Wigan Album

The building right at the top of the photo, with a white frontage on its top half, is where I worked in 1969, when it was Richardson's Chemists. I believe it was always known better by the older people in Ashton as Fairless's. Apparently Mr. Fairless was a popular and well-liked shopkeeper.

It looks as though we've had a name change since the picture was taken? "Ashton in Markerfield"

Tram lines visible but can't see any overhead wires??

Steam Tram?

or horse drawn?

....or could've been a transition period before the introduction of trolley buses, the old wires having been removed.?

Raymond's correct ,if you look on Album there's a photograph taken from the opposite end of Gerard Strreet which clearly shows the overhead cables, that photograph was taken 1928,so this is obviously later.

If you look under Album: places: Ashton, this photo is already on the site, and the earlier version is much clearer. On the clearer photo, you can see the wires.

Single tramlines were usually placed in the centre of the road with crossing points between them, they would only need one overhead wire, trolley buses, on the other hand would need two as they followed the normal keep left convention. Check this photo, not Ashton but not far away.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/pt2510-Atherton-Road-Hindley-Green-Lancashire-photograph-6x4-/361116672484?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item54143b21e4

Sorry Raymond, let me clarify: you cannot see the wires because the photo is too blurred. If you look at the identical, but clearer photo on the site, you CAN see them.

priscus, your quite right this is on the site under album places, Page 3 ,but you can't see the wires, I think the photo you refair to is on page 1, where the wires are clearly visible ,but that is an early photograph.

On the earlier post of this view which i uploaded in 2009 you can make out one of the posts that the overhead wires hung from in the mid right between the shop awnings. on the original photo i can just make out some of the wires.

Yes, I can see that post, strange though, you can see the clouds, but not the overhead wiring. Those tramlines were used by the SLT company, the last tram from Atherton to Ashton was on 3rd August 1930 and from Ashton to Haydock on 21st June 1931

I can see the wires on the photo to which Allan is referring, but I am viewing on a very high quality 24 inch High definition monitor. They are only just discernible, I guess I would not see them on anything less, so sorry if my comments have caused any confusion.

Priscus, on your HD monitor, is it possible to make out any of the news sheets at that newsagents? Could probably date it.

I worked at Margaret's Dress Shop on the right hand side and it was next to Kilshaws Butchers (I think that is how it was spelt) from 1957 to 1960. The photo looks a bit earlier that when I was there. Unsworths TV shop was further up the street . Loved Ashton and the people I live in Australia now and still miss Ashton