Thank you for doing this walk. In the 1950s, I lived just by Newchurch Halt when it was a working, living track. Many and many a time have I travelled on the train from this station either to Manchester or to Wigan, with my Mum. Many and many a time have I run up those steps you showed on the right to see if I could see the train coming (from the Manchester direction). You could see it approaching across those flat fields for a long way, looking like a toy train at first, but soon turning into a steaming monster pounding into the station. I cannot believe how that busy track has disappeared into that almost impassable undergrowth which you struggled through. It was great to see the old place again, and to be reminded of how it was, though so changed. Thanks again.
Good morning Allen. Well done for the fantastic effort walking this line. As a young boy back then as I’m 66 now 😀 This railway was the highlight of my childhood and got me into watching trains. We lived in Urmston but my late Mum & Dads parents lived in Lowton-St-Mary’s on Pocket-nook lane. We’d catch the train from Urmston and change at Irlam for Wigan central to go and see my grandparents 😀 Happy days. I was very sad when it closed ☹️ I played in the yard when it closed as it was full of goods vans. I also saw the demolition train taking away my railway 🥲 We used to catch the train too Wigan Central on a Saturday and Woolworths was out side the station were I get a dinky car with my pocket money 🤣
Great exploration there. I have a couple of pointers on placename pronunciation: Tyldesley is pronounced Tildsley. Abram is not said like “Aibram”, but “Abram”, like the beginning of “Abracadabra”. Plank Lane is where the entrance to Bickershaw Colliery was located, just up from the Swing Bridge over the canal. Also, “Lowton” is not said as “Louton”, but with “Low” (as in opposite of “high”).
My in laws' garden backs onto this line. I walked to Newchurch in 2003 and the track was clear, with stairs and lamp in place Glazebrook is the same as Gorgeous Irlam..where you get the best breakfast.
Mega overgrowth ,looking nearly as bad as the Partington disused line ,brilliant video 📹.Tried to walk it 10 years ago but as I was on the bridge getting ready to drop down onto the old track,a farmer in the distance was watching me so couldn't do it .
@MrPingu70EGCC me and a pal of mine use to ride our bikes onto Carrington moss,past uniteds training ground to the level crossing near the old tip incinerator. Maybe 1985 ,one set of rails were rusty and the other side well used . In 1991 to 1992 went back there and on a Monday morning would sit and watch the locos come into the moss from Skelton, and then into the shell complex ,good days .
I worked with a platelayer who’d worked on the Central line . The flooded track between Hindley South and Ince South . He said there was a pump that worked 24 hours to keep the track clear of water . One of their gangs duties was to check the pump every day
Would love you to do a vid of the old line from Wigan to Manchester that ran through platt bridge, hindley green, Howe bridge, tyldesley, roe green, monton and then connected to the existing line at Eccles through to the old Manchester exchange station
As a child I went by train from Hindley South to Irlam many times. It's a shame but Wigan Council seem determined to destroy every last remnant of the old town and it's industrial past. Most of Hindley common (Amberswood) became either a huge open cast pit (the lake is a remnant of that) or a council tip. Parts of the Pemberton loop and Wigan Avoiding Line embankments are still in existence. The Springs Branch line was finally lifted @ 2017 and only a few sleepers remain north of the bridge you filmed from. Oddly enough, a short section of sleepers and trackbed from the old Amberswood colliery, disused for over a 100 years, are still in place.
I think this is one of those routes which you'll really struggle to follow on google maps because it's so overgrown and neglected, and redeveloped, and well erased etc. especially in Wigan where there's now a shopping centre where the old central station once was. Does anyone know if there's any north west rail maps available still in print showing the current railways in the region overlaid with the old long gone lifted lines in a different colour, or shade etc.? I've already got some old maps for parts of the northwest lines both past and present in some books.
Great work. Came across your site after getting interested in disused lines a few months back. Question - do you film over a few days? How do you get to where you want to be after filming if in middle of nowhere?! That's hell of a job if you do these during one day!
Thank you for doing this walk. In the 1950s, I lived just by Newchurch Halt when it was a working, living track. Many and many a time have I travelled on the train from this station either to Manchester or to Wigan, with my Mum. Many and many a time have I run up those steps you showed on the right to see if I could see the train coming (from the Manchester direction). You could see it approaching across those flat fields for a long way, looking like a toy train at first, but soon turning into a steaming monster pounding into the station. I cannot believe how that busy track has disappeared into that almost impassable undergrowth which you struggled through.
It was great to see the old place again, and to be reminded of how it was, though so changed.
Thanks again.
Good morning Allen. Well done for the fantastic effort walking this line. As a young boy back then as I’m 66 now 😀 This railway was the highlight of my childhood and got me into watching trains. We lived in Urmston but my late Mum & Dads parents lived in Lowton-St-Mary’s on Pocket-nook lane. We’d catch the train from Urmston and change at Irlam for Wigan central to go and see my grandparents 😀 Happy days. I was very sad when it closed ☹️ I played in the yard when it closed as it was full of goods vans. I also saw the demolition train taking away my railway 🥲 We used to catch the train too Wigan Central on a Saturday and Woolworths was out side the station were I get a dinky car with my pocket money 🤣
Good video you've pass through our backfield in one of your shots, enjoyed the 1960s Train spotting film outside bickershaw station
Absolutely love your videos and thanks for all your hard work walking all these disused lines hoping there's more to come 👍🏻
Thank you for battling the nettles and another brilliant video 👍
Regarding Hindley South. The platform is still there, directly in front of the bridge that was filled in. It could easily be mistaken for a canal!
Great exploration there. I have a couple of pointers on placename pronunciation:
Tyldesley is pronounced Tildsley.
Abram is not said like “Aibram”, but “Abram”, like the beginning of “Abracadabra”.
Plank Lane is where the entrance to Bickershaw Colliery was located, just up from the Swing Bridge over the canal.
Also, “Lowton” is not said as “Louton”, but with “Low” (as in opposite of “high”).
Be interesting to hear them say Winwick....😁
Brilliant! I've only walked a section of the Culcheth Linear park and always wanted to know what lay beyond.
My in laws' garden backs onto this line. I walked to Newchurch in 2003 and the track was clear, with stairs and lamp in place Glazebrook is the same as Gorgeous Irlam..where you get the best breakfast.
Mega overgrowth ,looking nearly as bad as the Partington disused line ,brilliant video 📹.Tried to walk it 10 years ago but as I was on the bridge getting ready to drop down onto the old track,a farmer in the distance was watching me so couldn't do it .
I had to duck and dive a few times to avoid being spotted…
Sorry your Partington video had me in tears. I am 71 and used to go on my bike from Davyhulme past Shell to Partington Station to watch
@MrPingu70EGCC me and a pal of mine use to ride our bikes onto Carrington moss,past uniteds training ground to the level crossing near the old tip incinerator. Maybe 1985 ,one set of rails were rusty and the other side well used . In 1991 to 1992 went back there and on a Monday morning would sit and watch the locos come into the moss from Skelton, and then into the shell complex ,good days .
Well done Allan, that was a trek and a half, next time you'll have to take some shears with you or a machete to hack away at the foliage
Thats the best picture Ive seen of Lower Ince shed.
please check out the new book all about the line , it s really good
I worked with a platelayer who’d worked on the Central line . The flooded track between Hindley South and Ince South . He said there was a pump that worked 24 hours to keep the track clear of water . One of their gangs duties was to check the pump every day
Would love you to do a vid of the old line from Wigan to Manchester that ran through platt bridge, hindley green, Howe bridge, tyldesley, roe green, monton and then connected to the existing line at Eccles through to the old Manchester exchange station
Wow a real safari trying to find this line..
Good video mate, rather you than me through those nettles and brambles….lol
As a child I went by train from Hindley South to Irlam many times. It's a shame but Wigan Council seem determined to destroy every last remnant of the old town and it's industrial past. Most of Hindley common (Amberswood) became either a huge open cast pit (the lake is a remnant of that) or a council tip. Parts of the Pemberton loop and Wigan Avoiding Line embankments are still in existence. The Springs Branch line was finally lifted @ 2017 and only a few sleepers remain north of the bridge you filmed from. Oddly enough, a short section of sleepers and trackbed from the old Amberswood colliery, disused for over a 100 years, are still in place.
Great stuff again! :)
I think this is one of those routes which you'll really struggle to follow on google maps because it's so overgrown and neglected, and redeveloped, and well erased etc. especially in Wigan where there's now a shopping centre where the old central station once was. Does anyone know if there's any north west rail maps available still in print showing the current railways in the region overlaid with the old long gone lifted lines in a different colour, or shade etc.? I've already got some old maps for parts of the northwest lines both past and present in some books.
Bus shelters at Glazebrook Station! No bus has gone anywhere near this station for years!
Great work. Came across your site after getting interested in disused lines a few months back. Question - do you film over a few days? How do you get to where you want to be after filming if in middle of nowhere?! That's hell of a job if you do these during one day!
22:10 brilliant work but wrong pronunciation here. You said Tyseley (in Birmingham) it should be Tyldesley pronounced "Tildsley"
Thank You
👍😊
I’m from Wigan me. 😂
not LAWton it's LOWEton