Wigan Album

Lovely old scene from the sixties. I remember Broadmead's on the corner of Library Street. What was the name of the shop selling clothes nearby, please? It only shows part of the name and I just can't recall what it was called.

Irene, I think the shop was called Bradmores. I also think
the date was nearer to the mid 1960s, rather than the date
that I quoted earlier, Ray.

Think it was Bradmores - not sure Irene.

Which other bus routes started from Library street? I can remember Bottling Wood, 24, and New springs, 14.

Irene. See Item 27049.

Tuddy...Yes, 14 New Springs and 24 Bottling Wood also
started In Library Street. Ray

The TIM box being carried by the bus driver contained the
conductresses Ticket Issuing Machine & extra ticket rolls.
Hence the name TIM box.

Irene.
I've since noticed your post at Item 27049 … no problem!
Now where have I put my specs?

There was another dress shop a bit further down on the same side called Page's. You could buy a nice dress then for £2/19/11. Bought many a one from those shops. The window displays were always nice and interesting as well. The days of 'window shopping' long gone!

Yes, I remember Paige's and Joan Barrie's and another one near British Home Stores, (name escapes me). Philip. your glasses are on your head! xx

Got it, Veronica.....Van Allen's!

The Ribble bus is a 1955 or 1956 Leyland PD2, 1453 JCK528, that has come to Wigan on the Southport 375 route, and will be a Wigan or Ormskirk depot bus. Note that this bus has rear platform doors, generally suited to longer routes with fewer stops, and Wigan Corporation had six, DEK105-107 and DJP751-753 with platform doors. The photograph may have been taken after 1970 when the policeman on traffic duty had ceased, and traffic lights in use. The car is a Humber Sceptre that is distinguishable from the cheaper Hillman Hunter/Minx and Singer Gazelle/Vogue with more chrome and vinyl roof. Broadmead and Radio Rentals are where the Moon under water pub is now.

Ray: The young lady with blonde hair looks very familiar to me, I may be wrong Ray, but I'am pretty sure this young lady became one of the first female bus drivers for Ribble, late sixties/ early seventies.

The 375 buses used to leave from the old bus station on Hope Street, in the 60's the stop was opposite where the Whelan's ( later Morrison's) shop was. In the 70's the stop moved to the other side of the bus station at the Market Hall end near the newsagent kiosk. It's great to see the old Ribble 375 bus again, thanks for this Ray.

This is definitely post 1962 as the car partially obscured by the bus is a Ford Zephyr or Zodiac and this finned model was only introduced that year.
Tuddy, the Hindley bus also started from Library St. Can't remember the route number but it was The Hindley/Wigan/ Martland Mill Service and operated in the reverse order as Martland Mill/Wigan/Hindley.

Judging by the cars I would say this photo was taken !966-1968. Broadmeads changed to Civic Stores sometime in 1968, so it was before that.

DerekB. Of course it was post 1962. The girl is wearing a mini skirt!

Broadmeads, bought my record player from there in the 60's and it's still in perfect working order today.

The Hindley buses that started from Library Street were the no 3, which went to its terminus at the end of Lancaster Road in Hindley; the no 3A, which went up Ladies Lane and parked near the railway station at the top; the no 3B which terminated at the bottom of Ladies Lane [I think!]. There was also the no 3C which went to Ince, and possibly the no 3E which also went to Ince!

The 3D and 3E went to Ince. The 3E went up Belle Green Lane and The 3D went down Ince Green Lane.

I remember when the 'mini' skirt caused the first sensation on the front page of a major newspaper. It was the beautiful model Jean Shrimpton wearing a dress about 3 or 4 inches above the knee - very demure by today's standard as most girls in '66 wore dresses just on the knee. The skirt rose ever higher afterwards with the need to wear ' tights'! up till then we girls still wore stockings I bought both stockings and tights in the old arcade (long gone). The picture must have been after '66 as it took a little time to reach the length the girl is wearing her skirt. I remember well the dresses on display in the window - always the same short shape - easy to make if you had a sewing machine! I bought a sewing machine in '67 and started making my own short shift dresses.

The policeman on point duty is hidden by the bus. It doesn’t show, or I can’t see it, the light cable, nor the light, to illuminate the policeman. I think it was placed there in the very early sixties.

Further to my comment - the launch of the mini skirt was in Melbourne at Flemington on Derby Day all eyes were on Jean Shrimpton it was 1965 . If I interested you can see it her on Google her skirt is not much above her knees.

It would seem that the police telephone pillar is showing to right of the Broadmede pillar.

Veronica. I've had a look at the film of Jean Shrimpton at the race meeting; She'd accepted an invitation to become a Fashion in the Field judge.
And you know your conversion tables as well: Her hemline was 10cms above her knees.
But I just had to have a another look at the grainy 1930s films of Phar Lap's victories as well - His hide is displayed in a life-size glass case.

Thought you might be interested Philip - horse racing and lovely girls!
We still don't know the exact year of the photograph though. I'm guessing '68. Definitely not the early sixties.

Agreed, Veronica. There is a "feel" to it, isn't there? You could walk into the picture and you would be in the late 1960s.

You never see any radio rental shops now,most poeple have two are three tellys of their own.

During my time as a bus driver with Ribble, early 1968 until
early 1970, the 376 route to Southport was via the main road
as far as Ormskirk Bus Station, and then via Bescar and on to Southport. The 386 route was via Digmoor to Ormskirk, and then along the main road, A570 to Southport. By about
1967, the Leyland 61 seat buses were mainly used for works
journeys and school runs. All of the journeys that I did to
Southport were on Leyland PD3 72 seaters, or 78 seat Leyland Atlanteans. It would be interesting if any former
Wigan Corporation staff could identify the bus crew above.

At the time this photograph was taken, was this junction controlled by traffic lights? It would seem that there is a T/L standard on the left of the photograph. When I was at working from Central Police Station, up to 1963, as far as I can remember, this junction wasn’t controlled by traffic lights, but by a policeman on point.

I have only just noticed. T/L standard outside of Radio Rentals, showing green. Junction definitely controlled by police officer on point in 1963.

The young woman crossing the road with her basket over her arm, we all had a basket in those days, still use a basket today.

Linda...The young lady with the basket is the Wigan Corporation bus conductress mentioned above.

Ray.I have one of those ticket machine tin boxes,I think it is from the LUT.

Brilliant photo. The days when buses had character and run by Stagecoach or Arriva, when the driver's weren't miserable sods, when you didn't have to scan your pension pass onto some machine that is likely used to gather and database your personal information (excuse? we can't have fraudulent invalid passes can we?) so more and more big brother, CCTV cameras and microphones everywhere taking your privacy away, and WiFi on board, which is surely cannot be good for your health.

There was still a policeman on point duty in 1969 at that position. I worked in Johnson’s cleaners and sometimes made him a brew

Ray you may remember my dad Jimmy Ashurst he was a driver for Ribble for many years,he loved the job.

I joined Wigan Borough police in July 1968 and did point duty on numerous occasions at the junction of Market Place Wallgate and Library Street (known as point 3) until the traffic lights were installed which was 1972 circa.

David...I do remember your Dad, Jimmy Ashurst. I am trying to recall who was his regular conductor, and for reasons that escape me, I cant bring a name or face to mind. Ray.