Wigan Album

Post 1966 as the Anglia is "D" Reg which was issued in 1966. This street is now part of Liverpool One Complex and unrecognizable in todays world.

Yes Barrie, the Ford Anglia is from 1966, and the Wigan Corporation
Leyland bus is F Reg, from late 1967 or early 1968, that is why I dated
the picture as the " Late 1960s ". Cheers, Ray.

The 320 route to Liverpool must have been about the furthest and most exotic destination that Wigan Corporation buses ran to regularly (a fair way behind in second place was the 15 to Bolton).


I remember once as a youngster travelling back from Wigan to Hindley on a nicer-than-normal Corporation bus. From the outside it looked much like any other double-decker in the town, but it actually had *doors* on the back platform (operated by the conductor rather than the driver - which must have been hard work) and, I think, cloth-covered seats rather than standard maroon leather or vinyl.

My grandad (who I was with at the time) explained that Wigan Corporation had a handful of 'special' buses for use on the run to Liverpool, and this was one of them (obviously having a day off on the number 3 to Hindley).

With the interior of most Wigan buses being a bit utilitarian at the time, the Transport Department's idea was to have a few nicer vehicles in the fleet which would compare well with the LUT and Ribble buses also used on the 320 to Liverpool.

I wonder if the Corporation still put prominent No Spitting signs on these fancy buses? I only travelled on one with rear platform doors this one time, so never got a chance to check.

I don't think the specimen in Ray's photo is one of those, since it seems to have a blank white panel rather than a window just behind the driver's cab indicating where the staircase was - meaning this bus has the entrance at the front, not the back.

A colourful scene in Liverpool with the buses of four operators, Wigan Corporation, Lancashire United, St Helens and Liverpool Corporations, there is only Ribble and Crosville missing. Ribble routes went mainly to the north of Liverpool with one as far as Preston, and Crosville went to the south to places like Warrington and through the Mersey tunnel to the Wirral and Chester. The 320 to Wigan and 39 to Manchester went the same way to St Helens via Edge Lane while the 317 went on the road through "scruffy" Kensington, in total contrast to "posh" Kensington in London.
FEK1-9F were the last nine front engined Wigan PD2s and by 1974 repainted in GMT orange and white, and for some unknown reason five of this batch FEK5-9F including this one FEK7F had been moved to Oldham depot in 1977 and often seen in Manchester operating until 1980 just before withdrawal.

Ray, lovely old photo that brings back so many great memories. I guessed it was one from yourself before I looked at the name. What would we all give just to go back to that time even if for just a moment, wouldn't it be magical. Thanks Ray !.

Thank you for your interesting comments regarding the Wigan bus with
platform doors at the rear. About 6 of them were built by Massey Bros
in 1957 at Enfield Street, Pemberton. One of them, fleet number 4 is in
the possession of Wigan Transport Trust . Cheers, Ray.

I have learned some info from the comments above from MrX. I spent
just short of 2 years driving for Ribble from early 1968 to early 1970,
based at Ribble Wigan depot. When I did a 320 Wigan to Liverpool
journey, the route from Liverpool city centre was via Lord St, Church St
Mount Pleasant, Jubilee Drive, Kensington, Prescot Rd ,East Prescot Rd.
The round trip took 3 hours, 1 hour,29 minutes in each direction.
There were 6 buses on route 320, 3 from Lancashire United Transport,
2 Liverpool based Ribble buses, and 1 Wigan based vehicle.

Ray.

English Electric, Wigan corporation bus to Preston was further away from Wigan than Liverpool.

I can only remember catching Ribble buses to Preston from Wigan.Used to go on to Garstang to fish the canal.

I dont ever recall Wigan Corporation buses on the route to Preston.
I do remember Corporation buses going to and from the R.O.F works
at Chorley showing WORKS SERVICE on the indicator panel in the 1960s.

Wigan corporation bus to Southport was further away from Wigan than Liverpool.

Nice one Ray this brings memories back for me i worked on the Ribble in the mid sixties i recall Wigan depot ran the 7h58m 10h58m 13h58m
16h58m Wigan Corpi ran the ones half hour behind we used to pass them around Kensington

Joe, During my 2 years driving for Ribble from early 1968, the Wigan
Corporation buses had been taken off the 320 route. Ribble Wigan
depot did 5 round trips. they were 0828, 1128, 1438, 1738, & 2038.

Ray.

George is correct about the Wigan to Southport bus route.

Ray, that's right i finished in 1966 i was told they got a said amount of milage then had to run off if that was true i wouldn't know. Ray, was Bill Goulding there when you were what a character he was

Wigan Corporation never ran services to Preston or Southport, that was Ribble. As stated above, Wigan Corporation ran to Liverpool and Bolton as their longest routes. They held licences to operate to Salford and Widnes but never provided any buses.