Last week, Evans Concrete delivered precast concrete units for the Queensway Tunnel monument, a collaboration with Eric Wright Civil Engineering. This ambitious project involved the design, manufacture, and installation of 28 precast concrete units, specifically engineered to recreate the monument faithfully.
These concrete units are crafted from reinforced concrete, carefully polished to emulate the black granite originally selected in the 1930s. Using precast concrete units ensures the reconstructed monument retains historical authenticity while benefiting from contemporary construction methods and durability.
Initially designed by architect Herbert Rowse, famous for the Queensway Tunnel itself, the original monuments were dismantled in the 1960s due to changes in the tunnel’s surrounding road network. This current restoration, utilizing precisely manufactured precast concrete products, pays homage to the city’s transportation heritage, combining Rowse’s signature blend of Neo-Classical and Art Deco aesthetics with modern engineering standards.
When the Queensway Tunnel first opened in 1934, identical monuments stood at both Liverpool and Birkenhead entrances. Each monument featured black marble cladding and gilded lamps, symbolizing the era’s architectural ambition and providing functional illumination for tunnel entrances. Although Birkenhead's monument remains intact and is currently under routine maintenance, Liverpool’s structure was removed during redevelopment decades ago.
Now, through the precise and historically accurate reproduction enabled by precast concrete units, the Liverpool monument’s return restores symmetry across the Mersey. This carefully executed reconstruction revives the monument's original visual grandeur, reinforcing the legacy envisioned nearly a century ago.
Evans Concrete is proud to contribute essential precast concrete products to such an iconic historical restoration. Contact us today about your next project.
