Wigan Album

Well done Tom, great timing.

Oliver somers had another shop at the other end of Mesnes Street.

Tom, would this be before Wigan Corporation Transport lost their independence? I don't recall the Wigan fleet ever being in this Selnec livery.(Sunburst Orange & White?) The 629 route no is not local either.

Tom, my mistake! I have since my earlier comment been looking at earlier posted photos which clearly show ex Wigan fleet in these colours, albeit with the Greater Manchester Transport logo.

Hated the repulsive colours...cherry and white forever for me.....
And as far as I am concerned Wigan is ,was and ever will be in LANCASHIRE as it was before the vote encapturing boundary changes
I guess I had better find my tin hat now!

Did that shop used to be Tom (somthing) ?

It is not an original Wigan Corporation bus because it has not got the two green lights either side of the destination board which were a unique feature on WCT buses

I agree about the colours, Cheryl; I thought the old red and white Wigan Corporation buses were lovely....I have two miniature ones, an Abbey Lakes and an Ince Bar, (which was my stop when I grew up in Ince). I also liked the deep red LUT buses. Colin, was the shop Tom Robinson's?

Apologies, Tricia....no idea why I called you Cheryl!

In the 1950s (and earlier) it was Tom Hughes' bike shop - Raleighs, Rudges, BSAs and all the English bike makes.

At this time, the 629 route was the Wigan/Abbey Lakes route, what had been the old Corporation Number 7 route.
Shortly afterwards, the 629 route became the Orrell circular, travelling via Orrell Post/Kitt Green/Marsh Green.
The Oliver Somers shop was later called Tom Hughes cycles, but I have been informed it was still in the ownership of the Somers family under the new name.

Around the corner, is that, or was that,Dicconson Street? On the opposite corner, was there at one time, a long wooden building, may have been Ministry of Pensions, or some type of ministry building.

Well done Tom. Really well composed photo in more ways than one. Did you know or was it good luck? I think you knew!
Cracking photo.

It was originally Tom Hughes Cycle shop.Changing to Oliver Sommers in Early 1973.The original Oliver Summers was further down Mesnes street on the left. It is now a coffee shop.

lol No problem , Irene. Hope you are well
T x

The Oliver Sommers and the chemist did these shops get demolished to make way widening the road? I may be wrong.

I'm fine thanks, Tricia. The buildings shown are still there but housing different businesses now. I too remember Oliver Somers' at the other end of Mesnes Street.....I got my Brownie Outfit there!

Albert, the long wooden building you refer to was next to Mab's Cross Motors and was the then the equivalent of what is now named The Department of Work and Pensions. All Wiganers referred to this builing as th'huts.

You have jogged my memory DerekB. I always thought, Mab's Cross Motors to be in,an out of the way place. Didn't they sell, top of the range motor cars?

Jimmy, you are right the end shops were demolished around 1985 when the ring road was built, the herbalist shop went as well.

Albert, Mab's Cross Motors were the Wigan dealership for Vauxhall/Bedford vehicles. Long gone now.

the reason this bus is in mesnes st is because it was a change over bus there is front man driving it

these buses 3150 to 3159 bought by salford just prior to selnec transfered to wigan g m t in 1976 they had park royal bodies there where 20 buses in the batch