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Photos of Wigan
Photos of Wigan



Photo-a-Day Archive
Photo-a-Day Archive

Photo-a-Day  (Monday, 15th August, 2022)

New Springs


New Springs
The track between the wheatfield and the fence is where the old Springs Branch railway ran.
It ran from here, through the trees, across Wigan Road and over to the Sawmill that used to be near the Canal.

Photo: Dennis Seddon  (Sony DSC-WX500)
Views: 1,908

Comment by: Helen of Troy on 15th August 2022 at 07:27

Interesting photo Dennis.
Here we have many defunct railway beds thanks to Dr Beeching. They still lie there , in some places complete with fences & gates. The rails were taken up immediately for some twisted reason but that didnt stop steam railway fans who couldnt wait to reopen the lines , as the very sucessful Nth Norfolk Railway here in Sheringham, affectionately know as The Poppy Line

Comment by: irene roberts on 15th August 2022 at 07:49

I like that view, with the tall grasses over to the left. I wonder what the building over to the right is? I had a chuckle once when I was browsing on Facebook and somebody had written a Wigan parody on the Frank Sinatra Song, "New York, New York",........all together now, Wigan Worlders.....
"If tha' con mek it theer, tha'll mek it anywheer, It's up to thee, New Springs, New Springs!"

Comment by: Veronica on 15th August 2022 at 09:20

Just wondering if the building has always been there, although the roof looks new. The ‘footprint’ of the railway line looks as if it will not disappear..

Comment by: Tom on 15th August 2022 at 09:43

Got me chuckling now, I'm imagining Frank Randle singing it because Frank was from New Springs.
Start spreading the news
I'm leaving today
I want to be a part of it
New Springs, New Springs.
These vagabond shoes
They are longing to stray
Right through the very heart of it
New Springs, New Springs.

Comment by: DTease on 15th August 2022 at 10:05

The way things are going Irene, we would be better singing "Buddy can you spare a dime"
It amazes me to think that I'm old enough to remember when people used to put a shilling (5p) in the gas meter.
It was a great day when the Gasman came round to empty the meter. The local shops were overflowing with shillings.
Our local Gasman came round on a bike that should have been given honourable retirement on the local Tip many years previous, and he always, Summer or Winter, wore a Mac that was probably Army Surplus from the Crimean War. Haaaa me, happy days!

Comment by: DTease on 15th August 2022 at 10:17

Tom, there was a blue plaque to Frank Randle on St John's School. I wonder if it was removed after the school closed?

Comment by: Gary on 15th August 2022 at 11:05

Helen - rode the Poppy Line, Holt to Sheringham and return, with my grandson last August. One of the locos, Standard 2-6-0 was built at Horwich. It is well managed and popular with tourists and locals alike.

Comment by: Gary on 15th August 2022 at 11:10

Tom/DTease
Thinking of the battles Frank Randle had with the Blackpool Watch Committee over his act. Hope the blue plaque has been reinstated. A true son of Aspull!

Comment by: irene roberts on 15th August 2022 at 11:56

Yes, Tom and DTease....I remember that blue plaque to Frank Randall, and there was a beautiful ornate lamp over the school door. I used to imagine what it would have looked like with little children from a bygone age coming out of school at four o'clock on a snowy Winter afternoon with that lamp lit...sadly, it disappeared and probably went for scrap. I remember the gas-man emptying the meter, DTease, and my Mam sending me to the shop with two sixpences in exchange for a "gas shilling". If a person was, shall we say, not particularly handsome, my Dad used to say, "Owd mon! 'E's feyer than t'gas-mon's mac, yon mon,!".; It was quite a common saying. It's a good job our lovely Dennis doesn't mind us going off the subject of his photos....I think he realises how one memory leads to another.

Comment by: e on 15th August 2022 at 14:19

I hope they’ll leave them something,
than houses everywhere ,
take up all green spaces ,
and suck away fresh air ,let them walk on green fields
not blocked by markers placed ,
But on our Nature’s kingdom ,
the land on which God graced ...

Comment by: irene roberts on 15th August 2022 at 14:47

I have a feeling my comment from a couple of hours ago isn't going to appear....maybe I made a mistake. It was just to say, DTease, that I remember my Mam sending me to the shop with two sixpences to exchange for a "gas shilling" for the meter, and how my Dad used to say, on seeing what we'll call "a person of not-very-good looks," "Owd Mom! 'E's feyer than t'gas-mon's mac, you mon!". Sorry if this appears twice!

Comment by: Helen of Troy on 15th August 2022 at 16:23

I bet your grandson loved that Gary....& you too. We dont go into the station much in the summer because its very busy with visitors but come the winter we like a hot cup of something in the buffet....just lovely !

Comment by: irene roberts on 15th August 2022 at 17:34

Helen. that sounds straight out of Veronica's and my favourite film,. "Brief Encounter"....we love the buffet scenes. My daughter and son-in-law were over from Lewis a few weeks ago and took me for afternoon tea on a steam train on the Embsay/Bolton Abbey line for my 70th birthday, (which is only in October but they can't be here then). It was lovely!

Comment by: Elizabeth on 15th August 2022 at 19:45

Great photo,walk over here regularly,love it.

Comment by: Veronica on 15th August 2022 at 19:48

It is Irene, I also like the skit with Celia Imrie and Victoria Woods. When I first saw it I was in stitches! You can watch it on ytube. x

Comment by: irene roberts on 15th August 2022 at 20:42

Yes, I love it, Dolly dear, and they also did a fabulous skit on "Coronation Street" with Victoria as Ena Sharples and Julie Walters and another actress as Minnie Caldwell and Martha Longhurst. I'm not sure if they stopped id due to copyright, but if it's still available, it's brilliant. Just type" in Victoria Wood Coronation Street sketch". xx

Comment by: Edna on 15th August 2022 at 23:34

Lovely photo Dennis. Nature at its best.

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