Thousands celebrate Queensway Tunnel 75th anniversary

Jul 22 2009 by Tina Miles, Birkenhead News

Thousands walk through Queensway Tunnel to celebrate 75th anniversary and raise money for charity

“The fact that the event was for charity and that so many people took part is a great success story.

“As well as supporting Claire House by taking part, some people were also raising money for their chosen charities which was fantastic.”

Workers who built the Queensway Tunnel – at the time the largest underwater road tunnel in the world – were among the crowd of thousands celebrating its history. Victor Chinn, who is 100 years old and lives in Stockbridge Village, worked on the Queensway for a year.

Jack Green, 96, who now lives in Cambridgeshire, started work on the tunnel when he was just 16.

The men shared an emotional journey through the tunnel, travelling in a vintage 1934 car.

Among those taking part in the walk were Jan Davies, 54, from Wallasey, and husband John Davies, 62.

Mrs Davies, a nursing auxiliary, said: “My late father Sam Rogers walked through the Queensway Tunnel when it first opened 75 years ago. He died two years ago so we wanted to walk in memory of him.

“It has been a fantastic event for Merseyside and was held for a very worthy cause.”

Birkenhead tunnel walk has special resonance for Valerie

THE Tunnel Walk held a special resonance for Valerie Mann, whose mother walked the underwater route 75 years ago while pregnant with her.

In July 1934, the Birkenhead link had just opened and the walk-through was the first of its kind.

Valerie was born in October that year.

She was joined on this occasion by her son and grandchildren.