Wigan Album
railways
55 CommentsPhoto: Keith
Item #: 29078
I believe the "Lane" I mentioned, should be Beggars' Walk.
Next year on the 11th August 2018 Steam train traction for British Railways came to a sad end. I can't believe it's almost 50 years since we said goodbye to a much loved engineering giant that graced our lives so much. If we didn't seen them we could hear them. The sound, sight and smell will stay with me for ever. I never did train spotting, but just loved to watch those living, breathing machines thunder up and down the tracks making Britain great. Today, the diesel and electric trains still do a great job, but don't seem to have that certain thrill that steam had.
Typical non sporty, sickly pale type children who are obviously stupid by being so close to a railway line. You would have thought the adults would have had a bit more common sense, sadly not.
Bill, why are you making such negative nonsensical comments? In those days kids were interested in lots of things and didn't just sitting gawping at a mobile phone or screen all the time. What's this with the sporty? I was a kid at the time the photo was taken and didn't come into much contact with sport other than fishing or walking but I think kids were more robust and probably healthier than they are now.
Nothing wrong with being near a railway as long as you're sensible and not causing trouble or harm Having the freedom to do things like this, harmless and free, is going the way of the dinosaur; even public fields are becoming more no go areas because the local football club has decided to keep it for themselves. The powers that be don't want this, they want kids and grownups in doors all the time glued to the TV, X Box, in the pub watching SKY football all day long watching the bread & circuses. Kids are wrapped up in cotton wool and, if they're out at a sports club theyre under constant surveillance with CCTV cameras taking away their privacy with the usual excuse of safety, crime etc. You can't even look over a railway bridge these days because they've decided to build a wall so high you can't see over it, unless you happen to be a giant.
Bill there's no problem here, all the children are behind the barrier, one young lad has his foot on it. Not all children are stupid you know and credit these people with a bit more sense. We all got as close to the line as possible everywhere we went. The word is common sense.
Well Bill, what a sad, curmudgeonly comment on what was a wonderful era to grown up in! And yes, I was there!
A few moments earlier these boys had been enjoying a chat to the three members of the train crew, before it pulled away. The boys seemed sensible and well behaved.
Long ago and faraway: kids enjoying the magic of steam. And today? Indoor games on computers and glued to the internet. We're all to blame...But by God, I was there! And it was a different world where the small things were appreciated.
Would appear the sickly kids grew up and commented on this sad photo. Keith or is it Jarvis? again with assumptions on what they had been doing minutes before. Kids, railway tracks, yes very safe indeed, remember to let your grandchildren play on the tracks this coming weekend, they will be safe won't they? Thick Wiganers at their very best again.
Bill, have escaped from somewhere?
What a great ad for Rail safety. How on earth can you people say there is nothing wrong with that photo, the kids are far too near the lines no matter what you say, railways are dangerous places for children only fools would think different steam engines or not, no matter of the years involved either.
I can tell you a few tales of the drivers giving the spotters hell for hanging around the lines and getting too close to the engines. The air was blue with language from the angry drivers and rightly so the danger to them was great and it played on drivers minds if someone was hurt or worse.
There is no doubt railway were and still are dangerous places.I do travel by train and it amazes me that people stand on platforms a few feet from trains thundering through stations at high speed.H&S?,just stand behind the yellow line and your OK?People are usually in another world using their mobile phones and oblivious to the danger to themselves and their children
It's all about taking personal responsibility, not have some company or government dictate laws, laws which, if you've ever been bothered to notice are getting authoritarian and draconian by the day, not helped by the brainwashing fear of terrorism and crime. Even if spotters still stood behind a prison style fence (which these modern rail fences resemble) the rail company would still have a whinge and stop people by saying they're trying to thieve cables off the lines or they are terrorists or some other nonsense. These rail companies (which are just part of the same rail network) are obsessed with safety and security and annoying "if you see anything suspicious or anything that concerns you please report to a police officer straight away". Imagine that in the glorious steam days?. Traveling by train these days is a dull and depressing experience because you can't poke your head out the window, the ticket inspectors are mostly have an attitude problem, and the train drivers hide themselves away locked in the cabin with peep holes and turnstiles appearing at stations which, when you think about it, stops you from waving goodbye to your family member as they depart.
Health and safety and the days of Hi Viz...'Orrible stuff with sharks making a good living out of it. In all my days of spotting (I was actually sporty as well - footy) I never came across any kids in any danger on railways. Even the shedmaster let us explore Springs Branch on Sunday mornings. Different times then and kids weren't spoilt. Bill probably did hang around with a chip on his sad shoulder, hating all those who had hobbies...If you weren't one of the brethren, don't comment...William...
Garry, you are right. Bill has escaped from somewhere. He has a huge chip on his shoulder because he was never invited. He sat at home waiting for the internet to be invented!!
Bill..I don't remember any children of that era looking sickly,every child I recall when I was growing up had rosy cheeks,simply because they were out in the fresh air..The railway lines ran. right at the back of our
house,and I being a tomboy at the time would climb up the embankment
with my Brother to get numbers and names of trains..nothing hazardous
ever happened to any of us..it's today's children that need to get out there and get some colour in their cheeks.we went pea..potato..and strawberry picking....I wouldn't have missed it all for the world.
It was a different era in the fifties and can't be compared to today in any way. Children seemed to be more aware of danger then as we weren't wrapped up in cotton wool. It was a more innocent time hence the rambling we were allowed to do. As for being sickly - I don't understand that statement. We ate far more healthily and drank 'corporation pop' not sugary drinks. There was hardly any obesity that I recall - we were too busy running about. I feel sorry for kids today they have missed out on the freedom that we had.
Different times and era is a silly excuse for this stupid hobby. I don't believe they were wrapped in cotton wool either more like their idle parents didn't care what their kids got up to and kicked them out so they could go sit in the club all day and night. Like I said sickly uncared for kids left to roam and hang around railway sidings, a hobby for the ones who couldn't or wouldn't play sport in case they got hurt by the normal kids.
Bill, I don’t know whether you are old and male, those are assumptions, but what I do know from your postings are that you are bigoted and prejudiced - what a shame.
What a silly,stupid comment,Bill.My parents were not idle.They didn.t kick me out.They were not in a club whilst I was enjoying my hobby.I wasn't sickly.In fact I played football,rugby and cricket.I also took part in athletics and cross country with success at both local and area level.A lot of my spare time was spent trainspotting at both Standish Junction and nearby at Midgey Lane. It is a hobby I maintain to this day and still enjoy.I think you ought to get out more. OWDBILL>
My dad worked from leaving the Army until retirement. Going to work sometimes 'half dead' in all weathers. I don't remember him having a day off - no benefits then!!! My mother's life revolved around the home and she cooked good wholesome food. Neither did they go to 'the club' as you say!
You are making general assumptions - perhaps that is the experience you remember Bill and that is sad.
Bill, I don't know why you are going on about sport, I was a kid in the 60's, there was very little in the way of organised sport. True, some kids did play about with a football but in my memory they were not always the most interesting or motivated of youngsters, they seemed to be doing it because they lacked the initiative,drive or means to do something else. My childhood was spent running about, walking, and playing games like British Bulldogs and cowboys and indians. When we got a bit older we had long bike rides, went swimming or fishing. I know which childhood I prefered!
Bill,I feel for you ..you strike me as having a very unhappy childhood...
which has left you extremely bitter.
Those are my opinions like them or not but please do continue to live in your sad and unsafe dreamworld of the long ago past you old folk need to wake up and do the normal people a big favour and hang up your anoraks.
Sorry Bill,I don't think you're one of the normal people..and I still feel sorry for you.
Sorry Bill,I don't think you're one of the normal people..and I still feel sorry for you.
Well said Maureen, I don't think 'Billy no mates' is genuine after all!
I've never worn an anorak ether!, :-))
Whitley Crossing / Rylands Sidings. The folks in the pic are actually trespassing, the fence on the extreme right is the boundary. However, it is likely that they've had permission to be where they are, or the train crew and signalman would have chased them off!
Bill go and scrape the the moss off your wall, there's a good chap.
bill if anyone should grow up its you,what where you doing has a boy stamp collecting.probably playing the most dangerous game invented rugby
Time you went back to school your grammar is appalling, Baker.As a youngster I was an athlete and I did play rugby league for the town team, not hanging around trains or the tracks like the sad pale faces on the photo. Garry that's just a silly reply but I didn't expect much to be honest.
Bill, When you were playing Rugby League did you get a bang on your head? That would answer a few questions.OWDBILL
I was dead right about Bill. He was a tough rugby league player. And I bet he had vinegar in his bottle.
No Owdbill I made sure my head never got a bang I was far too good. Rugby is a very skilled game you see, you are always anticipating what your opponent is going to do before he does it. Don't really know why I'm explaining to silly old train spotters about a sport that would make them wet themselves should they ever dare to pull on a pair of boots. Not vinegar Jarvo just nerve and determination it's not footy so you shouldn't really comment on rugby, besides you were inadequate at all sports so commenting just makes you look silly.
Bill who ever you are, you're just an attention seeker!
No Howard I'm a draughtsman engineer.
That explains everything, a pen-pusher.
Go on Howard tell me how my job explains the reasons for my posts? Maybe you have no understanding of what a draughtsman engineer is or does. Someone with such a low intellect shouldn't really comment on such things.
Ok I should have said Pencil-Pusher. A pencil-pusher is sketching drawings with compasses protractors and triangles, My granddaughter loves drawing. Bill if you can take criticism, you shouldn't dish it out!!
Bill I don't sketch or push pencils, the clue was in the draughtsman engineer bit. It would seem I was correct in my assumption of of your intelligence. How exactly do you sketch with compasses protractors and triangles?
I am a garden Technician, a car engineer, a model railway engineer, a painter technician and so on we're all technician or engineers in some ways. It's just a word, a modern word that's all. Just like these train spotter engineers.
I like playing draughts at Christmas, I love draught beer, but don't like draughts under the doors and windows.
Bill you're a anorak engineer and attention engineer.
...But NEVER a trainspotter. Thank God!
But none of you have qualifications for what you say you are. Jarvo you were the same at Triangle Valve a loner who found it hard to take in what you were being taught, this is the reason why you are where you are today. Never really caught up with the rest did you, train spotting sums you right up.
Howard those are very silly comments as well you know. But I have no doubt your degrees and other qualifications will prove me wrong.
Looks like Bill's had enough.
If we all stick together we win lol.
I have heard of Engineering draughtsmen but never heard of a draughtsmen engineer.What is it you do Bill?
Pw there is nothing I can say to that silly comment. If you have never heard of one then it's no use me explaining anything to someone so daft.
Bill are you one of the Flowerpot men? Goodbye Bill.
Bill, I did very well, thank you. But I do not recall a Bill in the drawing office at TVC. Who are you? A loner I never was, but I do remember that only odd balls and creeps made it into the clique of the DO, obviously you are one of them. Or are you the famous Bill who was a progress chaser? Surely not!
Bill- lets go back to sleep in our flowerpots before the gardner comes back after his dinner.
Bill - it was always the thick meatheads who were the sporty types at my school. Did you go to university? I hated sport, and got a 1st in Physics. What did you do apart from kick a ball?