Wigan Album

It would be good to see a "Now and Then" photo dave, or is it not possible, great History.

Hi Colin, I'll see what I can do over the next few days, but the ubiquitous housing estate now occupies the fields to the left surprise, surprise. I sometimes think that is all we seem to build nowadays:housing estates and multi storey car parks! God-forbid that we should actually build something that might actually contribute to the gross-national product of the nation as in days of yore when we were the workshop of The World!

Dave, I was up at the old Edge Green coll site, must be getting on for 10 years since, I was talking to one of the people who worked there who told me that a mineral/goods train delivered to the site on the branch from the WCML.
Do you know if this branch is still active?

Hello Winder, it certainly used to but i will make some enquiries up and report back.

Hello Winder, I have made some enquiries, and it seems as though the branch up to the old Edge Green Lane colliery (Kelbits bitumen products place as I know it now, sadly the colliery was long since closed when i got to know it in earnest)does still see traffic on regular basis. Many, many years ago (knee high to a grasshopper etc, etc the old King took me to see the remains of the colliery and some of its mineral lines. I can still vaguely remember the track going under the WCML down to the canal basin near to Dover Lock. It also ran into Cross Tetleys sidings i think looking at old maps. Sadly I was born fifty years too late and missed it all!

Thanks for that, Dave.
I would like to video one of the mineral trains going to the works, with a thought of putting it on Forgotten Pits and Railways, thats if I ever get round to the Edge Green, Golborne and Ashton part.

Hi Colin, I have taken some more recent piccies of the area for comparison, however the "thought polizei" wont let me add them to this album as they are too modern. I notice that some folk get around this by putting a new and an old view together on the same shot. Unfortunately, being a confirmed slate and chalk man this is beyond my grey cell capacity! If you could explain how this is to be done I will have a bash, otherwise if you would like to drop me your own e-mither address I will forward them onto you with the accompanying explanations as a word document. Cheers, Dave

It's done in a way of "NOW AND THEN", pics...your railway colleague Harry Gardner does it quite often. Goog luck. Bye the way Mr.Taylor, your railway working life and stories are a great read and are most interesting, thank you.

No worries Dave, and thanks.