Wigan Album

My uncle Jimmy, was one of the signalmen in that box for a good many years, finishing up at crows nest till he retired, I spent many an hour in the box with mi uncle Jim

Was your uncle Jimmy Whittle by any Chance?.

He most certainly was, both he and his brother Robert were signalmen but Jimmy spent all his working life doing that job.

Our jimmy was a budding photographer at one time and took quite a few photos of myself, (including a couple like the one you have put on, although that one is before my time) whenever we went past his box, but I never saw what he did with them, when he died there were none in his possession

I Knew Your uncle jimmy quite well as i was a relief signalman who covered crow nest junction on & off in the late 1980s etc around the time that he worked there.
After hindley no2 closed in oct 1972 i think that your uncle jimmy went to bolton (astley bridge junction signal box)before returning to the wigan area a year later to work in the new crow nest junction box,which is where he stayed until he retired.
Sorry to hear that jimmy has since died,one of my lasting memories of him was when we were in the new crow nest junction drinking tea & eating cadburys mini rolls.

Its funny what you remember.

our Jimmy loved that job, although he liked a noggin or 2, he never missed a turn if he could help it, and would work any overtime they asked him to, and although he never married, he had his share of lady friends

Jimmy was a great guy to work with,a real character.
Which box did Robert work in?,Jimmy did tell me years ago,but i`ve forgotton.
Was it Hindley number 3 that Robert worked?

Im not sure where Uncle Bob worked except for the time he was in the box on Manchester road Ince, that was in the 40s, and later he finished up working as a porter on the North western station, he wasnt as friendly as our Jimmy, now he I could write a book about, the things he did, we had a few good times together me and our Jimmy, One thing I will say he lived life to the full.