Wigan Album
Railways
6 Comments
Photo: Colin Harlow
Item #: 24126
Bottom photo: 1887 Lancashire and Yorkshire built 92 lever frame, the photo by Marcel Gommers taken in 1969, was at the heart of the Vee were the line splits on either side of it.
Atherton and Walkden signal boxes shut aswell.
Walkden Signal Box was the real (original) golden oldie of the line & built by the RSCo (Railway Signalling Company) signalling contractors of Fazakerley.
Walkden SB dated right back to the opening of the line in 1888.
Walkden Signal Box 1888 to 2013
Atherton Signal Box 1956 to 2013
Crow Nest Jct Signal box 1972 to 2013
It would appear that the old style mechanical signal boxes are now living on borrowed time & are destined to become a thing of the past.
Indeed,the term of Signalman,(Signaller) will be phased out in the next couple of years when the job title gets watered down (& americanised) to that of Train Despatcher.
Hindley station to Ince station is roughly a mile, four signal boxes worked that line. Hindley NO1, Hindley NO2, Hindley NO3 and Ince. That goes to show how busy our Railways were up to the 50s and 60s.
Hi Colin,
It was generally reputed that the L&YR had more signal boxes per mile than any other railway company in the country,(& as such the L&YR had more signalled train movements available).
For example between Manchester Victoria & Wigan Wallgate (Via Atherton)there were (at one time) originally 37 mechanical signal boxes.
Over the years they have all slowly succumbed to progress as they call it & bitten the dust one by one.
All gone now,with Crow Nest,Atherton,& Walkden being the last to bow out.
The end of an era.
The railways will never be the same. So much has gone, and we moan about road congestion. These days you get on a train and it's more than likely (in rush hour) sardine packed with people; you can't move in places like Salford Crescent for people. Why can't they put more coaches on? if a fire broke out people would be finished. Not only that but the heaters at the side of the seats are usually on full blast in summer and off in winter (like they often are on buses). I think these companies running the modern railways get a big kick out of the misery they cause. That's private companies for you. As long as profits are made and shareholders have their greedy fingers in it they don't care about the passengers.
Pemberton (No2), I think, which was at Winstanley Colliery Sidings, closed, July 1967...