Wigan Album
Ephemera
19 Comments![Entertaining Wigan in Southport](/album/8/1vrmpdik.jpg)
Photo: Rev David Long
Item #: 29414
It's the club trip, we used to go on hired corporation buses.
We used to go on the train from Ince Station. Meal at the Mayfair Cafe then given a packet with 5 shillings in it. Then straight to Peter Pan Playground. Brilliant!
That's eight buses for the Labour Club, which just might be possible - but would there be be, immediately post-war, 16 buses available for a day trip such as the Legion's?
Half the committee were psst on the way back. Good old days. Playing football on the grass because you had spent up in the first hour.
Used to go with Platt Bridge British Legion for many years.We had two meals,tea was always boiled ham and chips.We went on Wigan double decker buses.The one thing that sticks out on my mind about Peter Pan fairground was large model railway display.Happy days
We might have been on the same coach Pw.
Newtown Legion dined at the slightly upmarket Star Cafe further down near the Casino. Fish and chips for tea.
The Peter Pan playground looked great fun. What's there to do in Southport these days for children? nowt much apart from Pleasureland, Silcocks amusements, then ten pin bowling and the cinema, which you can see in any other town on the same soulless retail parks. There used to be a zoo, an aquarium and the Steamport museum, but that had to go. Used to go to Southport quite often in the late 90s/early 2000s and one of the carparks near to the beach was really cheap, something like 60p, now they're charging 6 quid.
Alb. The Peter Pan Playground was my number One favourite destination as a small child especially the Noah's Ark and the Scenic railway. I take it from the comments that it has gone - I haven't lived in Wigan or visited Southport for 40 years. We also used to go to the Model Village which was great and I gather is also gone and to Hesketh park to see the Cockatoos. Simple pleasures which nowadays seem to be unwanted.
Would 800 have gone with Platt Bridge Legion??? That's an awful lot.
I have no idea how many children went from Platt Bridge Legion but I do remember there was always a very long line of double decker buses waiting
Caroline, the small passenger railway still runs along to the pleasure fair,the model village is still open,hesketh park is still as beautiful although the only birds are the wild ones as far as I could see,from the peer southwards has had a total revamp,I take my two small grandaughters many Saturday afternoons they love it.
Following my last post I looked on You Tube again and there is some fantastic archive film from the 1950s (no sound unfortunately) of the Pater Pan Playground, the Zoo, Pleasureland etc which took me back instantly to those days. it even showed memory can play tricks because I thought the Noahs Ark was in peter Pam but the film shows it in Pleasureland. All these facilities still look as though they would pull in lots of tourists today. We seem obsessed about pulling down traditional things By contrast I used to visit (for work) Lille in Northern France. Right by the City Centre is a very traditional old park with a free zoo and funfair set in 250 acres. On Sundays it is absolutely mobbed with families strolling around picnicking etc. There is still a demand and role for old fashioned attractions
Sam h A posting of mine has gone astray. In it I wrote that the model village I was referring to was the one at Rootten Row Roundabout and which closed in 1977. If you go to You tube and type in Southport model Village, there is a clip from British Pathe all about this wonderful "proper" model village. I looked at some of the entries about the Model Railway village - which I think is the one you are referring to. Its alright but not a proper model village - just look at the film !
Caroline,thank you will have a look at the footage on yutube with my grandaughters .sorry for spelling your name wrong in my earlier comment.
Sam h. I am used to it and I'm not even a she! My User name is a mishmash of letters. My wife had the experience a few years ago where she started to get crank correspondence from a random nutter in a part of the country (not the North west) where had never lived or even visited. Ultimately the Police were involved a the person caoncerened was given a fromal caution. I know its very sad and an extreme example but ever since then neither of us have used anything like our real names as usernames on social media etc. it went on and on for months and left us drained,
Them were the days back in the 50s Standish Labour Club trips beltin.
Carolaen, so sorry about your problem just shows what sort of people in the world today.i took your advice and watched the programme about southport on yutube my two little grandaughters really enjoyed it,thank you
I remember going with both Platt Bridge Labour Club and the British Legion to Southport on a special train from Platt Bridge Station.Happy days !