Wigan Album

The old registration plate with DK was then registered in Rochdale.

No doubt the coach probably originated in the 1950s but the photograph certainly doesn't. The Bedford truck in the background is from a much later vintage - I would guess the 70s.

The Bedford TK was introduced in 1960. The coach is a
Leyland PS2/3 with Trans-United coachwork, and was new to Yelloway, Rochdale in 1950.
The coach builder is interesting - it was formed by a cooperative of local coach firms in 1947 to produce bodies for their coaches at a time when the regular coach builders were struggling to meet post-war demand. They were on Oldham Road, Rochdale until 1955.

Thanks for that info Rev David very interesting, my mother travelled to Elland road mills in 50s on coaches from Lower ince (Billy Robinson ran them) there are photos of the girls from Wigan with part shots of coach cabs on album under mill girls, I also remember the yellow way fleet and Ellen smith who had some lovely machines.

These are the coaches that we went to Blackpool illumination's in,when a neighbour got the trip up for all the kids in our street, always on a Fri night. Pop & crisp on board as well as calling at the chippy on the way
back, home.

Edna, as you say Blackpool illuminations on a Charabanc.. Always on a Friday night. Looked forward to it for months. What a great thrill it was for us youngsters. It was our equivalent of going to Disneyland.. Simple pleasures...

I remember in the 1960s Finch coaches from Ince traveled each working day to Rochdale Mills, that was before the M62 and was quite a trip in the dark.

Edna and Ron, what wonderful memories of neighbours "getting a coach up" to "th'illuminations" or "t'leets" as my Dad called them. .....it was indeed magic for us children in the days when few families had a car.

Oh! The excitement of going to the illuminations. It seemed a long way then as there was no motorway to shorten the journey. For some reason I was always sick in a bag coming home. Yet no sign of travel sickness going to Blackpool. Wigan Lane sticks in my mind as well. It seemed a great adventure going that way out of Wigan. Almost like a foreign country. The coaches were exactly like those in the photo. Memories are made of this..

Thanks for all your memories Ron, Irene, and Veronica.Yes!!! Simple pleasures were the best.

I think the top photo was taken in Eckersleys mill yerd and the building on the left looks what is now Wigan timber.

Wiganer I though that and I went and checked the building on the right, of what looks like the entrance door to WIGAN TIMBER ,but its a different building..

I went to Wembley on one of Cyrils coaches, there are still one or two of his relations living on this side of Wigan