Photo-a-Day  (Sunday, 6th March, 2022)

The bell bollard is quite the local celebrity and known as Bolly.

Ive seen a few pedestrians who are not properly looking where they are going trip over these bell bollards.
They also cant be seen by motorist who may be reversing, and they are no good to prop your bike against, or tie your dog up to.
If I was on Aspull council I would do away Bolly.

Notice the post box has a knitted top

I like the shops in Aspull. I have never actually been in them except for a chippy in Ratcliffe Road some years ago with a friend, but I like to see them in the sunshine whenever we drive through Aspull. They remind me of my childhood in Ince where we had individual shops....newsagent, post office, chemist, bakers etc. It seems to be a nice community and anywhere where a bollard has celebrity status and even a NAME has my admiration....long live Bolly! There are some of those "bells" near to Firs Lane in Leigh and we pass them every week when shopping in Leigh. Many years ago when I used to go on the Messageboards, I asked if any of our Leigh members could tell me what the "bells" were, and someone said, "They ring um fert tell t'Leythers when t'lobbies is ready"!

Dennis, I see the name over the window is Proctor, do the family still run the business ?. I remember Ken and Mrs Proctor having the shop and Post Office way back in the 1950s. Later on their sons Terry and Keith took over I think. Their mum dealt with the Post office side and as a child she fascinated me with the speed she stamped the child benefits book then handed over the money to mi mam. There once was a cigarette machine stood on the forecourt, more than once it was attacked by someone trying to get a packet for nowt. To the left the little shop was once a bakery selling newly baked bread and cakes. We lived a few houses further along to the left when first married in 1969. Dennis, thinking about what you mentioned a few days ago, I have started to look for some old pram wheels !!! I recon it would be fun what do you thing owd lad ?.

Apologies if my observation appears twice...I typed it out and then pressed something other than "submit", so here goes again.....I like the shops in Aspull. I have never been in them except for a chippy in Ratcliffe Road some years ago with a friend, but I like to see them in the sunshine as we drive through. They remind me of the shops in Ince when I was growing up, where we had individual shops....post office, newsagent, chemist, bakers etc. Aspull seems a nice community and anywhere that can give a bollard celebrity status and even a NAME has my approval....long live Bolly! There are some of those "bells" on the pavement near Firs Road in Leigh which we pass every week when shopping, and years ago, when I used to go on the "Messageboards", I asked if any of our Leigh members could tell me what they were, and someone put "They ring um fert tell t'Leythers when t'lobbies is ready"!

Walt, do they still make those prams with the big wheels we all cherished? Was they called “SilverCross” or something like that?
It would make a great garden ornament Walt, with some flower boxes on the back.
You would probably have to chain it to your drainpipe to keep the kids from making off with it.
Give it a go Walt and send us a photo when it’s finished!

There doesn't seem to be enough shops in Aspull for a village the size it is. I sympathise with the people who haven't got transport. We used to get a lot of people from Aspull shopping in Westhoughton.

I remember a few years ago, mid 90's when my lads were young, we were having an extension built and had some timber left over. I came across an old pram on wasteland and decided to build a trolley. I went to B&Q and bought a coach bolt for the steering pivot and got some old rope and nails. The kids in the street looked at me like I was from another planet when I was building it but boy did they have some fun with it. Cost me about 2 quid to build

Hi Walt, Terry retired a few year ago ,his brother Ian took over and ran it for a while ,now he's retired , some other people run it now.
There is a Co op which was the Labour club on Haigh Road, and the Newsagents Local Shop , in the row of shops ,so a bit of competition .
Good clear photo Dennis .

The trolley was the absolute pinnacle of childhood transportation . On the flat they were usually propelled by one back leg going like half a frog from a prone position . If it was a ' two man ' r , you sat more upright as your pal shoved you along before jumping on . Big wheels were best , yes! . But not essential . I recall great fun going down hill sat on on a book astride a single roller skate . Sometimes we dispensed with wheels altogether and slid down the Black Rook on bits of oil cloth . Was this where they got the idea of the Luge in the Winter Olympics ?

Walt and David - I used to "man" the Westinghouse Coin-op launderette every Sunday in the parade of shops opposite.
Remember Terry Proctor very well - a mate of mine used to make a joke of his initials, TCP. I think he used to spend his annual holiday in Newquay. Pleased to hear he is ok.
When the Proctor family ran it it was green board signage - Aspull Moor Post Office.
Dennis, a photo of one shop and the memories of many come flooding back.

Dennis, getting hold of an old Silvercross would be too expensive, they are now collectors items. I'll try to find alternatives. I was thinking of the Last of the Summer wine spirit, bringing it across and taking it down Sawney, think of the photo for PaD, wow !!

May Veronica and I be in the Summer Wine photo-a-day as twin "Marinas"? We'll glam up and bring our bicycles! xx

Forget Silver Cross Walt. The best wheels for making a trolley these days are the 12" ones taken from scrap wheelchairs.

Besides having nice fat solid tyres, and sturdy plastic rims, they come with their own stub axles and wheel bearings.
The only drawback being, they need to be bolted onto a bit of angle iron, or box section securely fastened to the platform and front axle of the trolley.

There's normally a shedfull of the things in Calderbank's scrapyard.

Being of practically no value whatsoever from a scrap metal aspect, they're glad to give them away, free, gratis, and for nothing.
Et voila....tha's gett'n thisen the veritable Rolls Royce of trolleys.

Scrapyards, I find, are fascinating places, but it would never do for me to work in one as there wouldn't be much work got done for rooting through the junk and messing about with it.

But I would advise a word of caution with regard to scrapyards, as it's so easy to get hooked, and before you know it, your back garden has begun to resemble Steptoe's yard.........or mine if it comes to that.

When I was about 14, me and one of the local lads made a trolley.
We called it a steering cart, this one was a 6 wheeler. At the rear of
a 6 foot long plank, we bolted on the remains of a Tansad pushchair,
4 little wheels on two axles, and on the other end we attached two
small pram wheels. Perhaps this is what led to me driving big lorries
for the rest of my life, Walt will know where I am coming from.

Was it a 6x4 Ray, or did it have a trailing back axle ?

I had a trolley as a child. It had a rope "steering handle" and a nailed-on cushion to sit on. Our Colin made it for me and my friends and I used to go down the cobbles on it in George Street, Higher Ince, saying "AHHHHHH", just so our voices would shake as we bumped over the cobbles!

Ozy could make us a trolley Irene. We could sing that song " Clang, clang went the trolley , zing zing went my heart, when we in the cart road!

It was 6 X 0 Ozy, The seating was comfortable because it was the complete
part of the Tansad pushchair, including the sides. Cheers, Ray.

eeeee by gum you lot, I recon we all miss our youth. Irene, you and Veronica ! that sounds like a great idea can't imagine what Mick would make of it, he would be more than welcome to take part with his bike. Funny innit, I was only joking but the idea has started to take shape in my minds eye I can see it now, what a sight. Only problem is getting hold of the pram wheels, I do like Ozy's idea though, it would be worth travelling the 80 miles or so for Dennis to arrange a P a D. Thanks David for your info, Dennis must be pleased as he only ever intends getting folks to share their thoughts, getting people to join in the fun. Thanks Dennis for some rally nice pics over the past few days and the memories they trigger off.

Aspull is not too bad for shops for the size of it with Spar, Co-op and the individual shops on the precinct.Probably more than in Wigan !

“A nailed on cushion” Irene what luxury! Did you also have a manservant to drag it back up the hill?
No such fripperies for Ray, a six wheel HGT (Heavy goods trolley) a member of the Heavy Brigade from an early age it seems.
Irene, you make me smile. I can just see you g-g-g-g-going over the cobbles with legs akimbo and not a care in the world. Ho the joy of it!

You're on Veronica! (Although I have a voice like two cracked plates when it comes to singing The Trolley Song!). But of course we are very photogenic, Dolly dear! We could have a pic of us gazing at Walt and saying "OHHH, HOWARRRRD!" I haven't hear the expression "Cart Road" in years! What a lovely couple of days it has been on p-a-d, having a reminisce and a laugh! Thanks everyone.

I'll crack on with the job immediately Veebs, if not yesterday.

I'm off down Miry lane first thing tomorrow, so I would imagine I shall be returning in triumph grasping the wheels in my grubby mitts well before dinner time...( or lunchtime as I believe it's known as in Shevvy....).

My only problem being a dire shortage of timber.
I'm desperately in need of an otherwise useless thick wooden plank.

You don't suppose Wigan council's road traffic management department would have one that I could borrow do you?

Calm down Dennis, remember how old you are now. Goodness Marra, I have really enjoyed WW
P a D this last few days, thanks to you and all who have commented.

DTease, you make me smile too. I HAVE added another comment but it hasn't gone on yet. I made the mistake this morning of sending in a comment twice as I thought it had been omitted so I will wait and see this time if it appears. But what a lovely couple of days it has been on p-a-d!

I can't say much because me iPad keeps freezing! I meant when we fall in the cart Rd Irene. Ozy cut down on the wood for the Aga..

Ps I think we'll need a bell or a horn Ozy to warn folk we're in the vicinity

Well, thank goodness Mick, you are not on Aspull council.

How I enjoyed the above comments, albeit off the beaten track of the PAD, of "the trolly/truck or nowadays "Soapbox Derby" of yesteryear. I had 4 between 1952-58. The 1st one my father made for me and I came to grief on it although I escaped injury. The extract in father's diary dated 23-02-1953" Barrie had truck wheels and axle under a bus, don't know how yet. Smashed wheels and spoiled axle". Those from Standish will know Moss Grove and it slopes down to the High Street/Wigan road and on a trolly one could get a bit of speed up. I can remember just, coming to grief with the bus, which I think was stopped due to traffic in the high street (No M6 motorway then). The trolly was repaired later and Grove Lane became the "race track" for a while. The other 3 trollies were built by me up to '58 when I found a new interest in life! That is according to my diaries. Thanks Walt for starting our reminisces and to the others for their comments. The way the world is at present, we all need a bit of light relief and laughter.