Wigan Album
whelley loop viaducts
9 CommentsPhoto: terry almond
Item #: 23201
I was up there a couple of weeks ago, it's very overgrown now. Dose anybody know when the two viaducts were built?
This viaduct was built in 1881/2
The "Domino" viaduct for the Boars Head to Adlington line was 1869
Thanks winder, I always knew them as the twenty bridges and the seven bridges.
Does anyone remember Bill? A gentleman who drank in the 'Cherries'. He lived all his life in 'Brock Mill'. About 10 years ago he told me his war service was protecting these bridges. He told me the amount of freight to Scotland had to be protected. Anyway, he did go on to say, the Germans attempted destroy them. We always thought they were stray bombs!!! Bill arrested a german who was parachuted down to the bridges!!!!
My mumalways said, they dropped bombshere on their way back to Germany. Now we know why they di it. Try to bomb the bridges!!!!
Yes Mary, they tried it!!! Tough, they never did it!!!
A tall story, indeed. The Germans would never have known about such a remote viaduct as this, and, it wasn't the most regularly route used at any time. Some folk invent stuff, and folk believe them...Gordon Bennett!
Am I right in thinking that I can get to the twenty bridges down Leyland Mill Lane?
Germans had extensive ordance survey maps of Britain. Of course they would know the bridges. Read Forgotton Railways of the North West