Wigan Album

Or me.

Remember it well,Ron,we bought a little train spooers book with all the numbers.On the odd occassion you would get a "namer" come through.Paid one penny to get on the station.

Yes: as a child, 'twas the 'namers' that impressed me.

As an adult, find the little industrial locomotives far more interesting.

Went down to Standish station after school most days, at the weekends and through the summer holidays, i just wish i'd kept my train spotting book and as you say, Jubs and Semis were the ones we were looking for.

Dave 2d each way on the bus from Pemberton, 1d platform ticket, some butties and a bottle of water with an 1/2d spanish in<g> Your Ian Allen trainspotters book which cost 2/6.
A GREAT day out for less then 6d.
Some days you would turn up to find a blackboard(Can I still say that?) with a notice NO TRAINSPOTTERS TODAY. Our faces dropped....
Then we went down the side of Wallgate station, not as good, as you never got the thrill of seeing those fantastic engines close up.

Roy: You can buy modern reproductions of the 'Ian Allen' train spotters' books from the 1950's and 1960's. My neighbour has some of them.

Not sure from where, but ebay/Amazon would be a good place to look.

Lovely photo of a time now sadly gone. A Fowler 0-4-0 double heading a special. Very unusual. The 'Coffee Pots' were normally used for coal trains. This was obviously a very busy summer Saturday, and every available engine was pressed into service. We never spotted on North Western, but preferred 'down 't' nick' instead. Days of duffle bags, flasks full of coffee and boxes of Toffo's from Wallgate Station chocolate machine...The kids today will NEVER have what we had: the magic of steam locomotives all summer long...Bliss. P.S: When is this silly ban on me going to be lifted? Sorry, but it's pathetic.

Hello Roy, I remember those days well! and if the signalman wouldn't let us go on the platform we used to sit on the fence alongside the path to Bradley. Do you remember sometimes we also sat on the stile at the Midgy Lane crossing about 2 yards from the passing engine wheels. Imagine doing that these days!

Thanks AP i'll look into that. Yes John i remember those days well, i can remember occasionally putting a halfpenny on the line at the Midgey Lane crossing, probably in the hope of turning it into a penny, then, as you say, sitting on the stile a couple of yards away watching the train run over it at possibly 70 or so mph, health and safety rings a bell now, but not in those days.

Another just thing came to me John, i can remember at Midgey Lane putting our ear (attached to our head of course) on the line and listening for an approaching train, that wasn't quite as dangerous as it sounds as we had a good view for quite a distance down the track in both directions at that point.

behind the 4f is a crab,there's plenty behind the draw bar but I would have thought the crab alone could manage on her own.i was usually down the nick myself circa 1958 t0 1962.

Looking at the photo. again I'm not convinced it is the North Western Station as there appears to be a track end, and a building, on the left of the photograph?????

Def is N. Western, all the features just as I remember them.

On the left, is a bay: the old platform 6.

'Gentlemen' loo facing the 3 track bay ends: building also contained refreshment room where you could get a proper meal, and waiting room heated with a gas fire.

Roy, I remember the halfpennies and the "ear to the line", now that you've remind me! Also do you remember that pipe across the cutting above the trains near Lurdin Lane and the Vic. pit?

Definitely Wigan NW. I remember that tower type of structure behind the water pump, found out in later years it was a parcel and goods lift.
My trainspotting years on that station were 1959/62

Baker Boy: Thanks for your support. Hopefully, I'll be back soon...Cheers to everyone for backing me.

do any one of you spotters remember going on the train Crewe sheds and yards there used to be hundred's of train's there and if you didn't get caught you could footplate the name's there were cities,duchess,jubs, the lot great time.

I remember Crewe: Crewe North (5A) and Crewe South (5B). But we never managed to get into Crewe Works.

The authorized visits by recognized clubs, was the way to 'ger intut wurks'.