Photo-a-Day  (Saturday, 5th April, 2025)

Peace and tranquility in this day and age

It’s like a plate of black glass mirroring the sun through the trees, serene and calming. Very different from the age of heavy industry.

Spot on PeterP....a very tranquil scene, still & calming.

I wonder what the real reason was that the canal never reached W/H.
I must try to find out there is a local History group here - or the Library will have the answer.

These dark waters are not as deep as you think because they are full of muck and anything thing the local New Springs residents don't want anymore.
And a couple of corrections to Colin's write-up, Withington Lane will take you to Hall Lane Aspul and not Hindley as previously said, and at the last count, I did of the Wigan flight of locks, I'm sure I counted 21, maybe Colin only got 13 because somewhere closed off.

I like to take my human for a walk along there, I meet up with a lady poodle friend of mine and have a good sniff.

Mick, I suppose you are correct with Aspull but it comes out on Hall Lane near Hindley Hall Golf Club and Hindley Station, so not far off.

Veronica, I think the building of canals more or less came to a stop with the advent of railways. No doubt Mick will contradict this!

Dearest Michael, I read that it was 13 but just checked on another site and it says The Wigan Flight consisted of 23 locks constructed as an engineering marvel in 1816, perhaps a few have been pilfered?

Colin, that's up there with the best, you've made my weekend.
Many thanks.

Ah but is that Locks or Lock Gates? Colin says 13 locks but if two gates per lock that would make 26.
Will this continue to be one of life’s unsolved great mysteries?

Lighten up for once Mick

In other words its Top Lock.

I seem to remember the Reverend explained once on here as to why the canal to Westhoughton was objected to Colin. He knew all there was to know about canals. My memory these days is comparable to a Goldfish. It’s a few years ago though.

Wet Blanket Mick strikes again!
His knees must be playing up either that or he’s got a flat tyre.

I’m no expert but Hall lane is part of Hindley as well as Aspull. Isn’t it?

Helen...Mick is correct with is assumption, Hall Lane come out in Aspull and not Hindley, but does in matter, both Aspull and Hindley are very close to each other, for instance, Hindley Hall Golf Club is almost in Aspull. It's border line, but not worth Mick commenting about.

Hope there are no fallers at that Canal Turn.

Helen, Please excuse Mick, he’s from Shevington.

That's a lovely peaceful scene, Colin. Mick, when the floods at Platt Bridge were featured not long ago, you stated that the brook at Platt Bridge was "full of old mattresses and rubbish that Platt Bridge residents had thrown in", which just isn't true, (I live right near it),...and now, apparently, "anything the New Springs Residents don't want anymore" they chuck in the canal! I'm sure they don't! WHY do you have to be so negative about local villages and their people? You would find fault with Utopia! Well said, Helen!

Great photo Colin I always thought there was 21 locks from that point down into Wigan as Mick as said.

Aye, but hand on, why has nobody asked the question ?

“is there owt i’theer?”

There’s actually only two locks in Wigan and the average drop from Aspull to the last lock is sixty one metres taken at water surface level.

Here is David's information and explanation about the canal Veronica: https://www.wiganworld.co.uk/album/photo.php?opt=5&id=32806&gallery=Leeds+and+Liverpool+Canal&page=10

If it isn't John Noakes quibbling about Wigan then it's Tonker, are they the same commenter.

Right that settles it, too much contradictory information.
I’m going back tomorrow with my calculator, map, tape measure and theodolite.
Come Monday I’ll be back again with a spade and finish off that canal to Westhoughton and cruise back with Veronica and John.
And as for Mick, ‘You Are The Sunshine Of My Life’. What would we do without you? Perhaps put some Graffiti on that bridge!!!!

Scorchypants said the same about the River Douglas from where he started his scrap yard Irene…Remember? He loves all this attention that’s why all these negative remarks are said. Same old, same old…

I never gamble but just had flutter on today’s races at Aintree. My horse as just been pulled on the 1:30 so got my pound back. In my books that’s a winner. Let’s see what the rest of the day brings. Enjoy.

I was only trying to correct Colin's wrong information that he wrote on this photo.
Imagine you're in a pub quiz, and a question came asking how many locks are there on the Wigan flight, and you jumped up and said 13.
I know because I've walked and peddled all over Wigan, so I know what I'm talking about.

Cyril I haven’t found it but thanks anyway. I am almost sure it was on
Pa D. If it is do you have the date?

I did see the discussion on the Album Cyril but it didn’t mention Westhoughton. The one I meant was the reason why the canal didn’t come to Westhoughton which the Reverend told in great detail. I never knew there was even talk of a canal coming as far as W/H.

I remember there was a railway bridge just further on than the road bridge shown in the picture, & just further on the left hand side there was a reservoir which was used to replace water when the level dropped.

Veebs, the canal originally wasn't supposed to go through Wigan; it was going to turn off at Parbold and then zigzag its way to Chorley.
The bit at Top Lock would have gone towards Bolton, probably making Westhoughton a canal town.
I'm sure Cyril will be able to confirm this when he's looked it all up.

Noakesy has a point though because most of Wigan flight isn’t in Wigan.
By the way, there’s a site called “spot heights map - daft logic” and that would tell you the heights difference in the top lock at Aspull and Wigan Pier area.

Mick, your correction to Colin's information about the number of locks is one thing.....your accusation of New Springs residents "chucking stuff they no longer want in the canal" is another matter. WHY do you have to be so negative about people? Yes....there ARE litter-louts and fly-tippers everywhere, but you pinpoint villages and decent people with your wild accusations. There are good and bad people in EVERY village in the Wigan area, even yours, (and that's what you wanted someone to mention, isn't it, so you can complain that people are always commenting on your village?). Well, blame ME! I'm thick-skinned.

Eee mick thaz a rumun. Up the canal without a paddle.

Veronica. I've found it by entering album 32806 in the search box at the top of this page. Rev.David has posted a map and information.

You should see how much garbage gets thrown over their fences backing onto Elnup Wood, window frames, bottles and bin bags polluting the stream below and making the wood an eye sore. Get your act together before you cast aspersions on New Springs.

Irene, the good people of New Springs will agree with me that the rubbish that gets chucked in will be local rubbish, you don't think people who want to dump rubbish will walk any further than they have to do you.

What are you peddling Mick? Nothing illegal I hope!!

I’ve see that one Meg which is very detailed but it’s another one detailing more about W/H but thank you for looking it up.

Good ‘un Pat that made me chuckle.

Mick, it appears that people in Shevy don't walk further than they have to either.....thankyou, "Shevy Resident", for pointing out that rubbish gets thrown onto Elnup Wood. Mick unfairly makes those who live elsewhere feel like surfs..... he seems to feel that Shevington people are superior, but in reality litter and fly-tipping happen everywhere. This is not an aspersion on the good people of Shevington. You have a beautiful village but there are serpents there, as there are everywhere. I don't think the good people of New Springs will agree with your comments, Mick....I'm sure most of them, like the rest of us in Wigan's villages, dispose of their rubbish in the designated disposal units. However, there will ALWAYS be exceptions, EVERYWHERE.

It's a Raleigh Motus Pat McC.

I think the Rev referred to funds being the reason for not continuing the canal to Westhoughton Veronica.

That sounds the most likely John. I can’t even visualise a canal in W/H. It’s changed a lot in the last 55 years.

“Ast’ ‘ad ouwt”?

John Noakes, seems I owe you an apology regarding Wigan lock quibbling, accordingly, and boundary wise, you were right, though no offence was intended in comparing you to Tonker.

This part of the canal is actually the Lancaster canal, The Leeds Liverpool canal stops at top Lock.