Wigan Album

The top is of a Fordson van - the first vehicle I owned. It cost £6.10s, and I went all over in it - London, the Lakes, Wales, Blackpool. I think it used more oil than petrol. With a 6-volt battery and terrible earthing, driving at night was best done by moonlight. It had vacuum-powered windscreen wipers - so they stopped when you accelerated. The windscreen washer was a squeezy bottle held out of the window and squirted on the screen. Windows were pull-up, with a rubber wedge to keep them up. I still have the log book - pity I didn't keep the Registration, OKC 5, going - it might be worth something now.

Better poor quality than not shown at all, dk. What good turn-outs for Walking Day back then; it was a real social event and the day had its own special atmosphere. I've told before about how my Aunty Mary always used to put a posh voice on as the Vicar's contingent passed by , but she always got her h's in the wrong place and it used to come out, "Oh, 'ello Vicar, hisn't it 'ot?". People actually used to put chairs on the pavement to sit and watch.....a really SPECIAL day, not just a disruption to impatient drivers as the few Walking Days that are left seem to be today.

brilliant photos despite the quality, and what price health and safety, looking at the youngsters climbing on the canal bridge !!!!