Wigan Album

So many memories! The tractor had a canvas top when I was little but was re-introduced when my children were young with a solid top, like the one shown.

Wonder why it was called a 'tractor' It looks nothing like one!

Wikipedia States, ' The word tractor was taken from Latin, being the agent noun of trahere, " to pull ". The Oxford dictionary States, Tractor - ' Traction engine; motor vehicle for drawing heavy loads etc.' Therein lies your answer. It's all about learning, is it not ?

Trev, the original carriages were pulled by a little Grey Ferguson tractor until perhaps the late 1950(s) so-- it was always know as 'the Tractor' and the one shown inherited the same name. As a small boy I rode the old Tractor many times.

Imagine a little child getting its head stuck in those bars and having to be 'trahered' out Ozy!

A tractor is a vehicle used to pull something.

Well Dennis a nice photo of haigh hall once again I luv it when you put old photos of haigh hall it brings back gud old memories of my childhood what was the year of the photo roughly thanks dennis once again.

Driving the Tractor. Was that a `bobbies job`or what?

Going to Haigh Hall in the tractor was like going to another world.

Now stop starting Veebee, we all know how it usually ends up don't we? ....must admit ...... It made me laugh though.....Sorry Dennis, don't blame me.

HGV artics are called Tractor units. (TO SOME WHO DON'T UNDERSTAND) the truck that pulls the trailers.

I seem to remember in the 1950's /60s the Tractor was always painted Green and Cream Having lived away from Wigan since 1970 my memory is a bit hazy. Anyone remember ?

Carolaen, what I remember is, the little Ferguson tractor used to pull the very early carriages had a double role, in the week it pulled a trailer for the gardeners who looked after the plantations and the park, in the summertime at weekends it pulled the passenger carriages. The ride down to the terminus at the plantation gates probably lasted about fifteen minutes. The lads of a certain age group would wait of the tractor leaving Haigh Hall then cling to the back and see how far they could ride before the driver became aware. If I'm right the vehicle shown here pulling the carriages originally belonged to USA Airforce Burtonwood. (wait for it !)

Ozy, I think Vb "Trahered" out all the stops for that comment.

Thankyou Dennis!

Is there still a tractor running

The tractor hasn't operated for many years Stan. Ten years at least would be a conservative estimate, fifteen would probably be nearer the mark. In fact if the level of neglect that has been displayed by leisure and culture during the last five years in the plantations is allowed to continue for another five, it's unlikely that there will be a driveway for it to run on, as nature is reclaiming it by degrees. Perhaps the Contessa hotel group will turn things around? I hate to be pessimistic, but im obliged be honest, and say that I'm not particularly hopeful.

I once stuck my head in the John Bull and had to be 'trahered'out, Vb.

If the tractor returned the kids would be strapped in with Hi Viz jackets and crash helmets.And the driver would need a Sat Nav.

JJP, you are not wrong,lol, i was of that certain age group and have hung on to the back in the early to mid 50s quite a few times in both directions, as you say, all was ok until the driver bcame aware that he was carrying some non-paying passengers then he would stop and we would disappear into the rhododendrons, all good clean fun at the time.

G.W. Did you have to 'Trahere' yourself together?

I went to a place in France called Rocamadour about 15 yrs ago. There was a tractor just like the Haigh Hall one-it took us up the mountain roads. I wonder if that's where the old tractor went to! By the way it was a fabulous if scary ride....it certainly reminded me of the good old Haigh Hall tractor that everyone seems to love! (we didn't need to be "trahered' out either ...we just fell out!)

That's amazing Veebee, I also was in Rocamadour in 2000. The high point of my visit was when the Sapeurs Pompiers arrived on the scene in order to extricate a 'rosbif' 'that had somehow managed to get her head fast in some railings.........wait a minute........am I experiencing ' déjà vu ' here or what? .....You can take the girl out of Westhoughton, etc.

Think perhaps 2002 Oz not sure exactly.Wouldn't have minded my 'yed'stuck there though it was very nice!

Travelled on one like it in Italy last year it cost one euro each for half a mile up a steep hill overlooking Lake Garda.

How many Thorneycroft tractors were there? I think there were four. I remember the registration numbers of two, FEK844 and JEK128. The first one would have been new about 1960, registered between Wigan Corporation buses EJP501-510 and GJP8-19. And the other one in 1961/62 between buses HJP1-11 and JJP502-509.

The Tractors /Tugs with the canvas tops were Mercurys later bought out by Relliance. There were three at Haigh Hall with black tops, and three went to Lime park Stockport, these had cream tops, they were all former bomb tugs from Burtonwood aeradrome and the trailers were converted bomb trailers, the bodies on the tugs were done by Northern counties. There is one remaining Haigh hall Tractor in preservation (FEK844) , the wereabouts of the Lime park ones is unknown. The trailers went with the later tractor and was running in heaton park.