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Photos of Wigan
Photos of Wigan



Wigan Album

Central Station

31 Comments

Wigan Central Sattion Two Views
Wigan Central Sattion Two Views
Photo: RON HUNT
Views: 3,840
Item #: 23856
Two views of Wigan Central Station location I think the latest view was taken in the 1960's

Comment by: Albert on 1st September 2013 at 13:17

Is that the Ritz Cinema, in the background, in the lower photograph?

Comment by: RON HUNT on 1st September 2013 at 13:23

it sure is...

Comment by: DerekB on 1st September 2013 at 13:26

Think the newer view is later than the sixties, Ron, looking at the models of the parked cars and the fact that the 'Emp' had obviously been demolished.

Comment by: Albert. on 1st September 2013 at 13:27

Relative to the top photograph, wasn't there a monumental mason's business premises, just outside the railway station, and would the buildings' in the distance be the rear of the Empress Hall billiard Hall, and the Empress Dance Hall?

Comment by: DerekB on 1st September 2013 at 14:46

Albert, Iseem to recall that the business you are referring to was a branch of Geo.Makinson who sold tile fireplaces, bathroom suites etc. Could very well be wrong though, it is all a long time ago

Comment by: RON HUNT on 1st September 2013 at 15:36

Yep it was George Makinson's showroom for bathrooms. I can picture it now as though it was yesterday.

Comment by: David on 1st September 2013 at 17:51

Fantastic - There's a Ford Ka in the background. These were first made in 1996 !

Comment by: Jimmy on 1st September 2013 at 18:56

David, I think the "Ford Ka" is a VW.

Comment by: MickM on 1st September 2013 at 19:55

As DerekB says,lower photo was well after 60s the casino caught fire 1982 and was demolished the year after

Comment by: jay on 1st September 2013 at 22:16

It is deffo a ford ka :-)

Comment by: David on 1st September 2013 at 22:49

No doubt about it - it's a Ford Ka therefore this can't have been taken before 1996 !

Comment by: Russ Robie on 1st September 2013 at 23:59

The first car is a Vauxhall Nova, the the one after that is a Mk 4 Fiesta (with alloys that weren't available in the 60's and possibly the car after that) then definitely a Ford Ka.

Comment by: Janet ( FL) on 2nd September 2013 at 01:45

We used to take the train from there to go visit family in Doncaster, back in the 50s.. we used to go to friends in Durham too, but don't remember if it was from there or not...

Comment by: A B on 2nd September 2013 at 10:30

The showroom was George Makinson and Sons.My father, a plumber, was a regular customer In the 30/40;s The station was on the L.N.E.R. line ( Referred to by some as The Long Never Ending Line) It Was possible to go To Southport from there but it could take 3 hours Whilst from N.W station via LMS it was 30/45 minutes As a boy my bedroom overlooked the Goods yard and this line , and I would describe this line and Station as lightly used

Comment by: Cliff on 2nd September 2013 at 10:54

The photo at the bottom was taken om 18th Feb 2003, the same day they did the Wallgate station one.

Comment by: AB on 2nd September 2013 at 11:06

Reference my previous comment ,should have been Long and Never Ending Railway.I Slept within 60 yards of this line and it passed over the Warrington Lane School yard and as I remember it never constituted a nuisance or interference.

Comment by: Alan H on 2nd September 2013 at 14:20

AR. it was Wigan Wallgate to Southport.7c7

Comment by: AB on 2nd September 2013 at 16:05

Alan You are correct,It was Wigan Wallgate.

Comment by: baker boy on 2nd September 2013 at 20:14

the original destinationfor the great central line was blackpool .however thefirstworld war interfered with cthat plan.after the war the newly formed lner swalled the great central and so wigan central was a terminus forever.it's not true that the station was never busy,before ww1 it was extremely busy.like all railway lines the transportation of goods was the priority and coal was the priority.opposite the rock hotel in lower ince was the site of the great central wigan motive power depot,closed circa 1952,then developed as quik save ,latterly housing

Comment by: Paula on 2nd September 2013 at 23:09

The first car is a Talbot Samba, made in the mid-late 80s, not a Nova.

Comment by: DerekB on 3rd September 2013 at 15:26

Sorry, Paula. Can see some slight resemblance to the Samba (what a heap of rubbish, by the way) but the first car is definitely a Vauxhall Nova.

Comment by: Phil Taylor on 3rd September 2013 at 15:38

The first car is NOT a Talbot Samba, it's a Vauxhall Nova

Comment by: Harry C. on 4th September 2013 at 14:20

Cars didn't have door mirrors in the 1960's

Comment by: Albert on 4th September 2013 at 17:17

Harry. C. If the vehicle was a duel purpose vehicle, even in the late fifties, then it was unlawful, not to have an offside rear view mirror.

Comment by: Albert. on 4th September 2013 at 19:44

Sorry for the spelling mistake, duel, when it should have been dual.

Comment by: Kenee on 5th September 2013 at 10:56

I had a 1966 Victor 101 which had door mirrors.

Comment by: Garry on 5th September 2013 at 19:12

Someone's fitted them, keenee, not from the manufactuer.

Comment by: Kenee on 6th September 2013 at 09:56

Straight from Vauxhall !
If you look at photos of Victor 101s most have door mirrors.
Cortinas had them from 1970.

Comment by: Uncle Joe on 7th September 2013 at 13:16

Re Vauxhall 101 exterior mirrors. From the factory, they either had no mirrors or door mirrors. If on the front wings, they were owner fitted.

Comment by: Bill on 22nd June 2014 at 15:48

There seems to be a lot of arguments about the date of the lower picture. Don't know the exact date but you can see the multi storey car park through the trees which makes it 90's or early 2000's

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