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Photos of Wigan
Photos of Wigan



Wigan Album

Ince

18 Comments

3E Bus
3E Bus
Photo: dk
Views: 4,558
Item #: 4981
The 3E bus was the only way into and, more importantly, home from, Wigan town centre. As was explained to me on numerous occasions - only catch the 3E not any of the others because the 3D would take you down Ince Green Lane into dangerous and fearful territory never to be seen again and the 3A and 3B would whisk you away to Hindley with similar consequences. This was much later than this slide though.
From memory, as unreliable as it is, I think the 3E turned round originally at the Bush Hotel in Belle Green Lane and some time later this terminus was moved to the top of Windermere road at the junction with Langdale avenue opposite the scout hut.
The 3D is still a mystery today and disappeared into oblivion after turning right at the traffic lights on Ince Bar.
The hindley bus or buses, I am simply not sure, went to the Bird 'ith Hand at Hindley and Hindley station. I don't know if there was a 3A and/or 3B or what. I was just too frightened to catch anything except a 3E!!!!!!!!
This slide taken opposite the Oak Tree pub in Belle Green Lane with the comfortable and safe 3E heading towards Wigan. The adverts on the corner shop are for OXO and Senior Service.

Comment by: peter frost on 10th February 2008 at 22:50

the 3D bus went down ince green lane and turned round near what was Mortons shop
where it reversed into Foster ave.

Comment by: aitch on 10th February 2008 at 23:40

good one, you can see our old(NEW) house in langdale on there, it was the right hand one of the first semi you can see to the right of the bus

Comment by: peter frost on 11th February 2008 at 12:50

i think you might find thats ennerdale place harold.
you can see the level crossing at the back of the bus
and the corner shop was the first one in the terrace that led up to battersby street

Comment by: pamker on 11th February 2008 at 14:54

Is that the " slaggy" IN THE BACKGROUND

Comment by: peter frost on 11th February 2008 at 16:21

hi pamker
your right that is the slaggy.
spent many hours as a boy and ruined many a pair of keks on that place.
it was a shame to see it go.
it was like another planet, we shot many martians up there

Comment by: aitch on 11th February 2008 at 17:54

Your right Peter, the old mince pies are not up to what they were, so I stand admonished, and will definitely go to specsavers.

Comment by: Joseph on 11th February 2008 at 19:48

The shop is "Ernies" the place i had an encounter with a rat in the spud sack while weighing 5lb of chippers for me mam.Picked it up and it jumped out of me hand,ahh the good old days!

Comment by: pamker on 11th February 2008 at 20:49

ye peter we used to play over the slaggy then got so dirty we would go an wash our hands , face an knees in the deep pit before our mams could give us a belt.
we got one anyway for being wet through.
oh what a childhood.

Comment by: peter frost on 11th February 2008 at 23:13

unfortunately pam we have to grow up
sad int it

Comment by: dk on 11th February 2008 at 23:30

Thanks to you all for your comments. It's really good to know that this photo has prompted a few memories. Please correct any mistakes you find, I'm sure there are a lot, and if you can fill in any gaps or embroider your own stories and tales over the top then it couldn't be better. Many thanks.
I couldn't remember the name of the shop but I do remember that he opened for a bit on a Sunday afternoon when everywhere else was shut 'til Monday and my Grandad would fish a couple of coppers out of his donkey jacket pocket and we would run off to attack the penny tray.

Comment by: pamker on 12th February 2008 at 10:13

you know how it is dk. when families get talkin, it was only last week me and my bro were talkin about when we were kids. we were talkin about the "slaggy" and going to wigan baths on the 3E bus.so you can imagine how chuffed we were to see it all on camera.This is definitly one for our memory book.
and how wierd is this. re: the top lock photo you sent in,
The house at the side of he pub was called thowd shop and this was where my hubby ws born. there is houses there now but they are new houses.
So. dk. the thanks goes to you. keep em comming.

Comment by: June on 14th February 2008 at 02:01

Thanks dk.,yet more memories.I only remember the shop being 'Ernie's' and if I recall correctly the spare land behind the bus was where the fair used to set up.The slag tip was responsible for many a ruined garment !Used to go up the 'Wutchie' too with my dad but that was a lot further afield.

Comment by: Gerry on 24th February 2008 at 12:28

You are all quite right the shop was owned by Ernie Prescott and his wife Nelly, Some called the shop "OLD BILLS" Ernie used to let you weigh your own spuds on the scales, he had a mat on the floor with KILKOF written on it with the picture of a frog, he had a penny tray with hundreds of things to choose from, The Semi you can see in Ennerdale was occupied by a family named Bannister, Silcocks fair did set up in the feild behind the fence and once a small travelling circus did too, the clowns had a lead baby that they got the local "big lads" to wash, the baby was sat on their knee and when they dipped the brush into the water the lads got an electric shock. this was sheer heaven to the kids who had been bullied by the big lads. We used to play on the slagtip too, we played out all day only coming back when we were hungry. Great times, and a wonderful playground for us, Big Chimney, Black tank, Bullet rock, deep pit Iron Bridge, Devils Tunnel, you got there on a trolley, had fights with pea guns, and throwing arrows, all that entertainment, we made it ourselves, we were never bored, there was always some thing to do or make.

Comment by: irene on 26th April 2008 at 12:44

the 3d went almost to the bottom of ince green lane and turned around in "old hall st." am new to internet...these old pics are brilliant! to june, who is an old schoolfriend from h.a.g.s., hallo again! irene.

Comment by: June on 27th April 2008 at 14:40

Hello Irene Griffiths that was.I'm also new to the internet! Got plenty of time now I'm home all day & every day.Had a stroke in 2004,so can't work any more.Hope you and yours are well.

Comment by: irene on 27th April 2008 at 19:15

hi june. sorry to hear of your stroke. we"re fine thanks...we have a little granddaughter who was 1 last week. thanks to you June and to all of you out there for sharing these wonderful photos, especially of Ince...brilliant!

Comment by: Ken on 31st March 2014 at 16:03

Is it my imagination or does this bus appear to be "leaning" to to left? With the camber of the road going the other way you'd expect the bus to lean to the right - or does this say something about the state of the vehicle?

Comment by: Bryan Winstanley on 26th May 2015 at 19:13

I used to live in the third semi from left to right, no 8, and the fair used to get lecky from some of the houses for free rides on the fair.

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