Wigan Album

I reckon Graham's holding a bottle of Ginger Beer, Barrie.

The times I have walked over those sleepers.

After further thought, Barrie, I've decided that Peter is holding a Barratts Sherbet Fountain in his right-hand and in his left a plastic dagger with sprung blade. How's that?

A bottle of Old Harper?

A bottle of Almonds Pale Ale that you have pinched from the back of the brewery

What a wonderful photo to have, straight into the nostalgia box !

Judging by the embankment I would say this was taken a few 100 yards from the tunnel's mouth on the Standish side, roughly somewhere behind the old police station.
A riot of butterflies abounded here in summer. We caught them in jam jars .
Not being over furnished with lepidopteran knowledge in those torrid days we simply called them either Reddies or Whities.
Everyone had a penknife and a catty tucked into their snake belts. We used the knives to perforate the lids on the jars.

A bottle of ginger beer possibly from Annie Parks shop but non alcohol. Refreshing drink on the hot summer days.
We used to try balancing on the rail as we walked along. In those days we knew when the coal train would be along from Robin Hill to Gidlow washing plant or vice versa so no danger to us. The drivers all knew us (or our parents!) To think that in the 1980's, houses were being built over this area.

Lovely photo.

As we came out of the back of our house (Prospect garage) across the top and then down the embankment, the tunnel was there, which makes it further down Wigan Road than you think.

There used to be a little shop next to prospect garage, maybe the ginger beer came from there rather than Annie Parks on the High Street. I remember the garage getting a refurb and becoming a Texaco petrol station. Further along Tom Robinsons and Barbaras veg shop at the top of Grove Lane, Annie Parks' next along High Street. coincidental that both Robinsons and Annie Parks became funeral directors premises. Owd Tom would have had a good laugh at that.

I worked in Standish in 1970-73 and I remember Annie's shop and Tom Robinson's.....I'd forgotten them!

WN1Standisher, I had forgotten about the little shop by the road up to the old coal workings. It was set back from Wigan Road. Graham lived on Wigan Road near to what is now Victoria Crescent. The photo was taken behind Moss Grove heading NW as from our back garden gate we could access out onto the line.

The shop belonged to Robert's and your right it was next to the road that led up to the old coal workings. Just a few yards up that road was the paraphet over the tunnel. I have still got a photo of me sat on it.

I can see where you are now Barrie, the drinks probably were from Annie's. Been up and down the mineral line hundreds of times but can't remember sleepers and rails where you are both stood. Anyone remember Birkett's shop at the bottom of Grove Lane, next to the end of Ash Grove ?. Sold a bit of everything.

We always called at Birketts after playing footie at Ashfield WN1. Delicious banana flavoured ice lollies. Second only to Frank Taylor's Vimto ones atop of Rectory Lane.

Taylors, where I had my first taste of Vimto ice lollys or jubblies as we knew them as. Quality. Handy for after school at St Wifrid's Juniors

Aye, Standisher, great stuff was the Jubbly. We sometimes allowed ours a short while to soften - Oh, the joy of the once-easy crunch.

Mr.Taylor would also mix you a Vimto drink in a half pint milk bottle . You had to drink it in the corner by the sink. You could hear the slurping as the straws sought to get the last dregs from the bottle.
Frank always made scissor cuts to the lolly sticks , presumably to help ease them from their moulds . Games of 'breaking sticks' would follow requiring feats of awesome precision to avoid breaking your pals fingers.
The standard Jubbly was prism shaped but the Vimto one was square. After a good half an hour's lickin' it was best to turn them upside down in the packet as the juice had seeped to the bottom. Some dexterity was needed particularly with the 'standard'.
And finally the penny tray replete with saucers, snakes and mice and a host of other goodies whose names are simply impossible to mention these days.

Great recollections there Phillip and Poet, we did exactly all of the things you just said. Frank didn't skimp on the Vimto either :)

I don't understand why when as children we were almost always pulled-up for our relish-confirming slurps, or belches, by our parents - Rather . . . ah! . . . hic! . . . pointless, if you ask me.

The fella on the left looks strangely old. It looks like he's had a grown man's head superimposed...Odd...

Just to add an identification, as I've only just seen this photo. Looks very like Graham Cheetham and Peter Litherland from Pepper Lane who watched the Latics with me.

Ivor, just spotted your comment and yes it is Graham Cheetham and he lived on Wigan Road just past what is now Victoria Crescent. He had a sister Elaine who sometimes joined us boys in our rambles around the Prospect area. I've another photo of them on our back garden. I lost touch with Graham after I moved up to Scotland in 1965.

Thanks Barrie. Brought back many memories, not least walking back along these tracks after enduring Sunday School class at the Wesleyan Methodist Church. Me and Derek Hurst used to walk home (Pepper Lane) picking up the tracks behind Almond's Brewery, going past "Annie Wackies" (spelling ?) pit (a small pond for anyone from further south !) on the right. Despite being a really keen angler, I don't think I ever fished there. ( Anyone add any info there ?) Then we would turn right and walk between George Swift's farm (Did potato picking there ) and Ball's farm before coming out half way up Pepper Lane.
Happy days with many simple distractions along the way.
Used to enjoy fishing all the local pits with Peter Litherland.