Wigan Album

If I were Martin, I would be noting the number of the bus and reporting the driver for recless diving or speeding. I don't think anyone would could say noting the white line he was driving safeley.

Please note there will be more photos to follow from the seventies Action Group ALMA HILL.

Remember, the photograph doesn't tell the whole story, and the lens has distorted the perspective considerably. Also, the driver is 30' away from the back of the bus, and the shot was taken probably twice that length away, so we cannot see what the driver sees. Don't be too quick to judge.

The fact that a double decker has just descended a very steep hill is enough cause for concern. That road even if it were flat, which it certainly isn't, is/was not suitable for commercial or PS vehicles. Then again he could be reversing, we can't tell from the photograph.

I think the reverand long has been drinking to much of the communion sherry if he thinks the driver of the bus doesn,t know he,s over the white line.

It's not against the law to cross a broken white line. I'm sure the driver knew exactly what he was doing, and was probably doing it very well. It's not his fault he's routed down that road.

The driver would have know what cars would have been on that section of the road at a certain time of the day in them days.

More or less.

Sorry Rev Long, but that is a very steep hill with a blind bend at the bottom. If anything had been coming the other way the bus would have cleaned it out

Driving skills apart, the truth of the matter was many PSV drivers working on the 'school runs' at this time used to used Alma Hill as a short cut, rather than drive all the way round Dingle Road and the monument, as they should have done.
A weight restriction is now in place on Alma Hill/Higher Lane, which has eased the problem.

He's a bus driver. He's driving a bus on a route he knows well, probably driven it regularly for months, if not years. He knows the limitations of his bus (Leyland PDs needed plenty of braking time), and how it performs on that route. How many buses were actually involved in accidents on that hill?

Have enjoyed your comments and my father and other members of the then committee would have been pleased at some of your responces all these years on. A certain Mr Rev Tim Barton was also a help to the committee in the seventies if my memory is correct. The bus drivers and wagon drivers were in the wrong and they new it. The restrictions are in place because the parents of the time did not want to see there children hurt or worse.

None.

May I suggest Rev David Long visits Alma Hill to see for himself just how bad this hill is and the bend. Nowadays there are no buses or lorries but I have had a few near misses over the years ( not my fault I always tuck myself close to the edge)The main problem is those coming up the hill I think, they know it's coming and try to get some speed up to tackle it and end up coming around the corner too fast.

Well said Barbara Rev Long may have driven buses I feel.....!