Photo-a-Day  (Sunday, 27th January, 2013)

That's a great shot Geoff. Just shows how cold it has been lately!

Did you use a zoom lens, Geoff?
There`s been many a tall vehicle stuck under this bridge.
Some years ago, a double decker bus, with school children on board, had the top of it`s roof shorn off.

Brrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!! It would be interesting to find out if the temps this English winter compare with the winter of 63-64.....just a thought....cheers!!!

It can be dangerous walking under there when the Icicles are thawing out.

Hi. Geoff don't look up if you're walking under the bridge.

Those Icicles could be dangerous if they release whilst people walk through the bridge. Well done Geoff, good photo.

I think you mean the winter of 62/63 Lizzie. My guess would be no.

Did you see any snotites Geoff?
Good photo.

The temperatures locally have not been to bad. The canal at the back of the DW Stadium has not even frozen over the last couple of weeks?

Anyone remember the shop that was once there,Mrs Lyons.

Hi Lizzie the big freeze of 63 is I'm sure the worse on record, -19 in Sutherland, the thaw came in the March temps went up quickly. I was 8 and can remember it well - don't remember schools closing! Our winter 2 years ago colder than this one. I really like looking at all the daily pics, Wigan seems to have lovely place.

Yes. I do remember the shop and the bench outside where we used drink ginger beer during a walk as little lads.

Thanks for your comments, Ernest I used the zoom facility that is built into my camera, Louise I will speak to you later!!!

I don't remember beeping off school as we walked in those days.....
The Dream Academy mention in their song.... Life in a Northern Town about the winter of 63.....cheers!!!

Hi Joan I love the photos too, great when I havn't been there for over 40 years...cheers!!

Great interesting photo....that road looks treacheruos.

I remember the bench and I remember being told that one day a older shevy lad was sat on it drinking his pop (Ive forgot his name) and another shevy younger lad whos name was colin rimington said can I take your pop bottle back so he could collect the deposit.

So thats what he did and why he was in the mrs Lyons shop collecting the deposit a lorry came down the hill and crashed into the bench killing lad who was sat on it.

You still get plenty of lorrys coming out of Heinz and take a right turn at the old engine and its only when they get to see the bridge they realize they have come wrong way.

That when the trouble starts because if they try to reveres up the drive wheel of the truck come off the ground and just spin.

I once watched one try to turn around by backing up the track to dean wood and the drive of the house next to the station but because it was on the slat of the hill the drive wheels ended coming off the ground as well.

Hi Lizzie,I went to a Wigan bout 30 yrs ago to a night club, and I met a gorgeous fireman in Widnes who came from Wigan but that was in the early 70s, even been to Australia, so I think it's time I go to Wigan to see some of the places in the pics!

Jean and Lizzie; I know that you`ve seen some of Mick`s video`s - have you seen his `M6 Re-opened` which is mostly of Shevington and he went down to this bridge and Gathurst railway station at 6am on Sat.26th Jan.`13.
Mick, do you remember the double decker bus incident I mentioned in my comment?

Ernest I think I was living overseas when the bus crashed into it.

Hi Joan, have a nice trip to Wigan.....where did you travel to in Aussie?
You must go and visit Haigh Hall just for me.....cheers xx

A very sad story of the young lad......I always gave my kids a hug when they went out because ya never know.....even now they are big kids and they leave to go to their own places they always get a kiss....

Mick, there`s photo #16484 in Album, Work, Wigan Corp.Transport, page 4, 2nd row, 3rd along.
This shows top shorn off a double decker bus. See last comments by Mike and Norman Gerrard.
No date specified but probably late 70`s or early 80`s.

Hi Lizzie, can't believe you said visit Haigh Hall, that's one of the places I would like to go! I went to Melbourne, visited a few relatives & many people from Widnes. Bless the boy who got killed - how very, very sad.

Mick your late brother John told me that story about the lads on the bench when i worked with him up Standish 1965.

Alan I think the lad who got killed was called Ernie Hockinson.

Alan will you be a Norburn ?

Geoff Middleton dead as well now

Just had a look at the bus photo Ernest.

Hello Ernest,
about the bus going under the bridge at Gathurst,it was full of children from Orrell St Peters school and should have gone through Beech Hill to shevington, I know the name of the driver of the bus and the conductor , both of which were un hurt along with all the children ,who were quick enough to get down the stairs out of the way.
A doctors wife, who lived on the brew attended the crash and said she could hear the childrens screems as the bus approached the bridge.
The reason I know all this is because I was the driver of the other bus, a single decker , I tried to catch the other drivers attention but was unable to , subcequently the driver ploughed into the bridge and came to an abrupt stop. What a shift that was!!!!!
nice image though.