First details of plans for Wirral Transport Museum have been announced since the museum’s custodianship was transferred from Wirral Council to Big Heritage in December last year.
Alongside a major redevelopment of the museum, funding has been secured to update the heritage tram tracks, allowing trams to operate from Woodside Ferry Terminal for the first time since 2021.
The investment is part of a broader redevelopment plan for Woodside, which includes a recently announced £8.6m upgrade to Woodside Ferry Terminal and a brand-new Battle of the Atlantic-themed Museum and gardens.
Funding for these schemes has been secured by Wirral Council from the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government’s Town Deal programme, with additional development funding for Wirral Transport Museum provided through the National Lottery Heritage Fund’s Dynamic Collections Programme.
Plans for the Wirral Transport Museum have been described as “transformational”—doubling the exhibition space, expanding the historic vehicle collection, and constructing a substantial new transport-themed discovery centre for children.
The museum will now include the history of Merseyside’s trains and ferries, complementing the current tram and bus collection, and a substantial model railway based on local historic lines will stretch across the site.
Several new vehicles will also be displayed, including a rare Vernon Gordon, a unique 1950s three-wheeler which remains the only car ever built in Wirral—and the personal scooter of local hero Elizabeth Smolen.
Smolen, a Polish scooter enthusiast, escaped Nazi Germany and eventually started a new life in Birkenhead. She became a legend on the scooter racing circuit, winning the Isle of Man Scooter Rally three times before opening her own scooter shop in Rock Ferry.
In addition to the updated tram service, several historic Wirral buses will provide a regular shuttle service from Woodside to other popular Wirral destinations, such as New Brighton and Port Sunlight, as well as connecting visitors to many of the borough’s ‘hidden gems’ like Birkenhead Priory and Williamson Art Gallery.
Whilst the museum remains closed to visitors to create the new attraction, volunteers have been on-site to complete the restoration of a 1956 Wallasey Corporation Bus, which will be taken to various locations across Wirral with a mobile recording studio onboard, asking local people to share and record their own memories of journeys they took in years gone by.
“Our target is to create one of the best transport-themed visitor attractions in the UK,” said Bryony Fisher, head of heritage engagement at Big Heritage. “Whilst we will increase the number of vehicles on display, we are aiming to give equal weight to the social history and stories connected with transport.
“Most importantly, we want to pass on these stories to a new generation, so we intend to build something that is educational but also a huge amount of fun for kids and families.”
Big Heritage founder Dean Paton said, “We are bringing two fantastic new heritage attractions to Woodside, which already offers visitors unparalleled views of the wonderful Liverpool skyline—all within a very short train, bus, or ferry journey from Liverpool city centre.
“This boost in tourism will have a positive impact on lots of other local businesses, and we are already working in partnership with a number of community stakeholders to make a difference in the lives of our local community—this will include things like apprenticeships, learning programs, and outreach services.”
In February 2025, Williamson Art Gallery will feature an exhibition on Elizabeth Smollen and showcase the latest plans for Wirral Transport Museum. Local residents will have the opportunity to offer feedback and contribute their own ideas.
The new museum is set to open by Spring 2026, with a new website launched in October this year which will provide regular progress updates and details of events.
