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Birkenhead

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Birkenhead is a town on the Wirral, across the Mersey from Liverpool. Wiki tells us: Distanced from the Industrial Revolution in Liverpool by the physical barrier of the River Mersey, Birkenhead retained its agricultural status until the advent of steam ferry services. In 1817 a steam ferry service started from Liverpool to Tranmere and in 1822 the paddle steamer Royal Mail began operation between Liverpool and Woodside. Today it has a rather run down feel to it, I suspect because it is too easy for people to visit Liverpool instead. It was a major port at one time, and though it has declined, it does seem to still be active. Active ports have high security, so not much photos of that, so here is Egerton Dock, which is not in use. Note the Bascule bridge; these seem common in the Liverpool docks. The tower to the left is a ventilation shaft for the Mersey Tunnel - more on that later. The Bascule bridge again. The lowest bridge across the Mersey is at Runcorn, nearly 12 miles away, but ...
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Bristol

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I visited Bristol on the way to Cornwall a few years ago, but have just spent a weekend there; these photos are from both visits - and consequently this is a long post!  The harbour, called the Floating Harbour, was formed from a section of the River Avon by building a lock at the western end; it opened in 1809, in response to the rise of Liverpool as a port for tobacco trade. A channel, called the Cut, was built to the south to allow water from the river to bypass the dock. A further channel, the Feeder, was built to the east to do the opposite; to provide water from the river to the dock. The harbour closed to commercial traffic 1975, but there are still dock facilities at Avonmouth, six miles northwest of the city. From the western end of the harbour, you can look northwest, down the Avon Gorge, at the suspension bridge. The bridge was initially designed by Brunel, and work started in 1831, but the money - and time, as dictated by the Act of Parliament - ran out. Brunel ended up...
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