Photo-a-Day  (Wednesday, 16th August, 2023)

I think the bridge completion is now September it was estimated for July. The platforms have been extended to comodate the length of the new electric trains.
I don't know what will happen to the iron foot bridge, you can just see it through the new bridge?
I believe Ince station is next to be refurbished, another road closure.

When I see grass and weeds growing through the railway track, this indicates the line isn't used much, so is all this cost to electrifying to Bolton to Wigan line at £78 million justifiable.
Many have said the cheapest way is to lower the track and leave the bridge in situe.

Dennis, stayed over in Horwich at the weekend on family matters and took the opportunity to do grave visits at St Elizabeth's and drove down Hall Lane to see this ongoing.
Also walked the Mill Lane, bridge over Borsdane Brook (t' bruck) and up by what was Dodds Farm and Reservoir Street where my grandparents had lived.
What was there, in the past is now just in my memory. It was pouring with rain. Me in flat cap and stick, just like my grandad would have been!
However, what I took from it after 50 plus years was the number of household signs about no dog fouling on our grass.
Currently still drying out!

The line is well used, every few minutes each way.

I love old railway stations and I know Hindley people are justifiably proud of their station which is beautifully kept by a dedicated team of people, but I'm sure the people who live in Ladies Lane/ Hall Lane and adjoining avenues are fed up of this disruption now.

This line is very much used, it branches off at Crow Nest junction to Daisy Hill Station to the right, and to the left the Atherton line. The other way towards Wigan is the Southport and Liverpool lines.

I would definitely be lost without this line. I am off to Blackburn today on the train. ( provided they’re running!)

There might just be a surprise waiting for you when you get back, Veronica! (a nice one!). xx

I will be on the 11amish train to Manchester and passing through Hindley station.
I will be wearing green socks.

Gary may i ask you what was your grandparents name who used to live on resevoir street aspull i i was born on bolton road in the 60s as i might know them.

Mick I'm colour blind....thankfully.

William.It has been a good year for weeds.Of course the line has not been used as much,they have been replacing a bridge.

Well said, Pw.

The trains have always been used except for strike days.
Trains have not stop because of the bridge replacement.

Sorry about the rain Gary, but we all seem to be in the same boat this summer, Literally!
I delivered papers for ‘Ste’ (every body called him Ste’) from the age of twelve until I left school at the age of fifteen.
You had to get a licence from school to do part time work and I still have that licence now somewhere.
It made for a long day for a twelve year old, especially in summer (the evening papers came later in summer because the horse racing ran later and they used to wait to print the latest results in the stop press), but I didn’t mind because money was short and the bit that I got meant that I didn’t have to ask for money if I wanted to go to the pictures or the baths.
The evening papers were dropped off at the bus shelter at the Fingerpost and we had a little show that we put on for the people waiting for a bus. We paper lads had done the same round so often that we knew the house numbers off by heart and Ste knew which newspaper went to which number, so we would rattle the numbers out as fast as we could and Ste would pile the papers up as fast as he could. We had it off to a fine art, much to the amazement of our audience.
It’s amazing how many memories your trip back to Aspull brought back to mind Gary. Aspull was indeed a different place nigh on sixty odd years ago.

Thank you very much Irene… sorry I had already set off…. Back at 4 30 we went to
Oswaldtwistle Mill.

No problem, Veronica....I knew you has set out. The Good Doctor just wanted to give our old car, Dorothy, a run out. I hope the books are of interest. We passed Daisy Hill Station and I wondered if you catch the train from there when you go for days out, or is there a Westhoughton Station as well? I'm just being nosey! Dennis, I really enjoyed that reminiscence of your and the other paperlads' way of speedily delivering the papers.....I'm sure your "audience" loved it! As you say, it was another world back then and lads were happy to have a paper-round to earn a bit of money....my own son had one when he was about 14, as well as helping out on a market stall on Wigan Market.

Dennis I remember Ste his shop was facing Hare and Hounds if my memory serves me right.
Am I right Dennis?

Yes, you're right John.

Hindley Station in the late 70's early 80's was a sight to behold. Beautifully laid out with the mosaics etc. Unfortunately, it was then neglected and hidden until "rediscovered" in the 21st century.