Wigan Album

pity we had to wait so many long years for a bypass

Aye, it took ages to get into Wigan town centre from Newtown and up Wallgate then, it was very often quicker to get off the bus and walk, and the traffic congestion continued on along the A49 to Bamber Bridge as the Preston By-Pass had been built and was open by the early sixties wasn't it with the rest of the M6 following later.

I see the junction was controlled by traffic lights. Prior to that,the junction was controlled by a point duty policeman, When were the traffic lights erected?

I remember Starr's Stationers just out of sight on the photo. I spent hours in there as a child, and my love of stationery has never left me, but how much cosier was Starr's than W.H.Smith!

Point duty police officer was at the top of Wallgate not King st, Albert. If that transit on the right wasn't parked up, then maybe that artic can get passed.

Gary. I did quite a lot of hours on point duty at this junction, there were no traffic lights there then. I also did point duty at the top of Wallgate, at its junction with Library Street. Late fifties, early sixties. No traffic lights there either, they did place a light above this point, to illuminate the bobby on point duty.

Cyril; For history of M6 see:-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M6_motorway
Extract:-
"The first section of the motorway and the first motorway in the country was the Preston By-pass. It was built by Tarmac Construction and opened by the Prime Minister Harold Macmillan on 5 December 1958."

Correct Albert

I recollect being on point duty at this junction one day, and a car drew up by the side of me. It was a chap I had served with in Germany, name Doug Labourne. His employment then was a salesman, in ladies lingerie. He lived then, in Blackpool. I've never seen him since.

Thanks for the info Ernest

Re the traffic point at Wallgate/Market Place:-
There was a cupboard where the white point duty coats were kept, in the recessed doorway of what was Crook and Edmondson's barbers in Library Street. It was still there until quite recently.

If December 5th 1958 was the date for the opening of the motorway than I was driving on there on the 6th, aged 17, and learning a salutary lesson at the same time. I was just about to overtake a car by moving into the next lane when this "thing" I can only call it that because it was a blur, whizzed past me at an incredible speed - it frightened me to death - the motorway originally only had 2 lanes, and no speed limits - if I'd been told that I'd been overtaken at 100mph+ I wouldn't have doubted it -a very close shave.

Cars doing 100 MPH in 1958, I don't think so John B. You were luck to do 60 70 MPH in those days.

Don't be so sure about that Garry - I was in a car that reached 125 on the same road just 3 years later - Jags could easily reach 100mph. I know - I was that driver.

I should have added that was legal in those days and the road was clear something you rarely see today - what's today's phrase? As long as it's safe and legal to do so.