Wigan Album

Another quite pleasant, and idyllic photograph. Other photographs graphically show how much industrial dereliction there was, after the decimation of the mining,cotton,steel,engineering,and other associated heavy industries.

Another view of the former Whelley loop track bed.

"I see no iron works", apologies to Lord Nelson.
"I see no ships" is a famous misquote of Lord Nelson at the Battle of Copenhagen in 1801 when his commander, fearing Nelson was suffering unacceptable losses, hoisted the signal to disengage. Nelson had lost his right eye on active service some years previously and said, as he raised his telescope to his right eye, "I have only one eye. I have a right to be blind sometimes. I really do not see the signal". He disobeyed the order and an hour later the enemy ships were destroyed and the day was his.
Colin, please enlighten those of us who are not familiar with this area, as to the whereabouts of the Whelley loop line.

As anyone an answer to what puzzles me. Where was all that massive labour force re-employed?. Every industry has been curtailed, especially heavy industry, with probably the exception of car manufacturing, and aircraft engineering.

Albert, the works closed in the early 1930's. Many workers transferred to the newly re-equipped Irlam steelworks. The site was used in later years as a central workshops for the NCB.

Loz. Is this the steel works they referred to as"Top Place"?.I have a recollection of my dad telling me that the owner at the time made a veiled threat, that if his relative wasn't elected as M.P.(conservative) for Wigan,or it may have been a local constituency, then the works would be moved out of the Wigan area. How true, I do not know, except that it was moved, and I don't think there was any apparent reason.

Correct! Still known as Top Place by a few folks.

Albert,,,yes thats the local name for it Top Place,my mother was brought up in Top Lock and used to always used to tell us tales about it,,,Its nowadays that i wished i ad listened annd taken in allthe the wisdom she had on tap not only off her but from my dad and realtions who lived through that era stemming from the early 1900,s through to the 70s.
there are plenty of refernces about the Top Place,,,in its heyday in the from the turn of the century through to the 1930s int employed some 32,000 people had its own coal mine all beit in partnership with earl of Ballaccres and its own railway ,,,

interestin to see in the doorway of the Royal Albert Infirmary in Wigan Lane a list of financial contributors to the building fund and The Hindley Coal and Iron Works is high on the list

Ernest: This section of the Whelley loop line is located in between Rose Bridge and New springs. You can see the track-bed where the narrow boat in entering the lock.

This does not show the Iron Works.
You are looking in the wrong direction.
That urban development is Wigan, not Belle Green Lane Higher Ince.
The photographer is standing on the higher part of the "Rabbit Rocks" slag heap that was the waste from the Iron Works.
The Leedas and Liverpool Canal is teh canal in view.
The Whelley Loop Line ran across an iron bridge over the canal and ran along the south side of the 2Rabbit Rocks".
If you went along that line from the canal and went to the left of the picture you would come to Belle Green Lane where it crossed another iron bridge near to where the Bush Hotel is.
The Iron Works were to the north of the "Rabbit Rocks" and so the photographer would have to turn around to see where the Iron Works were.
I can see that I had better not shuffle off my mortal coil yet in case there are any more mistakes on this web site.
As for Lord Nelson, Lady Hamilton did have a connection with the Wigan area.