Wigan Album

Is this photo taken on the embankment of the Whelley line between the sites of Amberswood West and Amberswood East signalboxes looking towards what appears to be the CWS glass factory at Platt Bridge left background.

This was the old Whelley loop.At the time i think they were drilling to see if the coal seams were worth excavating.

Is the embankment still there? I know some parts of it have gone at Platt-Bridge.

John.Assuming I am right where the photo was taken,all the embankment as far as you can see was swept away during the opencast operations.The area where the men are drilling I think is now part of the lake created when the site was given a thorough make over when opencasting was completed.

Your absolutely right the embankment you can see in this picture has all gone, the only parts left are from the footpath that is passes by the end of Hanover Road, Harewood Road and Moorland Road in Hindley and then a little further heading southwards towards the man made lake. The other is from the footpath "that you can access from moss lane Plattbridge" to the cricket ground which incidentally took up part of the cutting further towards Warrington Road bridge.