Wigan Album

I have heard so much about this old golf course - lovely to see this picture

I used to love climbing tha ill

spent many a good times sliding down the slag heaps on tin sheets

hello i used to live on the golf course,my dad was the green keeper,untill we moved back to Scotland when it was closing.the young chap facing the camera looks very much like my young brother David ,we both went to the Rectory school at Downhall green,the other person could be me not sure .unsure who the adult is Iain

Their used to be a footpath across the Golf course! down the side of the Co-op shop over the course and under a little bridge then past Bryn Wood and onto BrynGatesLane/ Landgate Lane.

Ron, I think that little bridge was extremely old. In the 1950's the mineral railway passing over it was carrying colliery spoil for dumping. I believe however that the bridge had originally carried the line from Park Lane Colliery to the LNWR (WCML). This connection was used by Park Lane before any of the surrounding collieries, or the Lancashire Union Railway (Line through Bryn) had been built.

I do not have a clear history of the line: it appears somewhat changed on every map that I can find, but in brief, it appears that Park Lane abandoned the line when they started to exploit their connection with the LU Line. The trackbed,it seems, was later reused by Garswood Hall Collieries at one end, and by Mains Colliery at the other end.

that little bridge was well known to us as there was a wondereful ice cold spring there.think the line went to the canal causing problems for the upstart west coast main line.level crossing site on Bolton road always iced over in winter,abuttments still in situ near bryn rec.

Walt,
Jog my memory, where exactly was the spring?

Do you remember the drowning at No 3 Lodge? Can't recall the lad's name.

You are right about the problem with the main line. The Wigan-Parkside, (Wigan-Newton RLY Co. which became the North Union RLY Co.) had to, at their own expense build a little tunnel to take the mineral line under their line, because of the delays to traffic where it had crossed by means of junctions on the level. The mineral line, ran on to Bedford Basin, and could only be operated by reduced-height locomotives, of which there are some pictures in various books. Can't recall where I read it, but I think the dispute between the two parties went to Court, or to Parliament. This part of the line, which it seems at some stage was connected to the line in question, appears to have existed BEFORE Park Lane Colliery built their line to the Wigan-Parkside Line. I cannot work out which collieries it would have served. Garswood Hall Pits had not yet been sunk, and both Park Lane, and Brynn Hall had their own direct link to the canal, and thus would not have needed to send coal by such a route. Long Lane (Crow Pits) is a possibility, as they also had a spur off this line, although I have found no reference to them shipping coal by that route!

The abutments, are of the bridge built by the Lancashire Union Railway Company, to take their line under the mineral line which ran from Park Lane to the North Union Line (WCML).

It was abandoned when Park Lane began to use their connection to the LUR in preference, and then reused as an access bridge when the adjacent colliery (Was this the one that became Garswood Hall number 1 and number 2? - Eastern end of their site anyway) was developed.

Iain
Probably one of the first times and most certainly the last was in a Juniors comp at the old Golf Club in the 1960's. I think I borrowed your ( or your brother's) cut down clubs. I know I probably came last in the comp and it put me off for life. All my family loved golf and played that course...Pam , Lily and Albert Hurst.

ap! just read comment. from my foggy memory yes lad drownef in no 4 lodge.as kids were told leg cramp and caught in weeds.spring was walk nichol lane left at old coop red dirt path just before arch bridge ..same line.know some old folks who i will interogate when poss.that spring water was the best drink in my life.

Hi Iain, the photo is of my brothers, Teddy and Kevin Webb, and my mum.

thanks Maureen for for identifying the people in the photo Iain

the lad who drowned in the no 3 lodge was called Micheal golding aged 15, it was drained and filled in after.