Wigan Album

I remember seeing these chassis driving around town with the driver wearing a flying helmet and a few scarves<g>

Ron; they had goggles too. I`ve still got the goggles I wore when riding my motorbike - the type the pilot`s wore.

I have always wondered what this building was used for/as originally.

Archie, with all due respect, i'm not quite with your statement, the building has LONG gone and in its place is a staff parking area for Wigan Infirmary. When it WAS there it was obvious what it was used for.

What is the building now used for, or has it been demolished, like so many other buildings that bring back nostalgic memories?

Northern Counties Motor and Engineering Company was founded in 1919. In 1967, Massey Brothers based in Pemberton was acquired and became part of Northern Counties. This chassis after completion will be a Leyland Atlantean. Good photo once again Tom.

At one time, when Northern Counties were still operating from there, they used to sell petrol from pumps at the front of this building.

No it was diesel for their own use, Derick, and NOT for the public.

I think this Atlantean would be destined for Southampton.

my dad worked at Northern Counties in the 70s Brian Winstanley

Gary, Petrol was served to the public . As a teenager I worked in the Front Office there between 1956/60.

Excuse my ignorance, what i meant was was this building/factory built purposely for building buses or was it used for something else before that ?

I too remember seeing these new bus chassis being driven along the roads on delivery to Northern Counties. Just imagine driving them this way today - temporary metal seat with no restraints or seat belts, sheet of plywood up the front for crash protection. Health & Safety would have a fit, though probably no more dangerous or cold, wet & miserable (in winter) than riding a motorbike.

Is that the engine at the back of the one in the picture? Looks small, I would have expected bus engine would be bigger!

Archie Brown: The works may have been purpose built in 1919 for Henry Lewis, the family manufactured body parts for private vehicles at that time. Henry Lewis founded Northern Counties Motor Engineering Company Limited, in the 1920s, they started manufacturing bus body parts. Northern Counties established a loyal client base for reputation and quality construction throughout Britain.
The Pemberton factory was used as a paint-shop and final completion of bodywork assembled at Wigan Lane.

DerekB and AnnO: yes both right, the fuel on the forecourt was sold to the public, The sign on the post was Esso.

The engines aren't small English Electric, believe me I've worked on Leyland and Gardner Engines. The Leyland Atlantean were powered by Leyland 680s and Daimler Fleetline powered by Gardner 6LXB. These were quite common in trucks and DMUs in the 1960-1980s. Not has powerful as todays engines in terms of horsepower, but I wouldn't like one of them drop on my toe.

Colin,
Thanks that's what i was after,
Cheers

I always thought this property was know as Freckleton or Freckleton House, a domestic dwelling before it was taken over by Northern Counties.

It could well have been Phil, as it is next door to Freckleton St. The facade is more suited to domestic usage rather than commercial or even office use.

I served my time at Leyland and worked on the fist Atlanteans.The cross engine was big and heavy mounted on a Swan neck section and there was initial problems here with the necks cracking due to weight and vibration. As to the temporary equipment, comfort was not an issue and chassis were delivered this way the length and breadth of the country

They are Dwellings, the Lewis family lived there.

Northern Counties never bodied Atlanteans for Southampton. NCME had a loyal customer base and their products could be seen all over the Uk. They were popular in Southern Scotland with Western SMT and around Middlesbrough. Obviously Wigan bought many NCME bodied buses and the Stalybridge, Hyde, Mossley & Dukinfield Joint Board bought nothing but Wigan made bodies for their buses for many years!!

I started my working carier there in 1971 as an aprentice vehicle body builder, great times

They made buses for Kuwait as well and in the 90s they were the main supplier of buses, to the various company's, in London.

They also made fire engines for Manchester Airport and somewhere abroad, can't think where it was.

The 1890 1 to 500 map of Wigan shows the building as Freckleton. It was a grand house with a frontage of trees and large rear gardens.

The Air port crash tenders were exported to Poland and Oman

Solicitor John Wall, whose father founded the Wigan Observer, died in Freckleton in 1918. Northern Counties Motors was founded the following year using his home as offices.

Reece BEVAN Mayor of Wigan lived at Freckleton House to 1869 see https://archives.wigan.gov.uk/archive/civic-histories/wigan-civic/bevan-reece