Wigan Album
Wallgate
17 CommentsPhoto: John Gaskell
Item #: 30794
Remember buying clothes from Joan Barrie's in the sixties. Quite a few dress shops then, you could take your pick.
It doesnt look alot different in 1972 to when I knew Wigan in 1953...before the rot set in ??
Can anyone name the cars on the photograph.
Can anyone name the shop withthe red sign nearthe bus that is parked up.
It's called True Form Ed, If you look at the 1982 photo of Marketplace a few post's on it's still there, but then with a different coloured sign!
Is it True Form (shoe shop)?
Ed,I'm sure it's True Form.
That is True-Form shoe shop Ed
True Form, the red sign; A shoe shop
Ed, the cars going towards Wallgate are Ford Escort (next to the bus), the two white cars behind it are Morris or Austin 1100 and behind that a Morris Minor. Not sure of the two behind the bus but think the fawn one is a Hillman Minx.
Ed, I can identify most of the vehicles. 3 Leyland Wigan Corporation buses, I Albion Lowlander bus of Ribble,
a Volkswagen van, a Vauxhall Viva, a Morris 1000, an Austin 1100, a Ford Escort,and a Skip Lorry.
By 1972 the police officer on traffic duty had finished, but Market Place was still the main route through town, with two way traffic for another year. Cars are two Ford Escorts, an Austin or Morris 1100, Volkswagen van, Vauxhall Victor FD, Morris Minor, and a Hillman Hunter or Singer Vogue. There is a Ribble Albion Lowlander bus, and three corporation Leylands, being front entrance short PD2s DEK2-3D, DEK4-7E and FEK1-9F with two rear windows. Earlier longer PD3s EJP501-510, GJP8-19, HEK705-707 and HJP1-11 have three windows, not sure if 1962-64 PD2s JJP502-509, KEK739-750, AEK1-10B had two or three windows.
I was interested to see the two-way traffic arrangements still in place for Market Street and Market Place in this picture dated 1972.
Does anyone know (Mr X sounds like a fount of knowledge) exactly when the original gyratory one-way road system was implemented around Millgate, Rodney St and Harrogate St?
I clearly remember the first time I experienced that new one-way system on the eastern side of the town centre was with my mother on a No. 3 Corporation bus to Hindley. During that journey my mother was chatting with another passenger about the outrageous increases in bus fares, and how you didn't realise that the 5p it now cost to get to Hindley was actually a whole shilling.
This would put that bus ride some time after "D-Day" in Feb 1971 - and before this photo taken in Wallgate. Was the 1970s one-way system introduced in stages or have I got my dates mixed up?
So good to see the old Walkers sign on the right hand side. A guarantee [landlord-willing!] of a great pint of bitter.
Lots of cars here that would be the lust of retro classic car enthusiasts today. That Escort, if its a rare model or had any significant history to it, would be worth quite a few Bob today; there's an MK1 Escort on eBay in Wigan for sale as I speak for 65 grand. Utterly ridiculous money some of these cars fetch now. At least those cars still had charm and character about them - and vibrant colours, now they're soulless and sport dull grey and silver colours.
i had a holiday in a mark1 escort 1300 estate,when my cortina was off the road with clutch problems.i kept tapping the petrol guage from birmingham down to the isle of wight must have got close to 45mpg out of that escort.on my return the cortina went in for part exchange for an escort estate.happy days
Just a quick question? rot set in ? please explain?