Photo-a-Day  (Sunday, 7th April, 2024)

Dennis is that the track that comes out near Hindley from close by what was the Alexander pub that is now the Tesco?

Nothing to do with today's nice photo but as a comparatively recent viewer of PAD and living in Perth,AustraliaI wonder if anything has ever been shown or written about V.Srandish & Sob which was a furniture shop on Standishgate before being demolished for the ring road.It was run by brother and sister Tom & Celia Standish with whom I had business relations from the 1970's till I retired in 1996. Tom was a most interesting character who I think had a son named Miles who died young. He had a treasure trove of antiques in his house off Wigan Lane.

Isn't that lovely ?
Ex railway lines are so nice to stroll along. Here there is a section of what was the line that Dr Beeching axed that runs from Walsingham to the Catholic Shrine further
along. A nice walk at any time of year.

Everything is waking up and looking fresh. The Ivy never sleeps though..it’s choking the trees on the right.
Another good one Dennis it looks inviting.

Hard to believe, sixty years ago, that view would have involved a 2-8-0 Austerity steam engine hauling fifty coal truck empties at about 25mph.
We've had two sunny days here in the NE - breezy, but it feels like Spring.

Good photo as usual, Dennis.

That's a lovely path but looks lonely, and the walker appears to be a lady. However, she may have a dog with her who is out of sight as I imagine a lot of dog-walkers will use that path. It's lovely to see the trees beginning to show their greenery. I imagine it will be lovely and shady along there on a hot Summer's day.

Another nice photo Dennis of the old Lancashire Union Railway known locally as the Whelley loop line. It was indeed a very busy line up to the 1960s and 1970s. From the Fir tree and West Coast Main line, Platt Bridge to Adlington and Standish where it rejoined the West Coast Main line.
Today Nature has reclaimed the old track bed for people to enjoy good walks. Just be careful of off-road motor cycles being antisocial.

There was honeysuckle in the air
And a song thrush sang a song so fair
I stopped under some shady tree
To listen to the melody
For twenty minutes (maybe more)
Before a robin like a piccolo
Added harmony that so bewitched
I could not move ( I was transfixed )
With the magic of that sweet duet
Of exquisite music I can't forget ,
Every crotchet , minim and semi quaver
I still hear and shall forever savour ,
For the memory of those two fine singers
In my mind eternally lingers .

Poet

That's lovely, Poet, and echoes Dennis's beautiful photo perfectly!

Been on that track with its lovely wild flowers many a time Helen. It’s used instead of the original road to the shrine although in the early eighties it was still used. Beautiful scenery and the skies there are fantastic.

I've never walked this disused trackbed and don't know where it is, but it looks so lovely for a stroll. Thank you Dennis.

Great picture, Dennis. Good news that the pathway is being extended from Canon Sharples up to Hall Lane, about 1km, work already underway.

Ha ha! Give ‘em what they ask for Poet?

Helen, a few years ago we stayed in Kings Lynn and Wells-next-the-Sea.
Quite by accident we came across a station with narrow gauge steam train that ran to Walsingham. Really enjoyable ride through the Norfolk countryside.
Walsingham and the shrine was a lovely day out and a treat to ride that little steam train.

Correct John from Westhoughton.
The line from Standish came past Alexander pub (now Tesco) then through Ince and on to De Trafford junction, there it branched to Hindley or Platt Bridge.

I see what you mean about the Ivy Veronica, but they make great nest sights for Wrens, Robins and other small birds.
Very nice photo Dennis.

Beeching did axe many branch lines during his time from 1963, Helen of Troy. This line was mainly used to serve pits and power stations, but also some passenger trains.
But has we moved to diesel powered locomotives they became faster and more powerful, so many branch lines weren't needed, and of course pits and coal fired power stations all more or less defunct.
But what Beeching did, but unknown to him, was to make steam and preservation railway enthusiasts around the Country. Many steam locomotives were saved from the scrap yards and tracks relayed throughout Britain for all to enjoy steam railways back in the day.
Otherwise our steam railways would have been lost for ever.
Thanks for showing, Dennis.

It just shows Poet can turn his pen to anything
Dtease….but you must stick with it. I like those comical ones.

That is so true Norman. Here in Sheringham we are lucky to have such a stretch of line. The North Norfolk Railway, affectionately called The Poppy Line , runs to the town of Holt.

Colin, the narrow guage railway to Walsingham is still running though now I think it is owned & run by the Holkham Estate.

Veronica, when we lived near Walsingham a few years ago we used to take our little dog Sam for a walk on the pilgrim path most Sundays, he loved it.

Ivy’s ok in the woods Alan ‘but not in my back yard’ ( garden). Birds are very welcome I have bird feeders on branches - in fact there’s a nest in my Holly tree so they don’t even need to leave home..;o)

If you put your ear to the ground can you hear the ghosts of railways past.?

We always called the section that crossed over Amberswood the top line.There were two signal boxes Amberswood East and west.Used to catch specials from Hindley South to join this line going to Blackpool.It was years later I found out it was called the Whelley loop line.I pass by it most weeks near the old Lancashire Union pub,now an Italian restarauant but have never walked down it.Where was the photo taken Dennis?

Cheers Arthur I’m sure to have cycled that path from Hindley and joined the path from Haigh Hall going left and coming out facing Wigan Hospital.Is anyone in touch with Terry he was the Alexander landlord’s son around 1967 great lad worked with him at Harvey’s Bakery at that time on the old plant,cracking flags here in Spain 27 +.

Apparently, it's only the "Whelley Loop Line" to locals. In the real world it's "Lancashire Union Railway's Wigan Avoidance Line".

Good photo Dennis showing that Spring has sprung, I've driven over the bridge many times but never been along the track bed here, I've been on it where it goes through the plantations, though that was in the 1970s when there was still tracks along it.
Axcroft, they've got their work cut out on the track bed near Hall Lane, the last time I looked over the bridge at the track bed there, it was like a mire with water and mud and the off road bikers that use it haven't helped as they've been churning the mud.

Gordon Ion, there's a couple of photos with some comments of the Standish shop, same view at different times and differing comments in the links below, there may well be more on the site if you do a search in the search box with a small magnifier top right of page, you can also type in the box photo 17482 and also photo 24149, which will take you to the two photos.

https://www.wiganworld.co.uk/album/photo.php?opt=5&id=24149&gallery=Standishgate&page=4

https://www.wiganworld.co.uk/album/photo.php?opt=5&id=17482&gallery=Standishgate&page=531

Anagram Man strikes again after two peaceful, trouble-free days. Thanks for trying, though, Arthur. I am sure you will realise that "Ernie Broster" is meant to be me, and all I meant was that the path seems lonely for a lady on her own. At least he's rhymed my so-called name with "Impostor" which he obviously is. It's getting tedious now as well as childish. What a prat!

Howd on Ernie, they only showed mi how fert read un rite un reckon mi wages up. They never said nowt abaat big words like “avoidance”. A were brought up wi one pump un a clog me Ernie. Took mi aw mi time fert learn “Whelley Loop Line”.

Veronica tell me do you ever visit the China Room on Pavilion Square as we think it’s extremely good and been consistent for the last 20 years Steven the owner what nice guy.

Gary are you at Seahouses,Bamburgh or Holy island as we’ve spent some time around there.

PS, it's a shame there are no picnic benches along that path as the person who has yet again twisted my name into a brainless anagram, "Ernie Broster", is obviously a butty short of a picnic. Small things amuse small minds.

John please bring some sun back it’s blowing a gale here. Storm Kathleen they’re calling it. No not been in there for 20 odd years. Every month or so so we go with our Art Group for Lunch I’ll mention it’s been recommended. But I’m not one for Chinese if it’s still Chinese.
Have you heard of WAG? Glad I’m not in Blackrod Art Group.

John (Westhoughton) - I am in Whitley Bay. Good fish & chips in Seahouses, while Bamburgh has recovered from Covid with visitors back up to 2019 numbers. A few still get stuck between Holy Island and the shore, even though the high tide times are well posted!
Boats have returned to the Farne Islands where the bird disease has finally eased off.
Still bright here, but since I posted this morning gusting wind is blowing through from the SE.

John, (Westhoughton), we stayed in Seahouses some years ago and it was like going back to the seaside in the 1950s. We also visited Bamburgh at the same time. It's a lovely area and the local Geordie accent is lovely too!

Irene, Arthur at 8:57 mentions clearly that the Lancashire Union Railway is known Locally to us Wiganers as the Whelley loop line.
This impostor who is hiding behind the word Ernie Broster, he knows exactly what Arthur said earlier. Irene take no notice of the idiot, this for me is why Garry has not been on pad for days because of these idiots over his small accident.

Irene, it’s a pity Doctor Beeching didn’t axe the lines posted by Dr. Numpty.
Whoever you are and we know you get some kind of sick pleasure out of your comments but do us all a favour and and shunt yourself into some obscure desolate sidings, or seek help.
Nice picture again Dennis, looks like a lovely walk. Thanks.

Billy no mates will love all this because he’s being noticed I think it’s called Attention Deficit or something. When does the school holidays end.?

This individual who calls him/herself Ernie Broster needs to be iceolated, in other words, don't react, they'll soon get tired.
Hope you feel better Garry.

Good idea Sandra well put the idiot in the ‘freezer’…

Thanks everyone. What he wants is for Veronica and I to lose our temper and retaliate on what are otherwise peaceful posts, so then WE get the blame for causing disharmony and discord on Wigan World because people know who we are, whilst he gets away with it as no-one knows who HE is. However, Sandra, although you're right in saying "don't react". it is hard to just sit here and not defend ourselves. I almost feel sorry for him....He must lead a sad little life, sitting there in his lonely lair, thinking up anagrams out of the letters from our names. There are some good photos on here and all we want is to be able to comment sensibly on them, and to sometimes have an innocent bit of fun with DTease, Poet, Garry and the rest....just a bit of friendship and a laugh. The regular, decent people on this site will now be watching out for anagrams and daft-sounding names, so give up now, you sad, selfish, pathetic little man. Thanks again, everyone. xxx

I used to work for Levertons at Ashton and there was a farmer at the back name Ernie Broster.

Veronica I haven’t heard of WAG I take it Westhoughton Art Group,if there a chance I will bring some sunshine home but Eric Morecambe is the man for that and I see is statue once a month,Gary it seems like you explored all the avenues round there and they’re good have you been to the famous kipper place further south from Seahouses at Craster that’s a nice place I had a ride to Whitley Bay to view a electric bike during the pandemic but didn’t buy enjoyed the ride though and Irene your right about Seahouses.

Thankyou, Dek, and I am not doubting your word that there is someone in Ashton with the real name Ernie Broster , but he has never commented on here before, and his christian name and surname are both anagrams of my own name, as is "Ernie Strebor", who has "appeared" as well. Veronica has had three or four names made up of the letters from her name. I know all the "regulars" on here and the Ernie you know isn't one of them. No, this is someone different and it's just gone beyond a joke now.

Isolated, I see what you mean Veronica about the freezer (Iceolated) silly me!

Sandra....I knew what you meant, unfortunately spellchecker does that unexpectedly. No worries on my behalf.

Wonder if Ernie Broster would benefit from spending time doing Wordle or some anagram puzzles. He's definitely on the wrong site here. Quite sad really.

I actually thought that was very witty Sandra.
No offence at all…..

Dennis if you are looking in …this photo has been swiped by the Jolly Swagman. Just letting you know. ( no credit at all,)

Dek, I also worked at Levvies, I'll probably know you and you me. I'm almost sure Ernie Broster passed away quite a while ago.