Wigan Album

That's an amazing photograph, never seen that before.

You can see the line running over the lodge (still there today, just about). This gives a better indication as to it's uses and this quite possibly being the only Rylands photograph with this detail.

To the left (fields) are the air raid shelters, which are still in good condition today. You can just about see the jackwells in the water, used for raising water for the boilers. The function here is stopping allsorts of muck getting in.

One of the most pleasant mills I have seen.

Hi Andrew, you appear to be an bit of an expert on the mill? Never knew a railway line ran to the mill. You live and learn<g>
I worked there when it was John Englands and a few of the lads went down the air raid shelters for a mooch around Nothing there. Just water.

Spent many a day there when it was Wigan Tech. My Dad worked there for a short time in the early 50's while waiting to be called up.

The railway line went across Walkden Avenue under the bridge which carries the main line & connected with the main line.

Yes, the railway bridge is still there toay although crumbling. One of the columns is now leaning. I have never seen another mill which could transport goods over it's lodge, magnificent engineering. A shame no pictures are available of the lodge area close-up.

I maintain this is the only remaining mill lodge which has features dating back to it's original state. Two jackwells with cast iron piping still in, sluice gate for the draining of the water is still there, as is a stone portal allowing excess steam/water to exit the boilerhouse. If you stand by the chimney, you'll see a concrete hump where the boilerhouse once attached to the chimney, filled in. The weight bridge was on the other side which was on the line itself.

Also, on closer inspection, arent those wagons awaiting pick-up on the bridge? I wonder if the loco ever actually only picked up full's and returned empties to the said area? Also their seem to be gaps in the building which would allow products to be dropped in.

The previous knowledge I had was that the loco came all the way in to the mill, having it's own shed inside.

There were railway lines inside the power house which is on the left of the main building, We W&DMRS rented this building as our clubrooms for a number of years.

I think photo is pre-war, perhaps the ad was published 1950? When I lived nearby in the 1950's there was Hebron Hall and more houses along Walkden Ave, and they weren't new. Mum remembered the 'little train' going to and fro the mill, but I never saw those rails anything but rusty.

The building to the right near the top right of the photograph was Hall's Bakery. We lived in Kenyon Road and out garden backed onto the rear of the bakery. I used to 'play out' with David Hall and spent many a happy hour/day playing around the bakery (wouldn't be allowed nowadays with 'elf and safety)

the railway line crossed the road and there were old gates next to granny newtons house on what we called the lodge (great fishing) the lines were still there and all the gang used to sit there,on the lines, does anyone remember the old. gang ?