Wigan Album

Im not really sure, but I think this could be the works in Christopher street Higher Ince, I started my working life there in 1954, dressing axle boxes in a room similar to that one, they had their own furnace albeit only a small one but mostly for, as I have said axle boxes and wagon name plates, which were cast on site and then dressed ready to be applied to the wagons

Could they be ghosts of past workers lurking behind the top back row. Any Mulder and Scullys on this site.

It's been taken by long exposure rather than by flash James, and the 'ghosts' are figures that moved whilst the pic was being taken.

Hi James .....well you have a real spooky picture here.....ghostly apparitions I would think so but it just depends how much of a sceptic you are.
My grandfather Harry Hayes worked at the wagon works as did my Dad Arthur Hayes until Dad joined the army at the age of 19. I have an album I have set up on my iPad under the title.....spooky.....so may I have a copy of this picture for the album....it is a classic spooky....I have left my email icon or you can respond with your answer under this picture....I won't take a copy until you give me permission .....cheers, Lizzie :-)

Thanks Aitch. It never even occured to me that it was taken indoors. With you mention it could be the one in Cristopher Street does that imply there was a few wagon works in the ince area?

Shame about the camera Mick, guess there is no need for me to call the ghost busters then.

There's a whole book on the waggon works in Ince.

James Marsh, to my knowledge there were 4 wagon building and repair shops in Ince, mainly the Central Wagon works, the Ince wagon works and the Wigan wagon works, there was also a small one at Rose bridge by the side of the canal, but that one I dont know the name of.

The 'cast' constructor's plate, indicating that the wagon was built in Ince, is seen a lot amongst railway 'collectable' ephemera. I guess over their active years that they built a lorra stuff!

Maybe some kind soul could put a picture on for the folk who are expressing interest.

The ghostly figures are just people who movedwhilst the photo was being taken. That's why wedding-groups of the past often look stern and unsmiling.....they had to hold the pose for a very long time compared to today.

This ghosting effect was one of the problems of long exposure when flash photography wasn't easily available. We've got a family photo from the 1920s where my gran looks like she has 3 arms because she moved while it was being taken, and a semitransparent blur in the foreground of this photo is all that can be seen of the family dog, which decided to have a good scratch!

It was later called central wagon works, I worked there for 2 years in the 1960's they were good days made lots of friends

It was later called central wagon works, I worked there for 2 years in the 1960's they were good days made lots of friends

Ok you all have convinced me it is not a ghostly pic but it looks spooky.....may I have a copy anyway? Cheers!!

hi lizzie down under, i have a spooky pic that would have been taken with an ordinary camera it of my mam and her brother and a couple of other family members i will put it on now you can copy it if you want x

Much appreciated Josie......I just love to see them......cheers!!,

Where have you put the spooky pics Josie? :)

hi lizzie down under sorry i havent put it on yet as i tryed a few times and a message came on saying seriouse error ? and it gave all these numbers and said that my whatever was exhasted i dont know what this means i have put it on before and many photos in the past but keep looking on here i will get my cousin to look at it x

hi lizzie down under,i think i have sorted it hopefully it should be on shortly x

sorry to seem a bit pedantic B Spencer, but the central Wagon Works was a place in its own right situated on Manchester road Ince, although they later became part of the same group, Ince wWagon works was in Christopher Street Ince and in later times was called Thompsons as well as Park Pallets, I was working there when it closed in 1983, after being bought out by Booker McConnell

There were quite a number of photographs appertaining to Ince Wagon Works,relating to the time when they had the task of scrapping steam locomotives. I cannot seem to locate that site now. I worked there for a short time, after my demob from the R.A.F.in early 1958. prior to joining the Wigan Borough Police.

my grandad workt here iam sure,,my uncle died here at age 16 work exprinence his name was john tithe rmy dad also work there too thomas ,i would love to have know at bit about him if any one could help thanks,,dont want to ask my gran beryl tither from bamforlong

I am trying to find out who owned the Waggonworks at Ince around Eastertime in 1894. Can anyone help please?