Wigan Album

Was that on the footpath between Maypole Colliery and Wigan Junction Colliery. I did my pit training at Wigan Junction in 1961

If you went down Kingsdown Road, then past Polly's pond you would then arrive at the brick end of the tunnel. It would be just about where the boundary of the new estate is now.

A lot of these "tunnels" were used as offices and various departments ( ventilation, safety, surveyors etc).
I can't remember this particular tunnel being used. Most of the offices were on the Park Lane end of the Colliery.

The first photo is of the "Big" tunnel, as Paul says it was on a path which now goes from Kingsdown road to the bottom of Pollies where the outlet pipe is.This dirt road carried on under the Big tunnel, the little tunnel was about 30 yds after the big one.There was a left turn after the little tunnel, this road went past Pemberton's farm and joined on to Lee Lane.The main lane carried on for about 25 yds,if you turned left this lane went past Bridges farm and joined Lee Lane. If you took the right fork of the main lane you went past the back of the Pit and joined Park Lane.
I remember Freddie Ratcliffe jumping off the big tunnel with a homemade parachute.

Phil
Your discriptions bring back a lot of memorys of our youth,if my memorys right wasnt there a little pond under the first bridge?
Mark

Mark,
You're spot on about the pond.If you remember the "Paradise" was filled in and it flooded Pembertons farm

A lot of memorys of my youth with Leny & Barry Willson

Hello Phil,
This is your younger namesake from training days at Preston. Are you still working at Preston or are you finally retired now? Dave

Hiya Dave,
Todays my 66th birthday.I retired on ill health in June 2007[cancer]but I'm alright now.How are you,still training?

I remember well my grandad and i walking regualy through

Iremmeber the tunnels well and the small pond and the paths,
my grandfather who lived in May ave used to take me for reguler walks along there in the early 1950s

there used to be two houses just past the tunnel,Alan Smiths mother lived in one of them,and just past the houses were the two ponds called the apple and pear(ha-puh unt per).when Freddie Ratcliffe jumped from the bridge the parachute was one used for dropping small items from planes during the war,were he got it from i don't know,it was about 9 inches round very much like a disc but with a hole in the centre the chute itself had been deployed so was hanging limp.but instead of moving a few yards away from the tunnel to run and give the chute time to billow out ,he just jumped from the top hoping he would glide down,he did'nt and the chute was still limp when he landed,poor fred dragged himself home still attached to the parachute.the thing is it did'nt cure him ,he was still a daredevil.and more than likely still is

Hiya Keith,
Do you remember that if you went passed the apple and pear there was another tunnel,the path under the tunnel went past Taylor's farm and came out up the side of Bickershaw Station facing the "Queens

Hello Phil,
It's your old training pal again, any chance you could drop me your own e-mail, I have some more questions about the tunnels that you mention?. Thanks, Dave

are you sure the top photo is at the Maypole -it looks more like a bridge than a tunel and I am sure itis one of those that were just up the line from Bicci station near the GC.
The bottom one is definetly not the tunnel behind Taylors farm(real name Morris's farm) as that was brick built and was a taller and wider arch than the one in the photo.
One of the tunnels at the Maypole was the wages office as I went in there many a time with my dad.

Hiya Vera,
The top photo is the Auntie Pollies side of of the tunnel.The bottom photo is the other end of the tunnel.The track that went over the tunnel carried on across Lee Lane, went past the back of your house [there was a dirt ruck with the track on top ]and over Bickershaw Lane and on to the sidings near where the gypo camp is now.The bridge near Morris's farm carried the track which came from the Junction pit and joined on to the G C. line south of Bicky Station.
Phil

hi Phil the little tunnel is definetly not the one behind Taylors farm-I spent a lot of time hanging around there as a kid.

To Joe Wilding, re posting above re Wilson brothers.They lived at 350,Warrington Rd,Abram.I'm trying to trace this family.I was mates with elder brother Brian at Moss Lane school early 60s.Want to trace him for a school reunion in Oct.Can you contact me via email attached to this posting.Or anyone else who may have contact with Joe W. Thanks,Brian R.