Wigan Album

I used to stand in the very same spot on rabbit rocks [or rockies as we called them.as the railway went across the iron bridge at this point the track bed would have been at least 10feet higher and where all the trees and shrubs are there was nothing but slag heaps and although I loved my childhood and the adventure playground of my era isee this as a massive improvement.whoever is responsible, well done

Everything is perfect, sad about the railway though.

There was talk some time ago about reinstating the railway line to take the pressure off Wigan for trains between Preston and Manchester. Seems it came to nothing.

I bet you wish you had a £1 for every time you went over that bridge Arthur!

Does anyone remember a 1970s local history TV programme titled 'History Around You'????...It was made for schools & was screened in the mornings so that it could be watched by pupils...............
It was presented by a guy in his late 30s with a beard (I think) & it had lots of then & now shots, it's main purpose was to get kids into local history (& it started me off with my interest in it).......The end shot of one of these programmes was filmed from off the top of the rabbit rocks looking towards Wigan & showed the bowstring girder bridge that carried the Whelley loop line over the canal............'History Around You'.......
Anyone remember that TV programme????? think it was made by Granada....

I would love to see it again.

Robert. Your mystery presenter could be the late Brian Redhead.

Thanks Phillip G, I reckon that you're right ...that's him..
I think that the programme 'History Around You' was a six parter/six episodes & was made by Granada TV??..Each episode had a different topic/theme each week, & the two episodes that stick in my mind are these....one that was filmed in Wigan & featured shops/canals & housing, ....
The other one was about drinking water & sanitation etc & featured the reservoir system of the 'Longdendale chain' showing the reservoirs at Woodhead/Torside/Rhodeswood/Valehouse & Bottom Resr..
Very informative episodes & History Around You was my favourite schools programme, indeed it sparked an interest in me of local history & civil engineering infrastructure that lives on to this day....
One of the things that the programme did was feature a lot of fade/in/out/merge then & now shots, so you could really see exactly how the place had been (& had changed)..It fascinated me back then as a kid..
We could do with more programmes like that today as it's probably a sad fact that many of the younger generation probably know & care more about things like the 'Celebrity' Kardashian family, than the local history that shapes where they actually live.

Thanks Robert. I hadn't previously known of that particular series, but had been certain that Brian Redhead presented programmes of that type and at that time on TV. Your doing well in maintaining your interest in your chosen subjects, in particular, the wide-ranging Civil Engineering.
History's . . . then and now shots would have been a valuable tool for you - an appetiser, if you like - when forming your early impressions. I've seen similar gob-smacking images on YouTube entitled London Then and Now/Past and Present?? although; it would take a series of highly unlikely circumstances to get me back into the Metropolis.
Aye, it's now safe to say that todays' bright young sparks have more distractions than ever before, and good luck to them. Regards.