Wigan Album

Really captures its appearance, that shot, Tim.

Gosh: still got the 'EWS' Signage in 1958: I wonder how long it remained! I did nor really register this at the time, as such signs seemed to be everywhere!

AP - EWS (Emergency Water Supply) signs could still be seen until fairly recently on the bowling green wall of the Pagefield Hotel at Springfield, and at the corner of White St and Brook Lane, Pemberton.

For AP; When I was just knee-high to a grasshopper, the EWS were explained to me, but I didn't grasp that they were intended for use to control fires from bombing. I always,in my child's logic, thought "I hope I never have to drink any of that dirty water".!!!

I would love to see a pre-1941 photo of the station, if anyone has one they could post on the site! Please.

I remember as a lad those weird looking three wheeler Scammell Scarab articulated trucks that British Railways used to run being parked outside the station.

Yes, they did look ungainly didn't they. There is an even earlier version, preceding the Scarab, also a three wheeler, called the Scamell 'Mechanical Horse'!

Would this be the station I got the train to Manchester to en route to Buxton ?

I have said that the Scarabs looked ungainly. I ought to qualify this by saying such appearance is quite misleading. They were extraordinarily maneuverable, especially in tight locations which had been laid out before the development of motor transport. For this reason they were to be seen a lot in railway locations which had been designed with horse-haulage in mind. Likewise, many inner city locations saw them handling refuse collection and the like for similar reasons.

What a miserable, depressing dump of a place this was pre-electrification and modernisation of the access to platforms and new station buildings.

Helen, The Piccadilly, Manchester trains go from Wigan Wallgate station. You can also get to Manchester Piccadilly by using a Manchester Victoria train and changing at Salford Crescent.

You can still see EWS on Sportsmans St off Wigan road Leigh, the Sportmans St sign is partly covering it

https://maps.google.com/maps?oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&q=leigh+wigan+map&ie=UTF-8&hq=&hnear=0x487b06314d0d9451:0x87d2cb12838f33f6,Leigh,+UK&ei=aqlHUb-7NOaN4AS4s4HgCA&ved=0CDIQ8gEwAA

Apologies Ellen for typing the wrong name.
The info I gave is for present day trains.
When did you last travel? Was it when railway station now Piccadilly was London Road?
Helen, I`m still looking at Sheringham - have`nt spotted you yet!

I once cadged a Scarab to be preserved - unfortunately it passed out of my hands to another preservationist and got lost - but I still have its number plate and bonnet cover. "Scarab" is, of course, made up from two words - 'Scammell' and 'Arab', so the connection with a mechanical horse was kept. See: http://www.flickr.com/photos/falconer41337/2766367090/in/set-72157606747302564

I recall waiting for a train here one damp grey Sunday morning about 40 years ago, the old station buildings were being demolished and bits were crashing down around me.

I do have sympathy with your comments DerekB, but it was also great to arrive at, in the early, to middle fifties, when coming home on leave. I should imagine a lot of ex. national service men will agree.

Mick,

They must have used good quality paint: not the war-time utility stuff Joe public got palmed off with!

derekb,

Agree that it was visually uninspiring. However, I traveled daily from here in the 1960's, and the good points were:

Refreshment room where you could get a proper hot meal.
Heated waiting room with comfortable upholstered seating.

On both of these, it scores better than the current station!

The bookstall, (was it Wymans, or Wildings. or some such similar name) was also very good: provided an excellent range of paperbacks and magazines.

Rev David, The.Scammell had an automatic coupling not like the fifth wheel couplings on present day articulated trucks. Some small arctics also used this type of auto coupling which enabled you to connect and disconnect from inside the cab, but unlike the Scarab ( which I think had a mechanical linkage from the tractor to operate the trailer brakes) you still had to get out of the cab to connect the airlines

Is the truck in the photo a Bedford 'O Type'?

Mi eyes int wo thi use t'bi!

Helen, Up to the mid 1960's you could have travelled from Wigan North Western to Manchester Exchange via the Platt Bridge line and Tyldsley and then on to Buxton, but usually it would be from Wigan Wallgate.

On completion of the refurbishment of the station, my brother in law, councillor John Harte. He was the Mayor of Wigan. 1971-1972. He conducted the official completion of the renovation. There is a stone at the entrance to the station, chronicling the event. He was also a J.P. on the Wigan bench for many years.

Was searching for some nice photos of Scarabs, when I came across this, which illustrates John's comment above.

http://www.mechanical-horse-club.co.uk/Automatic%20coupling.htm

Great old place. I remember 70015 Apollo waiting with a full milk train one late afternoon in 1965 on the main down. Also, I caught my first train to Wolverhampton High Level in November 1967 from here. Cost me 13/6d. We won 2-0. Peter Knowles got both of them.

EWS..English Welch and Scotish Railways.

Aye, BUT not then!

My comment (EWS) English Welch and Scottish Railway was done in tongue and check...lol. Some trains have the three large letters on each side of the engines...EWS!