Un-bell-ievable Work to Restore Historic Mersey Ferries Fog Bell
Published on
Thursday, January 25, 2024
Two Liverpool City Region Combined Authority apprentices have renovated a 100-year-old fog bell at Seacombe Ferry Terminal and reinvigorated a long-forgotten practice.
The Mersey Ferries fog bell, once used to help guide boats to shore in bad weather, has been given a new lease of life thanks to the dedication of two apprentices who were looking for a real-life case study to complete their apprenticeship with the Combined Authority.
Ross Bower and Craig Hignett spent several months restoring the historic bell, which involved sourcing antique parts from specialist sources and hours of painstaking labour to remove rust and old protective paint, before carrying out intricate work to piece the mechanism back together.
The mechanism has now been tried, tested and placed in a clear Perspex protective case on the Landing Stage at Seacombe Ferry Terminal, where it will sit proudly for many years to come, and begin to sound the chime of its forgotten history once more.
Check out our video to find out more about Ross and Craig’s renovation project.
Cllr Liam Robinson, Transport Portfolio Holder for the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, said:
“Radar has been used for many years, both on and offshore, to keep boats safe in reduced visibility, leaving the bell out of service for decades.
It has been a great experience to witness the journey Ross and Craig have been on while restoring the fog bell. They’ve managed to bring to life a piece of history, as well as earning their apprenticeship which is an impressive outcome and one they should be very proud of.”