Wigan Album

This Royal Scot class locomotive, 46168, was " The Girl Guide ".

Lovely. Needs a clean though.e

I loved to mooch around Springs Branch in the day's of steam, none of the train drivers objected and used to let us climb aboard.

In the 1950-60s my bedroom window over looked Springs Branch Sheds and the turntable, We was always in the Sheds ,The train drivers let us on the trains when they was leaving the Sheds Dose any body remember the hot house were they kept the sand?.

One of the train drivers in 1964 would be my brother in law. Bill Bootle. He drove the Royal Train twice, when he worked on the railway.

I knew Bill very well he was a BIG Latics fan. We met him and his wife when we were on holiday in Fuengirola We knocked about together for the week.

I did not go to Springs Branch very often but one day a driver let us go into the cab and took us for a short ride.It was a “namer” something like St.Dunstable but I could be wrong.I later went on to work for BREL.

Does anybody remember Harry Cherrington?

Pw, could it have been St Dunstans you rode on? ( no. 45501 Patriot class)

John,I googled St Dunstans 45501 and there is photo of it at Springs branch taken in 1961 which would be about the time I am on about so I think it must have been this engine.Many thanks.

I can't believe you met Bill and Joan on holiday Ron. Small world isn't it? Bill passed away a few years ago. He was a lovely person.

owd viewer, I remember the hot house from when I worked there around 1964 we used to go up there in winter to chat to the old labourer , Bert Grimes he's also on this site . work / railways page 1

Edna, Ron, I remember Bill from when I worked at Springs Branch MPD he played on the football team with a pal of mine Bill Rigby (rip) there are photos on this site, album/ work/ railways/page 10.