Photo-a-Day  (Monday, 21st June, 2021)

Spot the mistake the planning office made.....

Smashing photo, Dennis...

This brings back many memories, including trainspotting memories. I also remember, aged 5-6, standing there waiting for the train with my parents and little brother to go to Southport for a day out. Good times.

So did I, Dennis.
Then it was a double line either side of the island platform with a dead end buffer stop bay in the centre, facing the Southport/Liverpool direction.
The canopy looks flimsy compared with the old iron one.
Good photo. Many memories.

Good picture Dennis, I never did train spotting but would take my little Woolworth's notebook and pencil collecting lorry number plates. I remember my dad taking me to Southport on the train from this station back in the early 1950s.

Brilliant photo, thanks, Dennis. You can just see the little train pulling its planter carriages behind one of the benches. A group of volunteers help care for the station - Wigan Wallflowers also known as Friends of Wigan Wallgate Station: https://wgwwallflowers.wordpress.com/

Went to Southport from here Wednesday last week. Shattered on arriving home, not a bench/seat anywhere to rest and watch the world go by. Presumably to prevent the spread of covid.
Dennis your picture is more of a pleasure than the day out

Helen, they allowed that monstrosity of a building to be built overlooking the station on King Street West.

Wallgate Station video with a moving train.

https://youtu.be/YOsCPKYlBhI

What happened to the planned tunnel joining both stations?

That building just sticks out like a sore thumb...
I always gaze up at it and wonder why it was 'plonked' in the middle.

Would that be a Roman sore thumb Veronica?

This is what happens when engineers become Architects .

Oh the Blackpool Belle was a getaway train that went from northern stations. Someone will obviously tell me that was the wrong station. Oh well we all make mistakes.

It's definitely a 'thumbs' down Dtease. Why build it between 'vintage' ornate buildings such as those at either side. Perhaps it was an a apprentice engineer cum architect who took five minutes to design it, or even a 5 year old.

That's Westward House one of Len Gibson's builds, he built another similar building Rodney House which is on the corner of Rodney Street and King Street, and also Gateway House Standishgate which latterly was the Education Depts. head office and is currently being considered to be turned into apartments.

He most likely got away with such architecture has he built them and then rented them as offices for the council.

That building has been there roughly sixty years, so almost an antique.

A photo of the opening of Heller's store in the 1930s is on the Album, it was taken from Wallgate looking down King Street West, where this building is on the photo part of it appears to be boarded up with adverts pasted on the boards, had it been derelict until this was built?

https://www.wiganworld.co.uk/album/photo.php?opt=5&id=27003&gallery=King+Street+%26+King+Street+West%2C+Wigan&page=1

What a great link Cyril, Thank you, I couldn't understand why there was so many people then the bottom post says it was opened by Gracie Field. Looks like a car arriving and people running to it. Well Done Cyril, such a great picture of a moment time you won't see again, well
certainly not in Wigan- unless they decide to open Woollies again..

Rainh, all thanks should go to Ron for sharing his superb collection of Wigan ephemera for all to see over on the Album.

Indeed Cyril , they also provide unmeasurable value as regards historical record. Sadly , the way things are changing , this will be the only record we will have left..

So very true, Rainh. I remember when we moved house 20 or so years ago we threw out a complete set of Wigan Observer supplements that had old photos of events, buildings and streets within the town, often wish they'd been kept now.