I can’t recall when it removed? I remember the school buses (Crosville) turning round near the bridge on what was probably one big mud patch.

Feel free to comment.

Possible related posts (computer generated):

1. Friday Photo:Grange Road 1960s
2. Friday Photo: Railway Bridge
3. Friday Photo: Ashton Park Bridge

Post from: WestKirby.org

Friday Photo: Grange Road Bridge

This brightly painted chap is sat on his concrete plinth outside Surfers Restaurant in Banks Road. He’s one of the Wirral based Go Penguins and you can read all about the penguins at the official site.

This particular penguin is being used to raise recognition of Antarctic Warming (that’s what he’s called) and he’s been painted by artist Lee-Ann Pritchard and sponsored by Surfers.

Possible related posts (computer generated):

1. Friday Photo: Old West Kirby Station
2. Friday Photo: West Kirby Duck Pond
3. Friday Photo: West Kirby Bowling Club

Post from: WestKirby.org

Friday Photo: West Kirby Penguin

This is the top of one the buildings in The Crescent in the centre of West Kirby. Does anybody know what this building was originally used for? Those old windows are lovely!

Possible related posts (computer generated):

1. Friday Photo: Dee Lane Junction
2. Friday Photo: Dee Lane At Dusk
3. Friday Photo: Marine Lake 1960s

Post from: WestKirby.org

Friday Photo: Crescent Building

Many thanks to Chris Hankin for sending me a few old photographs of the old West Kirby Station. This is the old station that served the line that ran the route of what is now the Wirral Way. Those of you who have lived in West Kirby for some years will recall the old railway bridge that was at the bottom of Grange Hill (if that’s you, you’ll also remember the old Crosville bus yard too)? I think that old bridge must have been demolished around 1980.

Chris comments:

The GWR (or more correctly GWR/LMS joint) station was to the east of the current station [Orrysdale Rd]; coming from Hoylake the track curved left pretty sharply after coming through the Bridge Road bridge, and through the station, onto what is now the Wirral Way.

The photo of the demolition of the GWR station was taken from the bridge that took Grange Road over the railway track. If you extend the Wirral Way over Grange Road towards Hoylake that puts the station just about where the eastern edge of the Concourse Car Park is now. There were a number of sidings between the GWR Station and the current station – lots of coal and timber was dealt with here – there was a massive fire in the timber yard once.

I’ve found this wikipedia article about the old station too that adds a little more detail.

Possible related posts (computer generated):

1. Friday Photo: New Petrol Station
2. Friday Photo: Railway Bridge
3. Planning Application For New Petrol Station

Post from: WestKirby.org

Friday Photo: Old West Kirby Station

As you can see from my photo, repair work is being undertaken on the war memorial. Does anybody know what the work entails and how long it will take?

Possible related posts (computer generated):

1. Friday Photo: Big Rocks On The Beach
2. Friday Photo: Marine Lake Draining
3. Friday Photo: Hydro Hotel

Post from: WestKirby.org

Friday Photo: War Memorial Repairs

Or maybe you don’t agree? Please feel free to leave a comment and have your say.

I don’t know what was previously on The Concourse site – can you enlighten me?

Possible related posts (computer generated):

1. Friday Photo: Dee Lane Junction
2. Laurel Mount Redhouse Lane
3. Friday Photo:Grange Road 1960s

Post from: WestKirby.org

Friday Photo: Dee Lane At Dusk

A really great photo (source) of a dead calm Marine Lake with birds sitting on the jetty. Will try and publish one of own photos next Friday.

Possible related posts (computer generated):

1. Friday Photo: Emptied Marine Lake
2. Friday Photo: Marine Lake 1960s
3. Friday Photo: Bathing in Marine Lake

Post from: WestKirby.org

Friday Photo: Marine Lake Jetty