Our special visit to Edge Lane, Liverpool
Our special visit to Edge Lane
On Tuesday 20 August 2024, my youngest son, my father and myself went on a pilgrimage to the former site of Crosville’s Edge Lane depot in Liverpool where CRG163 was based from new in 1970 to 1979.
Hours and hours have been spent over the years studying old photographs of the site during Crosville’s tenure, and finally we get to visit.
The site is now a car park, but once occupied Crosville’s Edge Lane’s depot which had a fleet size of 110 vehicles in 1979. The only visible resemblance of the site from when the depot existed is the rear of Pensarn Road and wall at the back of the car park.
The following video has been created to show the location of the old depot in comparison to the car park that occupies the site today.
The following is a combination of an image taken by Robert J. Montgomery of the depot back in 1985, overlayed by a street view image of the sitw today in an attempt to show the location of the depot in comparison.
During our visit we met friends as well as making new friends of former Edge Lane staff. Many hadn’t seen each other in nearly forty years. This was a very special and emotional day for all concerned. Les A. Smith was unable to join us on the day due to a hospital appointment but we look forward very much to seeing you next time.
Our team photo from the day. From L to R: Richard Lloyd Jones; Gethin Lloyd-Jones; Richard Lloyd Jones (Snr); Malcolm Davies; Robert J. Montgomery; Graham Warren; David Forrest; Geoff O’Brien; Raymond Patterson; Mike Lambden; Bill Barlow; Allan Bentley; Bob Hayden; John Embleton; Paul Rycroft; and Melvin Robinson.
Left to right: Robert J. Montgomery, Malcolm Davies; Bob Hayden; Graham Warren; Melvin Robinson; Mike Lambden; and John Embleton.
Left to right: Paul Rycroft and Geoff O’Brien.
Left to right: Allan Bentley; Mike Lambden; David Forrest; and Robert Montgomery.
Left to right: Malcolm Davies; Graham Warren; and Geoff O’Brien.
Left to right: Raymond Patterson; Paul Rycroft; and Melvin Robinson.
Left to right: Richard Lloyd Jones; Raymond Patterson; Bob Hayden; and Bill Barlow.
The old Edge Lane site as it is today
Pensarn Road to the rear of the car park is the only visible landmark that remains that provides a reference point of the old depot.
CRG163 & Edge Lane depot
The above image of CRG163 was a common sight back in the day when the vehicle was parked between service and overnight at Edge Lane’s depot depot. The image below is of my car parked in exactly the same location nearly fifty years on.
My grateful thanks to everyone who came to our meeting/reunion on the day. It was a very special and emotional gathering.