Login   |   Register   |   
Photos of Wigan
Photos of Wigan



Wigan Album

Ephemera

19 Comments

Entertaining Wigan in Southport
Entertaining Wigan in Southport
Photo: Rev David Long
Views: 2,402
Item #: 29414
An advert from a 1947 guide to Southport. Presumably the parties from Wigan went by special trains.

Comment by: Geoff on 6th June 2017 at 19:21

It's the club trip, we used to go on hired corporation buses.

Comment by: Geoff on 6th June 2017 at 21:06

We used to go on the train from Ince Station. Meal at the Mayfair Cafe then given a packet with 5 shillings in it. Then straight to Peter Pan Playground. Brilliant!

Comment by: Rev David Long on 6th June 2017 at 21:11

That's eight buses for the Labour Club, which just might be possible - but would there be be, immediately post-war, 16 buses available for a day trip such as the Legion's?

Comment by: Broady on 6th June 2017 at 21:12

Half the committee were psst on the way back. Good old days. Playing football on the grass because you had spent up in the first hour.

Comment by: Pw on 7th June 2017 at 07:21

Used to go with Platt Bridge British Legion for many years.We had two meals,tea was always boiled ham and chips.We went on Wigan double decker buses.The one thing that sticks out on my mind about Peter Pan fairground was large model railway display.Happy days

Comment by: Linda Massa on 7th June 2017 at 08:03

We might have been on the same coach Pw.

Comment by: Jarvo on 8th June 2017 at 05:44

Newtown Legion dined at the slightly upmarket Star Cafe further down near the Casino. Fish and chips for tea.

Comment by: Alb on 8th June 2017 at 08:32

The Peter Pan playground looked great fun. What's there to do in Southport these days for children? nowt much apart from Pleasureland, Silcocks amusements, then ten pin bowling and the cinema, which you can see in any other town on the same soulless retail parks. There used to be a zoo, an aquarium and the Steamport museum, but that had to go. Used to go to Southport quite often in the late 90s/early 2000s and one of the carparks near to the beach was really cheap, something like 60p, now they're charging 6 quid.

Comment by: Carolaen on 9th June 2017 at 09:59

Alb. The Peter Pan Playground was my number One favourite destination as a small child especially the Noah's Ark and the Scenic railway. I take it from the comments that it has gone - I haven't lived in Wigan or visited Southport for 40 years. We also used to go to the Model Village which was great and I gather is also gone and to Hesketh park to see the Cockatoos. Simple pleasures which nowadays seem to be unwanted.

Comment by: broady on 9th June 2017 at 19:28

Would 800 have gone with Platt Bridge Legion??? That's an awful lot.

Comment by: Pw on 10th June 2017 at 06:54

I have no idea how many children went from Platt Bridge Legion but I do remember there was always a very long line of double decker buses waiting

Comment by: Sam h on 10th June 2017 at 11:56

Caroline, the small passenger railway still runs along to the pleasure fair,the model village is still open,hesketh park is still as beautiful although the only birds are the wild ones as far as I could see,from the peer southwards has had a total revamp,I take my two small grandaughters many Saturday afternoons they love it.

Comment by: Carolaen on 10th June 2017 at 16:35

Following my last post I looked on You Tube again and there is some fantastic archive film from the 1950s (no sound unfortunately) of the Pater Pan Playground, the Zoo, Pleasureland etc which took me back instantly to those days. it even showed memory can play tricks because I thought the Noahs Ark was in peter Pam but the film shows it in Pleasureland. All these facilities still look as though they would pull in lots of tourists today. We seem obsessed about pulling down traditional things By contrast I used to visit (for work) Lille in Northern France. Right by the City Centre is a very traditional old park with a free zoo and funfair set in 250 acres. On Sundays it is absolutely mobbed with families strolling around picnicking etc. There is still a demand and role for old fashioned attractions

Comment by: Carolaen on 10th June 2017 at 18:40

Sam h A posting of mine has gone astray. In it I wrote that the model village I was referring to was the one at Rootten Row Roundabout and which closed in 1977. If you go to You tube and type in Southport model Village, there is a clip from British Pathe all about this wonderful "proper" model village. I looked at some of the entries about the Model Railway village - which I think is the one you are referring to. Its alright but not a proper model village - just look at the film !

Comment by: Sam,h on 11th June 2017 at 10:23

Caroline,thank you will have a look at the footage on yutube with my grandaughters .sorry for spelling your name wrong in my earlier comment.

Comment by: Carolean on 11th June 2017 at 18:28

Sam h. I am used to it and I'm not even a she! My User name is a mishmash of letters. My wife had the experience a few years ago where she started to get crank correspondence from a random nutter in a part of the country (not the North west) where had never lived or even visited. Ultimately the Police were involved a the person caoncerened was given a fromal caution. I know its very sad and an extreme example but ever since then neither of us have used anything like our real names as usernames on social media etc. it went on and on for months and left us drained,

Comment by: Alan lad on 12th June 2017 at 03:52

Them were the days back in the 50s Standish Labour Club trips beltin.

Comment by: Sam h on 12th June 2017 at 14:17

Carolaen, so sorry about your problem just shows what sort of people in the world today.i took your advice and watched the programme about southport on yutube my two little grandaughters really enjoyed it,thank you

Comment by: Steve on 12th June 2017 at 22:02

I remember going with both Platt Bridge Labour Club and the British Legion to Southport on a special train from Platt Bridge Station.Happy days !

Leave a comment?

* Enter the 5 digit code to the right of the input box. Don't worry if you make a mistake, you will get another chance. Your comments won't be lost.