Wigan Album

Ron. When I was a boy, and you came out of the park, taking a path from the park, that led into Walkden Ave., there was a fenced off mine shaft, about twenty yards away from the path. I threw many a stone down the shaft. Somebody may know what that pit was named, in the days of yore.

I remember there being railway lines along part of Walkden Avenue which also ran under the railway bridge into Buckley Street, these must have ran from the coal wash at Gidlow to the mill.

Albert on the 1889 map it is shown as "Gidlow and Swinley Collieries".
There was a gas works on the same site. and a little further on was a row of dwellings indicated as Buckley Houses.
Just as you came out of the park on your right were a series of dirt tips,just the job for us kids being dare devils on our bikes. Happy Days.(not in 1898 but just after WW2!!!!!)

Albert, the colliery that area had quite a lot of pits, Rylands, Mesnes, Swinley and others, there's a list of Wigan pits by Detritus 21 on a discussion here. https://www.wiganworld.co.uk/communicate/mb_message.php?opt=f9&msd=972516&page=2&subject=Pits%20in%20Wigan

There's plenty information on these maps and drawings by Chris Southworth.
https://www.wiganworld.co.uk/communicate/mb_message.php?opt=f2&msd=1102471&page=18&subject=coal%20mining%20under%20Wigan.

The new Pagefield College is built over where that mine shaft was, it was filled in some years ago, but was marked with one of those concrete pyramids so it was known to be there.

That rail line must have taken coal to the gas works too Brian.

How many Wiganers refer to this road as "Walkden Avenue", as opposed to it's correct, traditional, pronunciation. "Wogdin Avenue"

Walkden in Salford may well be pronounced Wogden, laaaike.

However, true Wigan folks have always, and still do pronounce Walkden Avenue as Walkdon Avenew or Walkdon Avenew East.

Just behind the photographer was No 2 shaft of the Swinley or Rylands Colliery. It was 950 ft deep to the Arley seam. Off to the right of the photo were 3 more shafts belonging to the same colliery, No 1, No3 and Yard Pit.
The colliery worked The Cannel, Yard and Arley seams

In the late thirties, very early forties there was a wall long the right hand side of the path as you walked towards Walkden Avenue. My dad would hold my hand as I walked along the wall. The path then was in far better condition than this, shown on the photograph.

It is quite possible that I I wrong in assuming this location is the path leading from the rear of Mesnes Park. I seem to remember the main L.M.S. Railway line was above, and to the left as you walked towards Walkden Avenue, along this path.

Albert S

This path is still there. It runs parrell with the west coast railway embankment from the Walkden Avenue bridge, before running behind the wall of the park keepers depot and then leading out into the rear of Mesnes Park.

I often exercise the dog by walking down this route. The path has flooded quite badly a number of times in the last few years during periods of wet weather.

Although the old Mill is still there (lying in a poor neglected state these days), much of the land in front (seen in this picture) has been acquired for the new college building.

CJ

Thank you, CJAlan.
Much water has gone under the bridge during the intervening years.