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#everysinglestreet [10/04/21] The Baltic Triangle and the ghost of the Wapping Tunnel

Graham Holland    

Today is the last day of the final Threshold Festival, so I just had to run all of the roads in the Baltic Triangle, the home of the festival for ten years.

Covering the area  between Wapping in the west, St James Street in the east, Liver Street in the north and Parliament Street in the south, the Baltic name is thought to have possibly come from either the Norwegian timber warehouses or the links to the whaling industry. Gustav Adolf Scandinavian church (spot the windmills at the top!) shows the historical seafaring links with the area. 

The large warehouse on the corner of Parliament Street and Jamaica Street dominates the landscape. This building was redeveloped as the Contemporary Urban Centre (CUC) and was home to Threshold in its early years. When the CUC closed in 2012 Threshold was forced to spread out across the venues in the Baltic Triangle. Liverpool Acoustic has run Threshold events in the CUC, Elevator Bar (on Parliament Street) which later became The Baltic Social, Hobo Kiosk, and 24 Kitchen Street. Before Elevator Bar, the premises was where LEAF Tea Shop started. The part of the building originally occupied by the CUC is now the home of Liverpool Life Sciences UTC school. 

20 years ago the Baltic Triangle was just derelict warehouses. Since then it’s transformed into a creative hub with a mix of old, repurposed properties alongside new properties. There are apartments and small businesses, and everywhere you look there’s art. The area is expanding so much that there are plans to build a new Merseyrail station on the site of the old St James Station which closed in 1917 (not to be confused with James St Station!).

It’s great to see new bars springing up, such as The Botanical Garden and Yard. But it’s also interesting to see glimpses into the past with premises such as Queen’s Stores Company, ships chandlers and sailmakers. 

A glimpse into Liverpool’s nautical past

Baltic Green urban park has taken over the green space between St James Street and Jamaica Street. The area is chock full of art built from wood, with a disclaimer sign warning about the possibility of splinters and nails. “Enjoy with caution!!”

The Baltic Hotel is on the corner of Jamaica Street and Kitchen Street. It’s still under construction, but should be really nice when it’s finished. 

Every so often I’d come across faded posters for events last year that never happened. 

This nondescript wall at the junction of St James Street and Jamaica Street hides a piece of Liverpool history
Behind the wall is a cutting for Wapping Tunnel

In the space between where St James Street and Jamaica Street converge there’s a walled off area. People pass it every day and don’t give it two thoughts. What they don’t know though is that behind the wall there’s a railway cutting for the Wapping Tunnel. Completed in 1829, Wapping Tunnel ran from Edge Hill, via Crown Street Station to Park Lane Goods Station near Wapping Dock. Designed by George Stephenson, this was the first tunnel in the world to be bored under a city. It closed in 1972.

One of the portals at the end of Wapping Tunnel. This one is on Intelligent Scaffolding’s site.
Another exit from Wapping Tunnel.

This end of the Wapping Tunnel had portals, as seen on the left in the photo looking down into the cutting. The main south branch came out into a long goods depot, the frame of which still exists and runs for most of the length of Blundell Street. I’d like to thank Black Lodge Brewery who let me take a photo of the tunnel entrance. I’d also like to thank the guys at Intelligent Scaffolding who allowed me onto their site to photograph where the north branch exited the tunnel. Even though they were working right next to it they didn’t know anything about this piece of hidden Liverpool history. But then, why would they? With the photos from my run I’ve included a map showing the tunnel’s route from Edge Hill to Park Lane and the location of the three ventilation towers.
www.subbrit.org.uk/sites/wapping-tunnel

Heaps Rice Mill

There’s a development plan for the Heap’s Rice Mill building which includes four new blocks in addition to the redevelopment of the listed mill, a new public square, plus ground floor restaurants and shops.

The Baltic Fleet pub on the corner of Cornhill and Wapping is famous for its real ales and sea shanty sessions.

On Wapping I also bumped into Emily who was wearing the same Liverpool Spring 10k 2019 t-shirt. We had a nice chat about running, exchanged first names, and went on our way. UPDATE: Emily tracked me down on Facebook the next day and left a comment on my post. She told me how her grandad worked in one of the warehouses on Parliament Street where I’d run today. He would take his horse and cart down to the docks, load up with goods, and bring it back to the warehouse. I’m so grateful for Emily Daly sharing this with me – it’s really made my day!

The famous NORTON FOR CRAP sign!

Also on Wapping I took a photo of the Norton for Crap wall I mentioned in my dock road run. And by a total coincidence I came across a photo of the sign this afternoon in a Facebook group about historic Liverpool!

Stats

  • Saturday 9th April 2021
  • 25 streets
    Beckwith Street, Blundell Street, Brick Street, Bridgewater Street, Burton Close, Cornhill, Crump Street, Flint Street, Greenland Street, Hurst Street, Jamaica Street, Jordan Street, Kings Dock Street, Kitchen Street, Mann Street, New Bird Street, Newhall Street, Norfolk Street, Pownall Street, Shaws Alley, Simpson Street, Sparling Street, Tabley Street, Upper Pownall Street, Watkinson Street
  • Total: 3,208 (56.62%)
  • Remaining: 2,458

Photos on Facebook

All of the photos from this run are in a publically viewable Facebook album.

To view them click here.

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Great North Run

I’m running the Great North Run for the first time on Sunday 12th September, raising money for Alzheimer’s Research UK. My mum has Alzheimers so this charity is close to my heart. If you can spare a couple of quid to help me reach my target I would be extremely grateful.

justgiving.com/fundraising/grahamsgreatnorthrun2021

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