Wigan Album

I didn't know there was a railway line from Wigan to Irlam. The line from Wigan Central went to Leigh, Atherton, Tyldesley and Manchester. There used to be an infrequent bus route from Wigan to Irlam until about 1980 operated by Lancashire United that went via Platt Bridge, Golborne and Culcheth.

No,Mr X.The line from Wigan Central went to Manchester Central via Hindley and Platt Bridge,Culcheth,West Leigh and Bedford, Glazebrook Irlam and Trafford Park.The Disused Stations site is very helpful.

The Wigan Central line DID NOT go through Atherton. It went via Glazebrook to Manchester Central.

I love this picture. The Irlam train carrying the workers used to go through Lower Ince Station which was situated in an area that we young Incers used to call The Little Jungle. I never knew this picture existed and would love to see it.

I may be wrong, but didn’t Irlam steel works come into existence on the demise of the Top Place, in Ince, in the thirties?.

Mr X. There was also Urmston station, now part of the tram network I believe..

Mr X

There was a route to Manchester via Tyldesley, but it was the LNWR's route from Wigan Northwestern Station to Manchester Exchange Station. It is the road which left the WCML lines at Manchester Junction, just South of Springs Branch motive Power depot.

Spot on Irene,Station was across road from Manley Pub.Row of House's was Junction Terrace,was on my Paper Round.

Jinski. When you delivered your papers. Did you deliver them to a family named Winnards, son was Ronald, I went to school with him. There was someone else that I knew, lived in Railway Terrace. A sister, of a couple of mates of mine. Irene. Her married name I do not know, but her prior to marriage it was Williams.

Jinksy. If I put Railway Terrace, I should have put Junction Terrace.

My Dad worked at Irlam Steel works but I think he only used the train at weekends. He borrowed my bike to cycle to Hindley Station.Bickershaw must have closed by this time. The rest of the week I am sure there was a bus from the Council Offices in Abram.

It says quite clearly on the picture board the destinations from Wigan Central.

Albert.Sorry no was a long time back about 60 years.

The LUT X85 bus went from Wigan to Irlam

Sorry Jinksi. I was asking too much. When I went to school with Ron Winnard,, it was in the forties.

Tony Sharp

Urmston station is still very much open and has never had a tram through it. It is on the same railway line as Irlam.

Caught the X85 Irlam bus many times when working at Golborne colliery in the late 60s,the bus was an LUT Double decker back loader the driver slowed down at the RED LION in golborne so anyone working at the pit could jump off, then run to get to the pit on time for the day shift winding

Did the line branch off at Hindley south & went onto Hindley Green.

I lived in Culcheth and each day watched the first train struggle towards Culcheth through my bedroom window. It was a long train of empty coal wagons hauled by a 8F steam locomotive. The railway from Wigan Central closed in 1964, so when I started my apprenticeship at Irlam Steelworks in 1967 I had to travel on the X85 bus. Nomally these were Lancashire United (LUT) but the one from the Harrow Inn just after 7am was a Wigan Corporation vehicle. Recall many happy trips on the X85 bus. Phil

The mural was painted by my cousin Rachelle Cleary. Her grandparents came from Ince. All the men on this mural are my family who travelled to work at Irlam Steel works in the 50's. The three men at the front are brothers (my uncles) Frank, Eric and Chris Musgrave who lived on Ince Green Lane, they married my dad's three sisters, Lizzy, Marion & lily Hilton lived at Canal Row Ince. All three later moved to live in Irlam and my dads brother Eddie settled in Cadishead. My dad Bob Hilton is the man in the long mac, along side him, his brother Eddie, nephew Walter, brother in-law Tom; and another Musgrave brother called Stan.

I grew up in Cadishead. I was an apprentice fitter at Lancs Steel, 1961 - 1966 and remember the Wigan contingent arriving at Irlam Station early every morning.
We called them "the Wigan cloggies" because - well, the clue is in the title, their footwear could be heard from a great distance!
In fact, some of the fitters I worked with were from Wigan.

Peter: my dad's older brother Eddie Hilton lived in Allenby Drive Cadishead sons Eddie, Dennis John, dad's sister Lilly and her husband Chris Musgrave lived at 4 The Vista Cadishead their children, Christine, Elizabeth, Robert, Walter, Elaine ,Leonie, Lisa and Marion. His other two sisters Lizzy married to Frank Musgrave & Marion married to Eric Musgrave lived in Eldon Road off Ferryhill Road Irlam. We visited regularly in the 50's/ 60's early 70's; when the trainline from Wigan closed in 64 we came on the X85 bus. The artist Rachelle Cleary is the granddaughter of my uncle Frank & aunty Lizzy. I came to look at the art work just before the first lockdown and Rachelle took me and my sister on a tour of all her art work in and around Irlam & Cadishead. We are hoping to visit again soon.