Before the road bridge was built between Widnes and Runcorn, over the Mersey there was a Transporter Bridge across the river. Built in 1905 and in operation till 1962, it was the first in Britain and the largest of it's type ever to be built in the world.
From the Widnes side you drove or walked to board the transporter thru where the wall behind the lamp is now.
The little building housed steam engines which by use of long cables dragged the transporter back and too over the river. The church in the background is in Runcorn.
