11:49am Tuesday 25th March 2008
By Craig Manning
VEHICLES from the golden age of transport will be on show in Birkenhead Park later this year for what is hoped will become an annual event.
A host of model steam trains, vintage and classic motor vehicles, with everything from motor bikes through to cars and heavy goods, will be on view in the historic park during the family event on Sunday, September 14.
There will also be vehicles used by the army, navy and air force as well as the fire, police and the ambulance services.
Wirral Transport Museum had originally planned to run a few classic buses around the park to celebrate the completion of its refurbishment in a bid to encourage more people to use its facilities, but word soon got out.
Lions clubs from across the borough and beyond got involved together with Wirral Classic Car Club, Wirral Model Boat Club and New Brighton Model Boat Club and there are plans to expand the festival.
Michael Friend, from Wirral Model Boat Club, told the Globe: "This will hopefully be the first of a planned annual event and really put this wonderful park on the map as a superb local amenity which so many more people should enjoy."
Mr Friend, a member of the Birkenhead Park Festival of Transport 08 committee, added: "A great deal of work has gone into organising this event by the Lions Clubs of Wirral, Ellesmere Port, Chester and Liverpool in the hopes that any monies raised can be used as the foundation for next year's festival and help towards funding some of their good work in the local community."
Apart from vehicles there will be trade and charity stalls, brass bands and choirs and people dressed in Victorian costume.
There will be horse drawn vehicles and donkey rides, traction engines, a vintage steam-driven carousel, steam boats on the lake, brass band and many other attractions. Admission will be free.
Merseytravel will lay on special buses connecting not only the various sections of the event from Woodside, the Wirral Transport Museum and the park but also Lime Street Station to the Liverpool Mersey Ferries, Lime Street to Woodside via the Wallasey Tunnel and Lime Street to Birkenhead Park.
For more details, log onto: birkenheadpark08.awardspace.com
© Copyright 2001-2010 Newsquest Media Group
http://www.wirralglobe.co.uk