A Trip to England - Part 4

The last couple of excursions were to Liverpool and the Fylde coast, Lytham-St. Annes.

The Liverpool trip gave us time to test different modes of transport:
Preston - Southport by car.
Southport - Liverpool by train.
Liverpool to Birkenhead (Hamilton Square) through the Mersey rail tunnel.
Woodside Ferry Terminal to Wirral Transport Museum by replica double-decker tram.
Wirral Transport Museum to Woodside Ferry Terminal by replica double-decker tram.
Woodside Ferry Terminal to Liverpool Pier Head by ferry.
Liverpool Central to Southport by train.
Southport - Preston by car.

But the highlight of the trip was the Shore Road Pumping Station, where we were treated to a tour of "The Giant Grasshopper", a steam engine pump used in the past to draw water from the rail tunnel beneath the River Mersey.

After having visited the excellent Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester, we'd really been spoilt with steam engines.

Below are a few more photos.

Ferry 'cross the Mersey. (Liverpool city skyline in the background, with the Liver building.)

Oh, and for those of you who have forgotten, the song was by 'Gerry & The Pacemakers' :

Life goes on day after day
Hearts torn in every way

So, ferry 'cross the Mersey
'Cause this land's the place I love
And here'll I stay

People they rush everywhere
Each with their own secret care

etc. etc.

For engineers, and would-be engineers, a diagram of 'The Giant Grasshopper'. Note the size of the people on the right.

The Wirral tram, a copy of a tram from 1948.
(Apologies for the poor quality of the photo, the battery ran out on the camera, so this is courtesy of Nokia 5500 Sport.)


The boys standing next to one of the 'Super Lamb Bananas'.

As part of Liverpool's celebration of being the European City of Culture, there are over one hundred of these statues around the city, all decorated in different colours. The 'Super Lamb Banana' is a lamb at the front and a banana at the back. It was created by the artist, Taro Chiezo as a warning about the dangers of genetically modified food. For more about 'Super Lamb Bananas' go to the official website. While many people may hate them, Elk Street thinks they are pretty cool, especially as there is even an Everton F.C. version, the 'Super St. Domingo Lambanana'.

A former London Transport bus, now plying its trade between Lytham and St. Annes.

"That big six wheeler, scarlet-painted, London Transport, diesel-engined, 97-horsepower omnibus"

Hold very tight, please! Ting-ting!"

Oh, and for those of you who have forgotten, the song was by Flanders and Swann and is called "Transport of Delight."

The boys on Lytham-St. Annes beach. As you can see, the tide is most definitely out.

Back home in Elk Street - our garden has flowers, too.