Category: Bidston

When are the Heritage Open Days for 2016 in Bidston?

When are the Heritage Open Days for 2016 in Bidston?

When are the Heritage Open Days for 2016 in Bidston?

                                   

Bidston Lighthouse (Wilding Way), Bidston Hill 14th August 2014 taken by John Brace
Bidston Lighthouse (Wilding Way), Bidston Hill 14th August 2014 taken by John Brace

It’s nearly September, which means starting on the 3rd September will be a series of Heritage Open Days on the Wirral.

The full list of free Heritage Open Days can be found here, but below are some more details on the ones that are taking place in the local area I live (Bidston).

3rd September 2016

Bidston Windmill will be open from 10.00 am to 12 noon (last entry at 11.45 am). Further details are here. Booking is not required, but there is a minimum height restriction of 110cm for visiting the upper floors. Children under 11 must be accompanied by an adult. For further details email info@bidstonhill.org.uk.

Also on the 3rd September (as well as on the 5th, 6th and 10th) Bidston Lighthouse and Telegraph Station (accessible from Wilding Way) will be open to the public between 12.45 pm and 4.00 pm (with guided tours at 1.00 pm, 2.00 pm and 3.00 pm). Guided tours have to be booked in advance through their website. For further details contact Amanda Pickles on (0151) 653 7816 or by email to info@bidstonlighthouse.org.uk.

8th September 2016

St. Oswalds Church in Bidston Village will be open on Thursday 8th September 2016 from 10.00 am to 4.00 pm. No booking is required and for further details contact the vicar Ron Iveson on (0151) 378 5835 or roniveson@hotmail.com.

There are also Heritage Open Days for Bidston Community Archaeology (on the 3rd September and 11th September) near Tam O’Shanter Urban Farm, a Bidston Hill Walk on Tuesday 6th September and various events about Flaybrick Cemetery on the 7th, 8th and 10th September.

17th September 2016

Although not a Heritage Open Day, Church Farm in Bidston Village is having an Open Day on the 17th September 2016 from 2.00 pm to 9.00 pm. Admission is £1.

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Merseytravel councillors agree to push for ½ hourly service on Bidston Wrexham “Borderlands” line

Merseytravel councillors agree to push for ½ hourly service on Bidston Wrexham “Borderlands” line

Merseytravel councillors agree to push for ½ hourly service on Bidston Wrexham “Borderlands” line

                                     

Bidston Train Station (Borderlands Line) 13th August 2016 (John Brace)
Bidston Train Station (Borderlands Line) 13th August 2016 (John Brace) Photo taken by Leonora Brace

A public meeting of councillors on the Merseytravel Committee (part of the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority) last month considered a report on enhancing services on the Borderlands Line between Bidston and Wrexham, as well as an Executive Summary of the Borderlands Line Service Enhancements Economic Appraisal Report.

Three councillors from the Wirral (Cllr Steve Foulkes, Cllr Jerry Williams and Cllr Les Rowlands) each spoke on the item, which you can watch starting at the 24 minutes 20 second point in the video below.

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Merseytravel Committee (Liverpool City Region Combined Authority) 28th July 2016 Part 2 of 2 (Enhancing Services on the ‘Borderlands’ Rail Line starts at 24:20)

The Merseytravel Committee agreed to work with the Welsh Assembly Government to push for a twice hourly service, to set up a joint steering group with the Welsh Assembly Government and to develop a realistic project plan to:

a) improve the line,
b) introduce a bus-rail interchange in the Hawarden Bridge area,
c) enhance intermediate stations (such as Heswall and Upton) to make them more convenient, attractive and accessible and
d) to look into a potential new station at Woodchurch.

Future reports on progress are expected to be made to the councillors on the Merseytravel Committee.

Attending the public meeting was the Chairman of the Wrexham Bidston Rail Users Association John Allcock. When asked for a quote for WBRUA’s views on the decision by the Merseytravel Committee he wrote, “The WBRUA welcomes the Merseytravel Committee’s decision to support the enhancement of the Borderlands Line. This railway has been a Cinderella line for many years but has the potential to be a significant part of the transport network in our area and benefit the communities and businesses it connects.”

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What was the 2016 EU Referendum result on the Wirral and the UK?

What was the 2016 EU Referendum result on the Wirral and the UK?

                            

front of polling card EU Referendum 2016
front of polling card EU Referendum 2016

The 2016 EU Referendum result on Wirral was as follows:

Remain 88,931 (51.6%)
Leave 83,069 (48.4%)

137 ballot papers were rejected.

Total votes cast 172,137 (turnout 70.96%).

However nationally the result was different:

Leave 17,410,742
Remain 16,141,241

25,359 ballot papers were rejected.

Total votes cast 33,577,342. You can find a more detailed breakdown of the EU Referendum result on the Electoral Commission’s website.

However there were a number of things that happened during the EU Referendum campaign that could trigger a legal challenge to the result.

I outline below an email I sent yesterday to the Returning Officer Eric Robinson here on Wirral about a UKIP poster telling me to vote Leave propped up on the wall of my local polling station.

He sent me a very quick and polite reply back!


Dear Eric Robinson,

I went to vote today this morning at my polling station at

Holy Cross Catholic Primary School
Gautby Road
Bidston
Wirral
CH41 7DU

which is a polling station for polling district AC in the Bidston and St. James ward.

When I left the polling station, I saw outside a few yards from the entrance to the polling station (still in the grounds of the school being used as a polling station) against a wall a large UKIP poster on corrugated plastic suggesting I vote leave.

Obviously it didn’t influence me as I have already voted, but I immediately brought it to the attention of one of your election staff who was in the corridor outside the room used for voting.

She immediately came with me and removed the UKIP poster which shouldn’t have been there and commented that "they keep sneaking in".

It was in a position that people had to pass to get in to the polling station, however I will point out it wasn’t there when I entered the polling station.

Please could you regard this as a recorded compliment to that member of staff for the efficient and effective way that they dealt with my query and removal of the poster.

I would also be keen to know if you in your capacity as Returning Officer will be writing to UKIP (and/or referring this matter to the police) reminding them that leaving posters outside polling station entrances propped up against walls suggesting which way people vote is not allowed!

Thank you,

—
John Brace

3/10/2016 UKIP have been in touch to state that they wouldn’t sanction what happened at the polling station detailed above.

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Why will there be no trains (and no replacement buses) on the Bidston-Wrexham line next Monday?

Why will there be no trains (and no replacement buses) on the Bidston-Wrexham line next Monday?

                                                                                  

Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson on a train
Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson on a train

Unfortunately there is bad news for anyone planning to travel by train on the Borderlands Line (Bidston to Wrexham) on Monday 4th January. Arriva Trains Wales currently run the franchise for this line.

ASLEF (which stands for the Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen) and the RMT (National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers) have both successfully balloted for a 24-hour strike for Monday 4th January. On the Wirral this will affect people travelling from or to Bidston, Upton or Heswall train stations.

This will also lead to cancelled trains on Sunday and disruption to trains on Tuesday morning too.

Due to the strike affecting around 1,000 train services Arriva Trains Wales will not be providing rail replacement buses during the strike on Monday (as this would require an estimated 4,000 buses).

However Arriva Trains Wales have published a list of frequently asked questions about the proposed industrial action on their website. This list answers the following questions (should you be interested in the answers).

1. Why is the Industrial Action happening?
2. How are services affected?
3. Why are you not providing alternative transport such as buses?
4. What do I do if I can’t travel on a different day?
5. Can I use my ticket to travel on a different day or with another Train Company?
6. Can I get a refund on my ticket if I can’t travel on another day?
7. I have a season ticket can I get a refund on my lost days?

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Where are the Remembrance Sunday services on the Wirral on the 8th November 2015?

Where are the Remembrance Sunday services on the Wirral on the 8th November 2015?

Where are the Remembrance Sunday services on the Wirral on the 8th November 2015?

                                           

Remembrance Sunday 2012 at the War Memorial Birkenhead Hamilton Square
Remembrance Sunday 2012 at the War Memorial Birkenhead Hamilton Square

There will be many services to mark Remembrance Sunday on the Wirral on the morning and afternoon of the 8th November 2015.

The Mayor of Wirral, Cllr Les Rowlands will be attending the service held at The Cenotaph in Hamilton Square, Birkenhead in the morning and the service at the War Memorial in Thornton Hough in the afternoon.

These are details of when and where the Remembrance Day Services for 2015 will be:

Morning

10.55 The Cenotaph, Hamilton Square, Birkenhead

10 o’clock Christ Church, Kings Road, Bebington, followed by a service at the Higher Bebington British Legion at noon.

10 o’clock St Mary’s Church, Eastham

10.15 St. Barnabas Church, Bromborough

10.30 St. Oswald’s Church, Bidston

10.45 Grange Hill, West Kirby

10.45 St. Peter’s Church, Lower Village, Heswall, followed by wreath laying at The Cenotaph, Heswall

10.30 for The Cenotaph, corner of Maryland Lane and Pasture Road

10.15 for The Parade will leave the Royal British Legion, Wallasey for a 10.55 am Service at the War Memorial, Magazines Promenade, New Brighton

10.00 for Short Service at St. Stephen’s Church followed by 10.45 a.m. War Memorial at Junction of Osmaston Road and Prenton Lane, Prenton

10.45 War Memorial outside the Public Library, Ford Road, Upton

10.45 War Memorial, Port Sunlight Village followed by a service at Christ Church, Port Sunlight Village

If crossing the River Mersey to Liverpool on Remembrance Sunday, larger crowds than usual are expected for the Service of Remembrance at the Cenotaph, St George’s Plateau because of the ceramic poppy art installation "The Weeping Window" at St Georges Hall. It’s expected there will be large numbers of people there and road closures will be in place by 9.30 in the morning.

Afternoon

2.20 for Service at the War Memorial, Thornton Hough 2.45

The Merseytravel journey planner is useful for the times of public transport when travelling to and from Remembrance Sunday services.

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