iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Reposted by Ed Farrell

StrictlyChristo 🇺🇦🌻 @strictlychristo.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

Sir Ian McKellen orates 'The Stranger's Case' from 'Sir Thomas More' by Shakespeare about the Evil May Day xenophobic riot of 1517 in London. This passage was written 400 years ago, but times never change. Humanity refuses to change its unwarranted bias against 'others'.

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Reposted by Ed Farrell

Brian Bilston @brianbilston.bsky.social · 20/06/2026

Today is World Refugee Day. Here’s a poem called ‘Refugees’.

Refugees

They have no need of our help
So do not tell me
These haggard faces could belong to you or me
Should life have dealt a different hand
We need to see them for who they really are
Chancers and scroungers
Layabouts and loungers
With bombs up their sleeves
Cut-throats and thieves
They are not
Welcome here
We should make them
Go back to where they came from
They cannot
Share our food
Share our homes
Share our countries
Instead let us
Build a wall to keep them out
It is not okay to say
These are people just like us
A place should only belong to those who are born there
Do not be so stupid to think that
The world can be looked at another way

(now read from bottom to top)

Brian Bilston

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Ed Farrell @edfarrell.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

New recon; Mulberry/Mulbery ship in Old Dock 1715. Popularly thought 1st ship in and out of dock (see Nicholas Blundell diary). Based on a sketch by Bryan Blundell - who was master [at some point to be conf]. Assumed owner Alderman Preeson - named by Blundell in sketch. Some speculation in detail.

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Reposted by Ed Farrell

Solidarity RPM @solidarityrpm.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

Farewell, Yayoi Kusama. x

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Reposted by Ed Farrell

The Railway Heritage Trust @railwayheritage.bsky.social · 09/04/2026

Always a pleasure to visit Edge Hill cutting with @lmrailway.bsky.social, Liverpool City Council & @networkrail.bsky.social to discuss de-vegetation - I learn something new every time, & notice something different - today it was a date carving from 1846. A very special & surprisingly tranquil place.

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Ed Farrell @edfarrell.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

Painting of Francis Doyle's Royal Insurance building in 1903. (corner Dale Street/North John St). Monolithic neo-baroque (the pomp of imperial Edwardian Britain). Significantly it was probably the 1st building in Britain to use a steel frame - a breakthrough tech that enabled monolithic skyscrapers.

A landscape painting. A birds eye view of a substantial Edwardian Building with many floors, roof dormers and a tower topped with a gold dome. Surrounding buildings like warehouses and hotels are also shown with people, horses and carts in the street

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Ancestral Enquiries - Tony Smith 🌳 @ancestralenq.bsky.social · 09/08/2026

🧵Yesterday, saw the reopening of Hull Maritime Museum which has been closed since January 2020 for a multi million pound refurbishment. See the queues of people in the first photo for this ticket only event. Situated in Queen Victoria Square it was built as the dock offices for the Hull Dock /1

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Ed Farrell @edfarrell.bsky.social · 09/08/2026

An early analysis of the impacts of American architectural styles on Liverpool's business district buildings in the early 20th century. Part of an introduction to a forthcoming article that will illustrate and detail the buildings involved in this summary. Early days, glad of comments etc.

A drawing of the Liverpool Business district showing - in the main - those buildings influenced by American styles of architecture. Associated text explains the buildings including dates and architects,

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Ed Farrell @edfarrell.bsky.social · 01/08/2026

Re previous posts - draft of the proposed Liverpool & Manchester Railway panorama - c. 1835. About three miles worth of the 30 odd mile journey with some infographics. Around half way at the Sankey viaduct. Feasibility and scale (ultimately 5 metres worth) are still the main issues.

A drawing. Landscape showing part of a railway journey in 1835. Featuring rural fields, towns, bridges and stations etc. with explanatory panels

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Ed Farrell @edfarrell.bsky.social · 30/07/2026

Sketch of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway's bridge 41; Withington's Bridge (Henry Booth listing) c. 1835

A drawing of a brick bridge in a rural setting with a nineteenth century steam train and carriages passing overhead

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Ed Farrell @edfarrell.bsky.social · 29/07/2026

A preliminary pencil sketch of the Liverpool and Manchester Raiilway bridge over the Bridgewater canal, Patricroft in c. 1835. A first class train with mail carriage behind heads towards Liverpool. The drawing is part of a 5 metre panorama of the entire line currently underway.

A drawing of the bridge over the Bridgewater canal 1835. It shows the yellow and red carriages of a steam train passing over with foreground canal barges, carts, horses; behind are rural fields and a cloudy sky.

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Ed Farrell @edfarrell.bsky.social · 12/05/2026

Trying to sort bridges for the panorama project. Telford suggests an unlisted bridge at Thomas Lane Broadgreen. Usual problem of different naming conventions and do they line up (using Thomas lane to Childwall Lane as test)?? Does OS show a level crossing? A very esoteric discussion board, I know

Two maps which show the Liverpool to Manchester Railway Line in the 1830s/1840s. A comparison designed to demonstrate the existence of a specific bridge (or not!)

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Ed Farrell @edfarrell.bsky.social · 06/05/2026

1. Re; recent reconstruction of Wapping Railway station. Next door in Crosbie St. an appalling run of court houses (see also earlier illustration of Vauxhall). Together, a very small part of Liverpool's Victorian 'lethal city'. Completely unimaginable cruelty, deliberately inflicted.

A discussion piece. Two paintings of court housing for poor folk in nineteenth century Liverpool (Vauxhall and Crosbie Street) with details of severe deprivation

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Ed Farrell @edfarrell.bsky.social · 04/05/2026

The 4.30 from Liverpool (the Liverpool & Manchester Railway). The Rocket and first class carriages, passing Broad Green and Thingwall Hall; with the sun setting on the old - now divided - agrarian landscape.

An illustration depicting the rocket locomotive pulling yellow first class carriages along an embankment. The scene shows a rural landscape and in the foreground a farmhouse and farmer with a field access tunnel underneath the embankment

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Ed Farrell @edfarrell.bsky.social · 27/04/2026

Thanks @vrsimility.bsky.social for comment and excellent blog on the subject. Re the 1830 warehouse - revision certainly, but discussion board attached.

A panel designed to aid discussion about how a Wapping warehouse (Liverpool docks)looked in 1835 with photos, a drawing and maps to underpin the discussion.

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Ed Farrell @edfarrell.bsky.social · 26/04/2026

Explanatory key for the Wapping Goods Station reconstruction - see previous post.

An aeriel painting of Wapping Railway station Liverpool as it would have looked in 1835 showing surrounding buildings and Queen's dock. Indicators on the picture explain locations and businesses (eg timberyards, rope works etc.)

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Ed Farrell @edfarrell.bsky.social · 26/04/2026

Wapping goods station off park Lane, 1835. Queens dock and the vibrant, diverse 'sailortown' behind. The station is in a cutting to access the tunnel - top left- from to Edge Hill 1 mile plus away. No locomotives in the town; trains ran by gravity to the dock - cable (steam engine driven) back.

A painting showing an aeriel view of Wapping goods station, Liverpool, as it would have looked in 1835. Showing the railway, trains, station buildings, a part of Queens dock (with sailing boats) many warehouses, horses and carts and a busy surrounding port town.

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Ed Farrell @edfarrell.bsky.social · 19/04/2026

Manchester Liverpool Road station - version 4; numerous corrections and addition of roof over passenger departures (almost imperceptible) thanks Ant D and Vrs.

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Ed Farrell @edfarrell.bsky.social · 13/04/2026

Delighted to have made the front cover of the Liverpool History Society Journal 2026. Showing my reconstruction.of 1868 Lime Street (part of an illustrated journal article.). Thanks to all at LHS.

Showing the Li erpool History Society Journal 2026 front cover showing a reconstruction painting of Lime Street Station in 1868

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Ed Farrell @edfarrell.bsky.social · 29/03/2026

Is this another field bridge after W2? Telford identifies it as such with legend 'road at Ropers Farm'

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Reposted by Ed Farrell

Dom Ervolina @dominicervolina.com · 20/03/2026

Happy Birthday to Sister Rosetta Tharpe, and a massive thank you to her for inventing rock and roll She was born on March 20th, 1915

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Ed Farrell @edfarrell.bsky.social · 10/03/2026

Re earlier post. Revision of legend correcting my regular mis-spelling of stationary, thanks for not mentioning it

A painting of how Liverpool Road station would have looked in 1835, showing the railway, trains, warehouses and surrounding buildings

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Ed Farrell @edfarrell.bsky.social · 10/03/2026

Finally, in the Liverpool Road Manchester project. Two info graphics summarising the story of the Liverpool and Manchester railway terminus. Am I the last person to realise Hunts Bank station (Victoria station) was briefly a terminus of the L&MR (1844/5) prior to the GJR taking it over. So....

A diagram showing Liverpool Road Station Manchester in the 1830s/1840s. The diagram shows various earlier proposals for a terminus station and the eventual move to Victoria station in 1844

A painting of Liverpool Road Railway station as it would have looked in 1835. With explanatory notes for the railway, warehouses, station features, roads and rivers.

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Ed Farrell @edfarrell.bsky.social · 08/03/2026

Re; last post. Studies of three key Stephenson locomotives in that early 5 year period ( ala Bury/Shaw), establishing classes and standards for many decades to come. A remarkable journey over such a short time.

Paintings of 3 locomotives of the Liverpool and Manchester railway; Planet, Samson, and Patentee; showing key aspects of design.

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Ed Farrell @edfarrell.bsky.social · 08/03/2026

Continuing the study of L&MR locomotives, a one-pager info sheet focusing on the first 5 years, dominated somewhat by Stephenson. (post Fanny Kemble).

A list of locomotives of the Liverpool & Manchester railway from 1829 to 1845.

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Ed Farrell @edfarrell.bsky.social · 02/03/2026

Always an interesting stage in the discovery process. Roughing out the landscape around Wapping station; Liverpool dock terminus of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway; c. 1830. So few sources here, so many questions.

A sketch of how Wappi g station.might have looked in 1830. Aeriel landscape showing streets, buildings etc.

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Ed Farrell @edfarrell.bsky.social · 23/02/2026

First draft of an illustration showing two of 8 construction shafts or 'eyes' along the Wapping tunnel in Liverpool - during its construction in 1827/8. A plan shows the location of all 8 shafts (see R H G Thomas p39).

An illustration of how the Wapping Tunnel in Liverpool was built. Showing a cutaway diagram of two shafts and the interior of the tunnel under construction; men horses tramway. . A plan shows the location of all 8 construction shafts.

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Ed Farrell @edfarrell.bsky.social · 14/02/2026

L&MR Panorama study, Back in Liverpool for research oin the Wapping tunnel and a reconstruction of Wapping station itself. Initially trying to establish the position of shafts or eyes used to build the tunnel. Bear with me as always @vrsimility.bsky.social and @lmrailway.bsky.social A start....

A discussion document designed to establish detasils relating to the building of the Wapping Railway tunnel in Liverpool. Showing maps and the position of tunnel details.

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Ed Farrell @edfarrell.bsky.social · 13/02/2026

The next section of the L&MR bridge study - block 2b- V2. Including the mystery bridge at Whiston, subject of previous post.

A drawing of several bridges which would have existed on the Liverpool and Manchester Railway in 1836. Sketches of each bridge are placed where they would have stood along a map of the line

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Ed Farrell @edfarrell.bsky.social · 13/02/2026

Still baffled by the Whiston 1 bridge issue. Discussion board attached and grateful for any comments, opinions, musings, insults etc. as always. Find it hard to believe there was no station (or halt??) at Whiston (until 1990??). Originally wondered if this was ex 'Bottom of Whiston Incline' .

A discussion document about the historic and current railway bridges in the Whiston area, with sketches, photos and document extracts to help.

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Ed Farrell @edfarrell.bsky.social · 10/02/2026

@lmrailway.bsky.social Hi Paul. re Whiston bridges -1830. The bridge list shows Whistons 1 and 2; both stone. The OS map for 1840odd seems to show a level crossing, two wooden bridges and bridge 2. A later bridge roughly takes the place of the western most wooden bridge; struggling to see bridge 1.

An extract from an Ordnance Survey map of 1849. Shows the town of Whiston in Lancashire, where a railway cuts through.

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Ed Farrell @edfarrell.bsky.social · 10/02/2026

Liverpool Road Station Version 3. Multiple amendments (stonework, building details, street furniture, horses etc). Still tbc for Version 4 - a) coal-drop detail, b) departures roof, c) arrivals exit. Thanks very much all for comments etc.

A painting of how Liverpool Road Station Manchester would have looked in 1836. An ariel view showing the railway itself, warehouses, streets and buildings, factories, people and transport

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Ed Farrell @edfarrell.bsky.social · 10/02/2026

Liverpool and Manchester Railway, panorama study (features) block 2A - Ainsworths Bridge to Lee's Bridge number 1; numbered 8 to 20 on original list. Thanks to @lmrailway.bsky.social

A study of a set of 12 bridges (sketches and descriptions) which were built for the Liverpool and Manchester Railway. In this case all show arches passing under the railway through an embankment

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Ed Farrell @edfarrell.bsky.social · 03/02/2026

Thanks very much for your analysis etc. around the coaldrops Vrs and I am just catching up. I had discharge into the Station, but had another look (attached) and wondered what might be best guess re discharge direction/design. Should I just be showing a blank wall??!! Anybody else got owt?

A discussion document seeking analysis about the coal drop structures at Liverpool Road Station manchester in the 1830s with maps, discussion points and speculative diagrams

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Reposted by Ed Farrell

Carol-Anne Lennie @carolannelennie.bsky.social · 23/01/2026

A message from Eliza Carthy about her dad, #MartinCarthy

A message from Eliza Carthy-
"Dear everyone, A month ago, Martin, at 84, was diagnosed with late-onset Alzheimers Disease. While his doctor initially suggested that Dad would and should be able to tour in the Spring, and we were hoping to use the tour to say goodbye0 to Dad's many fans, it now appears that this won't be possible or advisable for his health Dad sends his love and regrets to everyone hoping to see him one more time. Eliza will fulfil these shows, and will try to honour his legacy as much as possible. Our family thanks you for your patience and love."

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Ed Farrell @edfarrell.bsky.social · 31/01/2026

Thanks all for comments; really grateful. Very interesting stuff (not the least of which shunting and coal drop arrangements!) which I am looking at. Re arrivals passengers see attached... @lmrailway.bsky.social @hillsider45.bsky.social @vrsimility.bsky.social @railwayhobbit.bsky.social

A discussion document dealing with the arrangements for passengers arriving at Liverpool Street Station in Manchester during the early 1830s. A map Showing options together with supporting photos of a bridge nearby

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Ed Farrell @edfarrell.bsky.social · 30/01/2026

Re: Previous. A slightly better res and intensity.

A painting of Liverpool Road station Manchester as it would have looked in 1836. An aeriel shot showing Irwell river and ships, the railway running through the paintings several with trains; vehicles, buildings, a water tower and warehouses

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Ed Farrell @edfarrell.bsky.social · 30/01/2026

Reconstruction of Liverpool Road station 1836, version 2. For comment. Very grateful for input and resources from @lmrailway.bsky.social @hillsider45.bsky.social @vrsimility.bsky.social @railwayhobbit.bsky.social etc. Part of a wider project to map the L&MR 1830s

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Ed Farrell @edfarrell.bsky.social · 14/01/2026

Continuing preliminary studies of the L&MR infrastructure c. 1835. Lea Green to Newton. Only now beginning to appreciate the enormity and genius of the undertaking at that time and its miraculous delivery

A series of sketches studying the infrastructure of the Liverpool to Manchester Railway in the 1830s, showing g the track layout, stations and bridges

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Ed Farrell @edfarrell.bsky.social · 12/01/2026

Manchester weekend. Visited Liverpool Road station for 1st time on a day apparently like 15.9.1830 by courtesy of a family trip to the amazing Hockney experience at the Factory surprisingly close by.

A photograph of the brickwork, doors and windows of railway viaduct into Liverpool Road station with signage for the Fa tory centre nearby

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Ed Farrell @edfarrell.bsky.social · 07/01/2026

I attach a discussion board containing a speculative study of the coal drops at the Eastern end of the Liverpool Road terminus, Manchester as they may have looked in 1835/6. I'll keep researching but does anybody know of any images or descriptions that might help? Any other interpretations? Thanks

A study showing how the Liverpool Road terminus of the Liverpool & Manchester Railway might have looked. The sketch shows the elevated track, through which specially designed trucks are dropping coal. to be distributed via horsedrawn wagons. The study also shows two maps from the 18thc from which information to support a discussion has been taken.

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Ed Farrell @edfarrell.bsky.social · 22/12/2025

Block 1/bridges (panorama project). I've seen the TT Bury picture described as Whiston incline/Sutton incline/Broad green to Roby. If here, then Bury is standing on no. 1 Park's bridge?? (next one - no.2- is brick; though could you get that height and are distant ones in the Olive Mt. cutting?).

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Ed Farrell @edfarrell.bsky.social · 20/12/2025

@lmrailway.bsky.social Just in the process of roughing out bridges in adv of the panorama project. Wondering how to interpret the bridge list P (thanks so much) re dates and google map etc. E.g. the Whiston run has some odd things (and Spring Lane?) unless I am misinterpreting? (usually).....

A hand drawn listing of the bridges on the Liverpool and Manchester Railway in its early days, mapping out a section of the line with drawings of how the timber and stone bridges looked

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Ed Farrell @edfarrell.bsky.social · 17/12/2025

A further infographic. The 4 branch railways connecting to the L&MR -1830s. This, together with the diagrams of L&MR features and the station survey (see previous), pulls together information from many sources and will underpin the planned panorama of the line. Thanks to the L&MR trust. Comments? Ta

A diagram showing the four branch railways that connected to the Liverpool and Manchester Railway in the 1830s. Showing a diagram of each line and details associated with each line at that time.

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Ed Farrell @edfarrell.bsky.social · 16/12/2025

L&MR station list infographic based on V2 research table - previous post

A graphic represnting the stations on the Liverpool and Manchester Railway during the 1830s - listing the stations left to right. Including the positions of branch railways at that time .

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Ed Farrell @edfarrell.bsky.social · 16/12/2025

Revised list of L&MR stations (1830s).

A tabulation of stations on the Liverpool and Manchester Railway line during the 1830s, with references

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Ed Farrell @edfarrell.bsky.social · 13/12/2025

@lmrailway.bsky.social Hi P. Just revisiting some work we did re the stations/stops in the 1830s. Thought it worth settling a list plus a couple of puzzling things as attached. Would be glad of a view if you get time. Cheers

A tabulation of 30 stations and stops on the Liverpool and manchester Railway in thw 1830s. Designed to iron out some ambiguities.

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Ed Farrell @edfarrell.bsky.social · 10/12/2025

Just on the design of successive cisterns. Attached discussion board attempts a summary of the position: following a probable red herring. I think currently at least, that the water tank is pretty much as shown by Bury throughout the 1830s - until later works/expansion cause a new build.

A chart showing a timeline of images and maps suggesting how the water tanks on the Irwell railway bridge were developed 1830-1850

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