Wigan Album

When I was about 13 or maybe 14... a mate and I were up by Abram Sidings watching this engine work the coal wagons. The driver called over and asked if we wanted a ride on the footplate... we were up there like a shot as only 14 year old boys do. It was brilliant! I have never forgotten the experience, and it is really nice to see this photograph of the old boy.. I will have to email my friend the photograph, he often mentions it when we are under the alfluence of incahol.

Nice one again Thomas!

THIER WERE TWO ENGINES AT BICKERSHAW BOTH OF THE SAME MAKE ONE OF THEM IS AWIATING RESTORATION AT RIBBLE VALLEY RAILWAY PRESTON DOCKS IT CAN BE VIEWED ON OPEN DAYS

I believe the other engine was called 'Hurricane'... there are a couple of photographs of it posted in the album.

There were several of this type of locomotive employed at Bickershaw colliery over the years. In the 1950-60,s there was Rodney, Gordon and Fred and these were later joined by Spitfire and Hurricane. As I recall Gordon was the first of these to be scrapped. Fred was bought by the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway and moved to there about 1968. In later years Warrior, No7, Gwyneth and Respite were also allocated to the colliery as replacements for Spitfire and Hurricane which had been withdrawn due to severe firebox problems. No.7 was painted in blue livery in the mid 1970,s and given the name Bickershaw and very smart it looked. However it did not wear this livery for very long as a TV company wanted to do some filming around the colliery for a series they were producing,so the engine was chosen to be used but it had to be repainted in a dark, drab unlined green without any name.Being that the engine was the last to work at Bickershaw in 1983,it wore this livery to the end.

I remember that TV series, but not the title!

It was about a young lad growing up in a slum street... as the series moved on the leading role was played by Mark McManus, he of Taggert fame.

Was it called Sam?

I think that it was an episode of When The Boat Comes In that used the colliery for one of the scenes, however I can,t be 100% certain as there were several of these type of yesteryear programmes on the telly around this time.It wasn,t Sam which I think had finished its series by the time this was shown.Perhaps someone else has a better memory and can put us straight on this.Please forgive me Mr.Sutch for not saying in my first comment, but it is an excellent photograph and it brings back many happy memories for me.Oh how I wish I had a time machine!

There was also a children's program that came on about 5pm, it was a period piece from around that time. I do know that one scene was filmed over the wilds in Abram. If memory serves the scene dealt with run-a-way wagons in a siding.

Anyway, it is nice to know that one of these engines at least is still in existance

The tv series was Sam not When The Boat Comes In. Also the pit was used as back drop for the tv comedy Brass.
Hope this helps.

RODNEY, I was seeing RODNEY before the War when he worked from the local pits in Hindley & Hindley Green. I lived in Park Road Hindley, in the early'30s and when "Jack Hart's" shut down behind Leyland Park I watched RODNEY trying to snatch a level crossing gate post out of the ground near the Park gates with the aid of a chain. He managed it eventually.E.T.

The TV series SAM, most of the old colliers house scenes were shot in a row of terraced houses at the old GIN PIT between Astley & Tyldesley. E.T.

When I worked as an apprentice fitter at Bickershaw Colliery I was actually allowed to drive one of the austerity J94s like the one shown out of the engine shed and up the line towards Abram.What a thrill never forgotton it.

My Grandad Bill, told me one of the engines went down an old shaft with the driver and all it's wagons, they had laid the tracks over a plugged pit shaft. I think it was at Banfalong but can't be sure. The fireman jumped clear. John Kinaston used to drive Rodney, he lived in Hindley and later drove a bus.

http://www.cmhrc.co.uk/site/scrapbook/newsarticles/hole_that_swallowed_a_train.html
has a lot more detail, not sure I had the place right, and the brakeman not the fireman tried warning the driver who stayed on the brakes rather than jumping clear. This reminds me of the Sky news woman who said "the train driver stayed at the controls to steer the train to safety after it was derailed," when a virgin topolino came off the rails. We killed ourselves laughing, imagining him, going in the back to put the kettle on instead. ~ That steering wheel must have been heavy on a big train like that.

The train that went down the old "New Zealand" shaft was off Bickershaw Lane Opposite the entrance to Wigan Junction colliery. The driver who lost his life was Ludovic Berry Who lived in Kingsdown Rd in Abram and the Brakesman was a Mr Hindley who lived in Mawdsley sthere is a gypsy camp over the site of the shaft now.t Hindley