Wigan Album

It is a Ribble Bus Ron.

Is this a Wigan Corporation bus? The livery doesn't look right for Wigan Corporation and, unusually for Wigan, from the design of the radiator it doesn't appear to be a Leyland

Just noticed the number plate letters appear to be CK which were Lancashire General/Preston registration letters. Wigan's original vehicle letters were EK and JP, though JP didn't come into use until the early thirties. Also, don't think Wigan Corporation ever ran a Wrightington service.

Wigan Corporation did run a service to Wrightington Hospital but it went through Shevington Appley Bridge and turned right at Dangerous Corner. It did not pass over this bridge. In the 1950's Ribble ran a service 311/313 from Blackburn to Liverpool via Chorley Standish Parbold Ormskirk and into Skelhorne Street bus station in Liverpool. The photograph shows 1932 so may have not travelled so far in those days

My grandparents lived in TOOGOOD LANE, Wrightington, and the only bus which went passed their house was on Saturday to Croston. I think that there was one bus in the morning going to Croston and then it came back about tea time This was in the 1950's. Maybe this could be the bus???

Ron, The service you quote ran on Fridays and Saturdays from Bretherton to Wigan via Croston and Mawdesley. As you say it went up Too Good Lane I went to live I Mawdesley in 1950 and went to Wigan via this ( It did not go over the Fish pond Bridge) It was an original route of Jumps Buses of Bretherton and Ribble took them over.

AB I presume the bus turned left (going to Wigan) at the top of Toogood Lane then? I thought it may have gone to Dangerous Corner then onto Wigan. Happy memories of my time spent at my grandparents ALWAYS went for two weeks during the summer holidays. I could have been a million miles from Wigan. Fishing, Playing on Wrights Farm, etc. When we used to drive past the house they lived in, and I would point out the house to my kids their response was "WERE YOU NOT BORED"

Ron, in 1958 Newly married, we agreed to buy the cottage on the comer opposite Wrights for £750,and we had £450 but we had to give backword because we could not borrow the differencs. I think one of the Wrights bought it

This was before they put the footpath in on each side. I used to visit the fishponds when I went to my maternal grandparents who lived in Back Lane at number 106 ( I think) opposite where Golden Days garden centre is now. You could see lots of big fish swimming under the bridge in those days. I'm talking of the 1940's now.

My greatgrandparents also livid in Back Lane opp where Garden Centre is now. This would be 1920s and 30s. Their name was Wilkins. My mum used to go to stay with them for her summer holidays all the way from Goose Green

I was born in 1949 at 181 Back Lane, in the cottage by what is now the garden centre. My parents started a smallholding growing lettuce, tomatoes and a few pot plants. They sold the place in 1959, when we moved to Haigh.

Hugh did you know David and Christine? They would be about your age, Christine was younger, they lived next door to my grandparents in Toogood Lane. David went to Wigan Grammar school. When I wen to stay with my grandparents David was my playmate.