Wigan Album

Great photo! Works really well with the previous one - you can see that the train has now been given a clear signal to proceed and is just starting off.

Stanier Black 5' 4-6-0 Note the coach next to the tender, it has a small "Lookout" in the guard's compartment, the other photo of Winders, is a Stanier 2-6-4 T, great engines for pulling in reverse.

Yes of course it's a different loco and train! Nevertheless, (for non purists) the picture still works well and shows progression from one view to the other.

Another good picture Winder, if you look you can see that the "splitting" Home signal (directly in front of the loco)is still of LNWR lower quadrant vintage , wheras the "splitting" Starter signal down by the box is of later upper quadrant type possibly LMS or even BR vintage.Count the number of signal posts that you can see (and we can only see a fraction of the junction here) including the post with the guy wires attached in the centre of the view; and then marvel at the sheer scale of the infrastructure that was the railway in it's heyday before politicians from both major parties ruinied it - one through deliberate intent (remember who appointed Beeching) and the other through apathy and indifference, and an equal lack of vision (more railways were closed under a labour government then ever were under a Tory one!)

Thank goodness for preservation and the Barry scrapyard!

Thanks for the comments.
Dave, you mentioned railway infrastucture. I think Britains railway infrastructure with goods yards, sidings, stations, warehouses, loco depots etc took over a hundred years to develop and then a few short years to destroy.
At least we've got one or two great photographs to show people what it used to be like. So, many thanks to photographers like JB Boardman who took the trouble to go out and record it for future generations.

You knew, com-on mercury, because I thought they were the same engine until it was pointed out.

John, to be perfectly honest I hadn't checked the locomotive type! I just noticed that the peg was off giving the train the all clear. I'll tell you what - I'm impressed by the number of ex BR folks on here, and the sheer depth of expert knowledge.

Are there any photo's of trains leaving the WCML and going onto the 'Whelley Loop at Standish Junction. I was brought up near the 'Loop'during the 50's and 60's and have just seen this. It has brought back memories.A copy of a track plan would be useful if anyone could please provide. Many thanks in anticipation.

I worked in this signal box as a Relief Signalman during the 60s, and you are correct. The station was situated between the signal box and Rectory Lane bridge, seen in the middle of the picture. It closed in 1926.