Wigan Album

Tom. Since the demise of steam locomotives, is Springs Branch still used to service the present types of locomotives?.

Great photo Tom from a bygone age of BR.
You can just see the steps far right of no2 signal box.

Quite an early specimen: Vulcan Foundry-built.

BR mk1 suburban coach to the left behind the Stanier engine. Well done Tom, great times.

If you look at the right of the photo the gap after the terrace houses is where a bus crashed and two houses were demonstrated.

Another good photo.I did my training to be a passed cleaner in the the barracks.I may have helped to clean that engine as well.Keep them coming Tom.

My late brother Colin worked there in the early 1960s and used to take me to pick up his wages. He started as a cleaner in the 1950s and then became a fireman. I loved it there amongst the steam engines.

Albert S Springs Branch is still operational servicing Network Rail Maintainence Vehicles (MPV's)these are used for weed killing and leaf fall problems.The old brewery sidings have been levelled and electrified for overnight cleaning etc of Northern Rail trains.

Hadn't your brother once lifted you onto a footplate Irene, or am I mistaken.

Spent loads of time playing down Branch as a kid,so did most of Lads from Spring View.Health & Safety never heard of it. Remember that Bus crashing in those House's ont main rd late 50's.Billy Silcock climed on top of the Bus & sawed all the wooden beam's off so they could get the Bus out.Think he got some sort of Award for it.

Jinksi did you see the message I left on the photo of st Marys church?

Sorry Jinksi just seen your message on st Marys, The street was Norman st, did you go to spring view school?

It is quite surprising that I can still remember this, but in the mid thirties, approaching the late thirties, in Spring View, just the Clinker Valley side of Spring View Police Station, a railway line crossed the main road, A railway engine took wagons to some kind of works about two hundred yards beyond the houses, opposite the police station. A man held a red flag to stop any traffic. Traffic was very few, and far between then.

Albert when you lived in Henry St was the corn mill in full working order.

Owd viewer/jinksy. Are neither of you on any of the school photographs on Schools. Spring View?.

Philip G...our Colin lifted me on the footplate many times but I have told of that a few times on photos of Springs Branch so didn't mention it this time. It was brilliant! The heat from the firebox and the glare were unbelievable. Health and Safety would have a field-day if it happened now but I never caught any harm. xx

Albert I'm on two photos spring view school 1960s and 1964.

I'd been on the right track then, Irene. And thanks for your reply.

About 1960 we were always in the sheds and they let us ride on the trains until they left the sheds then we was told to get of, dose any one remember the hot house were the sand was?.

Owd viewer/jinksy. Are neither of you on any of the school photographs on Schools. Spring View?.

Owd viewer. I’m on the two photographs shown in the list of Spring View school. 1946, and 1947. Left school April, 1949.

Owd viewer. As far as I can remember, The Corn Mill was still a functioning concern.

I remember being in the shed on one freezing early Sunday afternoon in 1965/66. Having got most of the home engines, I suddenly came upon the splendid Cornwallis, a Jubilee class loco hiddem among the black fives. A memorable moment for an 11 year old and a 'Cop'...Some ten years later or so, the 'Cop' was all about girls not steam locomotives...:)

I remember going into these sheds but was not a train spotter as such.One day a driver let us get into the cab and took us for a short ride.I am sure it had a name,St Dunstan?Jarvo probably knows.Went on to work at Horwich loco works and they were still using steam trains for shunting and one of the drivers let a few of us apprentices move it down the line,about 200 yards.

Albert I can still remember Ned Harris having chicken's and other pets on his land at the back of his house.

Owd Viewer,Albert,Irene.Put note on Spring View School 1961

Owd Viewer,remember Hot House,think it was Kenny Wilson told us if we sink in that Sand they'l never find us. Went in anyway.Lads will be lads.

Jinksi is Kenny Wilson, Eric Wilson's brother?. If so had meny drinks with Kenny in oak tree.

Remember going here in late 50's as my mate's grandad worked there. We had a ride in one of these we called Mickeys.