Wigan Album

Actually, they aren't "laying electric cables" at all.

In those wicker baskets that the men on the left have aren't pigeons as you may well expect, for in each there are four massive well trained rats, and to each rat's tail the men tie on an electric cable, they then send four rats down those pipe ducting's pulling the cables along through them to the other end, they then have a rest whilst the other four have a go, all clever stuff back then.

This similar scene was lower down from where Dennis took a photo the other day.

Apologies for asking. But what are they actually laying Bruce?

They appear to be ducts into which the actual cables will be placed.

It amazes me how they wear their ordinary ‘work clothes’ ie: old suits and flat caps! No special workwear then and what a good trick to ‘lay’ the electric cables. No traffic jams either… the horse and carts probably went another way… no problem then! I bet they made a good job putting the cobbles back properly. Just noticed the ‘Rat Catcher’ with the basket on his back! Good comment Cyril..

Great photo, lived in the first house on the right for30 years, remember going mortons, Great times

They aren't laying underground ducting in Wigan either.

Times haven't changed either have they Veronica, you can still see one man in shirt sleeves that's dug a hole in a road and three men in suits looking into it.

It was Sunday 15th May when the photo Dennis took was PaD.

Very true Cyril….
There’s a big tree near my house having its branches thinned with one chap doing all the work and three others watching and me watching them!

The road they are crossing with the pipes is INCE GREEN LANE and they are just about to enter into MANLEY STREET.

It would appear someone has let geography pedants out again.