Wigan Album

The signalbox shown here was named Platt Bridge Junction. It was very unusual, possibly unique on British Rail in that it controlled trains on two separate routes with no connection between the two. For those not familiar with this part of Spring View, the lower lines are part of the Whelley loop from Standish to Bamfurlong Junction, while going from right to left along the top of the embankment is the line from Springs Branch towards Tyldesley, Eccles and Manchester. By the time of this photo, the upper line had probably been cut back to run as far as Bickershaw & Parsonage collieries only.

There is a well-known story of a "ghost train" that managed to travel pass this signalbox undetected one foggy day in the early 1970’s. This was a diesel-hauled parcels train, which was meant to travel south down the main line to Manchester via Parkside, but somehow got switched onto the Bickershaw branch and continued all the way to the Abram Exchange Sidings near Bickershaw before the crew realized they were totally lost and stopped to ask directions from the shunter at Abram.

Platt Bridge Junction was closed in October 1972 when the new Warrington power box opened, but the mechanisms were reasonably new so the box was rebuilt at Warrington Central station (on the line from Manchester Piccadilly to Liverpool) where it still stands today.

My Uncle Bill McCracken was the Signalman at Platt Bridge Box for many a year,I also was a relief Signalman and worked boxes on the Whelley line Amberswood East and West Haigh Junctiomn box The Wheley line came from Bamfurlong through to Haigh Jct and then carried on joining the line from Standish jct box to Blackburn it was mainly used by Goods trains carrying Coal but the one from Standish Jct was the line that linked up with the Whelley line at Haigh Jct also carried the Passenger train from Wigan North Western Station to Blackburn, Going through Red Rock, Heapy, Feniscowles,Etc to Blackburn Station.The line that ran under the Amberswood West Box was where the Engine and coal wagons dissapeard that Line was the line from Wigan Central Station to Manchester.Wigan Central Station was in Station Road[Hence the Name]opposite the Empress Dance Hall.

Sorry, English Electric, your story is not quite right.
Allow me to elucidate.

(This was indeed a serious accident, and could have led to the driver and fireman being killed, with no-one in the position to stop it!!!)

Read on:-

I was the signalman on duty at Crompton's Sidings Signalbox.
The Bickershaw Branch Line, had been closed completely, and all traffic destined to travel in that direction was diverted via Lowton, and Parkside Junctions.
I was signalled a light engine for Springs Branch shed, and cleared the signal onto the Bickershaw Branch, after ten minutes I realised there was something amiss, because it had simply vanished, and with all the signals at Platt Bridge and Bickershaw Junctions being removed, I could not contact anyone to stop the train, because there weren't any signal boxes, they being closed.
Apparently, a bridge over the road in advance of Bickershaw Junction had been removed the Sunday before this incident.
By some divine providence the drive could not understand why there were no signals, and stopped his engine just 200 yards from the gaping chasm in the Howe Bridge area. I recall the driver ringing me from a nearby pub, and I gave him authority to set back to my signal box, and proceed on his journey via Lowton. (A very lucky man)

Sorry for the error in my last write up.
It's over forty years since this happened!! So here goes.

I was on duty in Crompton's Box this night, an absolutely pea-souper it was. Platt Bridge and Bickershaw boxes had closed and all signals were removed.
To get an engine onto Springs Branch shed, a call on signal was operated, as the main signal had been disconnected.
(A call on signal is smaller than a main signal, and indicates to the driver to proceed further, and stop when he has passed over the points) to enable the signalman to turn the points, and get his engine on the shed.
On this particular night I was signalled a light engine from Springs Branch No 1 box to go to the shed. I pulled the call on signal off, and it was indeed a parcels train and not a light engine that passed. I had no way to stop this train, and could not contact anyone. The next thing was I got a telephone call from the driver of the train from a public house in Howe Bridge. He told me that he had observed no signals, so stopped his train here. The railway bridge over the road had been recovered a few weeks before, and his train was only two hundred yards from the chasm. I told the driver he could set back to my signal box, and he proceeded on his way via Lowton Junction. I hope you will forgive the lapse of my little grey cells. Tony Cook.

JB. I am writing a book about my fifty years service as a signalman, and would like to include this picture in it. Have you any objections?

Is this the same Tony Cook who was a signalman at Wigan No2 in 1970

Yes, Peter,

The same Tony Cook, was a signalman in Wigan No2 box for nearly 7 years.

My Grandfather was the signalman at Platt bridge both old and new boxes. He had a heart attack on duty and eventually resumed work on the telephones in the Yard Masters Office at Springs Branch. I spent many a happy hour as a schoolboy in Platt Bridge box with him. he was previously signalman at Bickershaw Junction which ironically was my first box as signalman on my 18th birthday in 1966.