The Queensway tunnel, opened in 1934, originally had two branches leading into Birkenhead
The Queensway tunnel, opened in 1934, originally had two branches leading into Birkenhead
The Queensway tunnel, connecting Liverpool city centre and Birkenhead, has led millions of drivers safely under the River Mersey since its grand opening 90 years ago. But many of the 35,0000 drivers who use the tunnel on a daily basis will have no idea that, just off the main road turning into Kings Square, there lies another dark passage which has not been used in almost six decades.
The Queensway tunnel, opened in 1934, originally had two branches leading into Birkenhead – one heading south towards Kings Square and Borough Road, and the other north to Rendel Street. The southern exit is still used today, but the Rendel Street exit – known as the Dock exit – was shut down in 1965.
Some 59 years have passed since this part of the historic tunnel fell out of regular use, but its blocked off entrance can still be seen today on Rendel Street, near the junction of Marcus Street.
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The branch mainly served Birkenhead docks and people travelling to New Brighton. These areas are now served by the Kingsway Tunnel, which opened its southern portal in 1971 and its northern portal in 1974.
In recent years, the Rendel Street exit has been used for access by Merseytravel maintenance vehicles. It can also be used by emergency services if there is a major incident inside the tunnel, or for training exercises by Merseyside Fire and Rescue.
In 2010, the tunnel appeared in the blockbuster fantasy Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1, where it portrayed London’s Dartford Crossing during a dramatic chase scene with Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) and Hagrid (Robbie Coltrane) on a magical motorbike.
There is no barrier where the Rendel Street branch meets the main carriageway, but this does not seem to impact the flow of traffic within the tunnel, as thousands of drivers pass by every day. The branch was a two-way road, meaning traffic lights were needed at the junction so cars could cross the carriageways – causing havoc for drivers pre-1965.
Speaking to the ECHO in 2017, Merseytravel’s head of asset management Tony Killen said: “That junction became a real bottleneck. They had traffic jams and lots of fumes and pollution. They even had to have a policeman on duty at the junction. So a decision was taken to lose the traffic lights and close this branch. It took away that busy junction underground.”
Discussing the Rendel Street branch this week, a spokesman said: “It’s been used for emergency exercises, filming and also site storage and compound for the Queensway lighting refresh works. Going forward, it will continue to be used as site storage and compound for any works that take place in the tunnel.”
