Photo-a-Day  (Tuesday, 19th April, 2022)

Smashing Dennis.

It doesn't look anything like the 50's....I suppose this progress...
Ah, well..I must be gerrin owd....

Nice pic all the same.

I thought it was Wigan North Western on first sight.....shows how long it's been since I was on Wallgate Station! I suppose it's practical and serves its purpose, but how soulless, bleak and impersonal it looks. (Think I've been watching too much "Brief Encounter"!).

The train is more of interest - its 769450 - a Bi-mode - the front end is driven from overhead power lines (you can just see where the pantograph sits at the back of the third coach from the rear). That is raised when operating on electrified stretches (notices on the stations tell the driver when to switch). Under the rear coaches are diesel engines delivering electricity to power the same electric motors for when there is no overhead power available. Used on the Southport-Stalybridge/ Alderley Edge routes via Bolton.

Last time I was on that platform, they had a bike rental station so that arriving train passengers could have a cycle around Wigan

Is the bay never used now? I can’t remember the last time I saw a train in there.

Call me old fashioned but....a thing that cheered me today while getting petrol was to see a steam engine pass by the back of the garage. The clicky clack & the puffs of smoke.....dirty & noisy but so much better than a soul less platform & a modern train.

Nice photo Dennis, the station looks very clean.Love the sky as well.

If this makes sense Dennis, I have seen trains come in there and waiting for another train to move out and then the waiting train there comes onto the line when the other train has left. It used to happen quite a lot when I was waiting for a train home. Phew!

The bay looks used,the rails are shiny.

Ain't it stupid how some people stare?
Not even, "How do you do?"

Reverend , I could read that post all day long and never ever tire of it .

Is this the station that trains go to Manchester from or the other station across the way ?

Back in about 1948/49 my mother used to take my sister & myself to whichever station it was in Wigan the Manchester train departed from.

When we got to Manchester she would walk us to another station where after putting us on a train to Buxton, she left us. I was about 8yrs, my sister 12 yrs. Usually all went well with our journey but this one time it didn't. There had been a landslide onto the track somewhere between Manchester & Buxton & our train was held up for hours, it got dark & there were no lights in the compartments, nobody came to see if we passengers were ok, no mobile phones in those days either, they would have been useless anyway as we didnt have a phone at home. I can't remember how we passed the hours or how we got to Buxton in the end.

The day ended with cocoa & straight to bed, not many questions were asked or fuss made.
Those were the days !

Helen, it's the station from where trains to Manchester go, although at first glance I thought it was the other one. What an adventure you had, Helen! I can only assume the people waiting for you at Buxton had heard about the landslide and realised where you were. Like you, I like the old steam trains and the old-fashioned stations and I'm not a fan of many modern inventions, the mobile phone is the exception to the rule. I used to volunteer at Wigan Little Theatre and I used to get a taxi home. Sometimes the taxi was late and I was standing alone outside the theatre at 11 30 pm. and it was so reassuring to be able to ring the taxi firm and be assured it was on its way, I'm glad my grandchildren have them too in case they are ever in difficulties.

Helen, what a nightmare for you, so young as well.However it didn't seem to faze you.

I bet your sister took that adventure in her stride Helen. At 12 in those days you were considered mature enough to look after the younger one. There must have been some adults in your compartment that were reassuring you. I don’t think It would be safe these days even in an open carriage.

Thank you Ladies, I think I was brought up to be, if not independent, at least not to panic.....but the years take their toll & I can panic with the best of them these days !
I think there are some written instances of taking things as they come, somewhere on WW...

Every time I have caught a train to Manchester I have used WNW station