Wigan Album

I first thought it was Coronation St.

I wonder if ever the ladies living in those houses ever hung out their washing on the outside line?

Trying to figure out where this location was. The only gantry which crossed over Plank Lane was above the railway crossing, between the pit offices and the pit canteen. Was the apparently derelict shop the chip shop?. The only other shop around there was the Co- op which was located at the far end of the terrace, and when I was around 10 yrs old was managed by Mr Butterworth, and his lead assistant was Maisy. The white hazard line in the centre of the road does confirm a main road, and the houses did have small front gardens. Albert is right about the washing. There was always about an inch at least of coal dust packed against the roadside kerb, and when it rained heavily the whole width of the road was turned into a carpet of black sludge. well churned by the constant flow of coal lorries. The noise of the steam driven pit winding engines was constant, even more so when they were being roused in the late evening, so the residents certainly had something to contend with when Bickershaw Colliery was in full production. There must be some old Plonk Loaners who can confirm the location. All had gone when I last drove through there, didn't recognise the place, still I had been absent for about forty years.