DID YOU WORK ON THE DOCKERS’ UMBRELLA?
Liverpool Overhead Railway open day
Members of the public are invited to attend an open day to talk about their experiences of working on the Liverpool Overhead Railway on Wednesday 18 June 2008, from 1pm to 3pm at Merseyside Maritime Museum.
This open day is part of a series of consultations that National Museums Liverpool is running to develop the galleries and content of the Museum of Liverpool, opening 2010/11.
An original Liverpool Overhead Railway carriage will be a key feature of the new museum’s Port City gallery. It will be displayed in an elevated position as part of a re-construction of Pier Head station, so that visitors to the museum get a real taste of what it was like to travel on the world’s first elevated electric railway line.
The carriage was presented to National Museums Liverpool after the Liverpool Overhead Railway closed in 1956. Built between 1892 – 1899 it is the only surviving example of a motor coach, and is currently being conserved before being moved in to its new home in the Museum of Liverpool.
The Liverpool Overhead Railway opened in 1893 and ran the length of the Liverpool docks – around seven and a half miles. It was built to ease congestion along the docks but also served as a tourist attraction as it provided amazing views, both of the docks themselves and the shipping and transatlantic liners on the River Mersey.
Lizzy Rodgers, Community Exhibition Officer, says: “We’re looking to gather as many stories as possible from people who either worked on the Liverpool Overhead Railway, or who had family members who did. These stories, combined with any interesting objects that people may have, will really help us bring the exhibition to life.”
If you worked on the Liverpool Overhead Railway, or have any objects relating to it that you think would be important for the new Museum of Liverpool, please come along to the open day or contact Lizzy Rodgers on 0151 478 4439.
Please note we will not be accepting donations or making valuations at the open day itself.