Wigan Album

Are you able to tell us the date of photograph, Ron, please?

Good picture Ron, sadly hardly anything visible on the picture still exists.

I reckon around 1960?.
Thanks for uploading Ron.

With the state of the trackbed, I would guess about 1967-68...

I used to travel from Hindley South to Wigan Central to go and watch a Wigan at Central Park.I think the line closed in1964

It's not for off closure from the state of the track-bed, passenger service ceased in November 1964.

jarvo your wrong, the great central wigan branch closed nov 1964.by the state of the disubits of line,circa 1961/64

I would agree with jarvo, the station officially closed to normal train services in 1964 but it was still used for 'specials' for several years after that, up until the late 1960's and the overgrown state of the track bed, would suggest that the photo was taken 'after' the station officially closed in 1964.

Central Station was opened 3rd October 1892, closed to passengers 2nd November 1964 and completely closed 5th April 1965. See :-
http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/w/wigan_central/

Some of the rails look very shiny and still in regular use.

Intention had been a beautiful Ribble Bridge, and line extending to Blackpool: but Wigan was as far as they got.

May in part explain ornate architecture of station facade.

the intention was indeed blackpool ,but the great war put at stop to that idea,although plans had been finalised .the grouping of 1923, with the great central being swallowed up by the l.n.e.r.ended any hopes of a blackpool extension. the cash had gone due to ww1.track lifting started circa 1965,so don't know of any specialsds to wigan central.

BB: There were specials from Wigan Central up to 1966. The 'Brake Van Enthusiasts' being one of them.

Great picture Ron - keep them coming from this era

As has been said, the station closed completely in late '64. The photo's from around 1964 - don't forget it was deliberate government policy to run many sections of the railways down as from the mid '50's, (check out the book 'holding the line') so this sort of degredation wasn't uncommon. Btw, The line was lifted & cut back to the goods yard off Darlington Street in 1965 which stayed open until about '67. Section between Lowton St Mary and Lower Ince was also lifted in '65.

Complicated to explain but some sections of the old Wigan GCR were still in use until 1968... Mainly Glazebrook jc to Golborne..

Just wished I'd been around to see it first hand. Very sad.

I recall reading somewhere, that Golborne Colliery exploited what had been outlets to the rails of the two different companies, to have a one way flow of trucks. ie empties arriving by one connection, and loaded leaving via the other connection. No doubt there will be someone able to inform us, should this be incorrect.

Agreed, SJB - Ron seems to have struck a rich vein here.

I have the original act of Parliament authorising the construction of the WIGAN JUNCTION RAILWAY dated 16th July 1874. 30 pages. Very comprehensive details of the route and construction. Also details of fares/tolls for various items i.e livestock parcels etc.etc.
If anyone would like to borrow it let me know.

bob pixtons book re railways in wigan states one year over 100k tickets issued at wigan central turn of the 20th century.superb pic,i travelled once on the line circa 1961 to mank central gobsmacked at the number of named cops I got spotting there. a black porter after about six hours said I should go and wash my face and get off home,dont think i'd seen a coloured person before but he was friendly,came home around 7pm. mam and dad where waiting at the station, copped it good style when I got home.still I would have done it again knowing the outcome.cant understand why I never did though.when you got past lower ince it was surprisingly rural only for the pit tips at Hindley?

Jarvo's Right. On 13th August 1966 the Wigan Area Railfans Society (WARS) ran a tour from Wigan Central. A Stanier Mogul and several brake vans were used for the tour.

That's interesting Colin - is there any photo documentation of this? Considering it was an enthusiast run special I would have imagined there would be plenty shots of it..

SJB
I have got an Ordnance Survey Map of Wigan dated from 1969 but the map was probably made earlier than that and like you said, the line at that time, is shown terminating at the goods yard off Darlington Street.

just visited disused stations website fascinating read for rail buffs like myself ,it states goods services continued on into 1968.but i'm sure with the building of the high rise flats circa 1967/69 the station and bridge across scholes bottom had been demolished.

I remember watching this bridge being demolished with a huge ball & chain being swung on a crane

Scholes bridge remained for a short while following the high rise flats being built. There are some good photographs in the Scholes section, Album

The bridge was taken down about 1967 or 68, after Woodcock House and Douglas House was built. I remember the bottom of Scholes being closed off on a couple of Sundays while it was demolished.

What folly. The old trackbed could have been used as a road linking Wigan with Hindley and beyond. Nothing has replaced the old route; the entire section is covered in debris and dereliction. Same applies on the old Pemberton Loop. Wigan's traffic problems were there to be solved; but nobody had the foresight to grasp it...Sad.