This morning I finished all of the roads off Longmoor Lane. Or at least I thought I had. It was only when I got home and was checking my run against OpenStreetMaps I noticed a road off Sherwoods Lane that doesn\u2019t show on CityStrides because it hadn\u2019t been labeled with a street name. This means I\u2019ll have to return to run it next time I\u2019m up this way to run the roads in the grounds of Fazakerley Hospital. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
What\u2019s now branded as Clock Tower Park was originally a model village called New Hall. It was built as a series of cottages (each one named after a tree) between 1887 and 1889 for children from the West Derby Workhouse. In addition to the cottages, the village had a farm, swimming pool, service buildings, and a hall in the centre with a clock tower at the top. Although the farm no longer exists, many older people have memories of being taken from school to the swimming pool. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s great to see most of the cottages have been renovated and opened as office space. I just wonder what plans they\u2019ve got for the hall and clock tower. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I once did a stint as a supply teacher at Fazakerley High School (many years ago\u2026!) It was an interesting experience. It was a publicly-known secret amongst the staff that the male Headteacher was banging the female deputy while they were both married. The rest of the staff were pissed off because despite her being rubbish at her job, she was given special treatment by the Head. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I found another pocket park – Adlam Park and Garden – hidden away behind the houses on Adlam Road. Further along this road I saw the most beautiful black and grey cat! <\/p>\n\n\n\n
On Longmoor Lane, just opposite Fazakerley Station, there\u2019s an old, red phone box looking like it could do with a bit of TLC. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Barlow\u2019s Lane – one of the rare roads with an apostrophe in the name. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Immediately to the north of these streets is Aintree Racecourse, so it\u2019s no surprise to find Red Rum Close, Hedgebank Close, Trotweed Close, Saddle Close and Canter Close. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I ran part of the route on a footpath along was was originally the North Mersey Branch railway line, connecting the Liverpool and Bury Railway (at Fazakerley Junction) with Gladstone Dock. This is the same line that had Race Course Station on it (see previous run). The line was opened by the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway in 1867, and closed in 1986 when the route to Aintree Container Base was cut. The triangle of land between the two diverging lines was used as sidings, carriage and wagon works, and signal works (gaving their name to Signal Works Road). The area is now woodland, although there are still occasional signs that there used to be buildings here, as shown by the sandstone blocks I found. <\/p>\n\n\n\n