Wigan Album

Were there TWO Wigan Wagon Works? My Dad worked at Central Wagon Works which was up nearer to Ince Bar. The main entrance and offices were on Manchester Road but my Dad used to go in through a little gate at the bottom of George Street, just off Ince Green Lane.

Thanks Ozy ! We lived in Manchester Road,opposite the entrance to the Wagon Works,roughly across from where Ashland House is now.

Irene there was only the one Central Wagon works, but Thompsons scrap yard down Patricroft Road, just off Ince Green Lane, on the site of the Wagon works helped to cut up many Steam engines and rolling stock during the mid 1960s, remember all steam locomotives had to be gone from British Railways by 11th August 1968.

Have a look for Ince Wagon Works on the album Irene , that’s the one where your dad worked .
This one was off Warrington road nearer to Springs Branch .

Thompson junk yard down Christopher St was only small, it never gas axle steam locos just wagons, the biggest percentage was Central Wagon and Co, off Manchester Rd.

The scrap yard off Warrington Rd down Phoenix way wn3 4nw, was linked to scrapping railway goods trucks, it later became Lower Ince salvage. Wasn't very big.

Irene Aitch worked at Thomson scrap yard down patrick croft Road. Near the former bird pub.

This is just a shunting yard and later on became the death of our railways. Very many were rolling stock scrapped and a lot of scrapmen became very weathy people. Thompson became one of the biggest.

My cousin used to drive the steam loco that crossed the level crossing in Ince.The telegraph pole reminds my of when we would count them to calculate how fast a train was going,probably inaccurate but it passed the time.

Thankyou everyone. Peter, it is good to know that Aitch worked down Patricroft Road, You probably know he was a friend of my brother Colin. Colin's wife Pat worked briefly at the box-works which was also down Patricroft Road. I remember that area so well... Patricroft Road, Annie Blinkhorn's Chippy, Raven Street and Farmer Street. Wonderful memories!

Aitch(Harold Whittle)was another cousin of mine.

Pw I loved reading (Aitch)
Harold's comments about railways on Wigan World, he was very interesting.

Irene. That's all we have now is beautiful memories. Central Wagon employed many people in it's heyday, mostly from Ince.
Today, we only have a fraction of our railway infrastructure.

Irene was correct in that her dad worked at Central Wagon works.
The Wagon works in the picture was Ince Wagon works main entrance in Christopher St. The wagons in the picture would now be near to where Clare House is and they would be about to be broken up and recycled as metal scrap and firewood. The brass bearings on the wheels were always a target of the local villains. The buildings to the left were the foundry, wagon repair shop and spring shop.