Wigan Album

This signal box was by the glass works... yes?

(real Maggie). Whereabouts in Platt Bridge is this junction? I am completely confused. I recognise nothing.

Platt Bridge station was on Liverpool road near to the Victoria Pub, so it isnt the signal box by the glassworks, that was on a differnt stretch of track, I imagine the buildings you can see are indeed on Liverpool road, with Hindley to the left of them

Maggie,,, if you are travelling over the old railway bridge on Warrington Road at the side of Spring View Cricket Club and you are travelling towards Platt Bridge, if you look over to your right towards the old railway embankment, you will see where there are three bridges, which took railway lines and a dirt track underneath the embankment and that is where the picture was taken on the embankment facing towards Platt Bridge and the house you can see in the distance is still there and it is the first house on the right, on the corner, as you turn into Moss Lane from Warrington Road.

Thanks, I'm with it now. I was taken into the other signal box mentioned by my Dad & I tried to move the signal, not strong enough!

I think the brick foundations to the right is all that remains of the signal box, the box also controlled part of the Whelley loop.
Thanks again Harry.

The old CWS Glass works was just out of shot & to the right.
The site of the Signal Box at Platt Bridge Junction was on the right (with the CWS glassworks behind it).
The former Whelley Loop line also passed underneath at this location.
In its heyday the Signal Box at Platt Bridge Junction controlled quite a complex layout on two levels with lines running to Cromptons Sidings,Bickershaw Junction,& Fir Tree House Junction on the High level,as well as Lines running to Bamfurlong Sorting Sidings,Bamfurlong Junction,& Amberswood West Junction on the low level lines (the Whelley Loop).
When the Signal Box at Platt Bridge Junction closed on the 15th March 1973 it was found to be in such good condition that it was taken down,dismantled piece by piece & transported to Warrington Central with most of it being rebuilt as the new Warrington Central Signal Box (on the old CLC line).
BR sometimes reused timber structures that had plenty of life left in them & Platt Bridge Junction Signal Box was one example.
The box from Platt Bridge Junction still lives on to this day,(albeit in a new guise as Warrington Central)

I drove past the "new" box at Warrington, last summer.
It's on the A57, Midland Way.
Good set of pics, Harry.

Harry, do you live in Platt Bridge, and is your wife Christine?

No sorry Irene,I live in Pemberton & my wife is called Debbie.
I take it that i have a namesake from the Platt Bridge area?

Hi Winder,glad you like the photos mate,(will look for some more).
How are you keeping Cliff?.

You have a namesake as far as "Harry", but I can't remember his other name. This Harry was friendly with my parents and was very interested in railways, and I just wondered, due to your own interest, if you were him. I know the area where your photos are taken; I had a brother who worked at Springs Branch and I have a friend in London who has a great interest in the railways around this area, and I have accompanied him on his visits here to take photos of the old signal-box sites etc.

Harry, apart from owd age & poverty, I'm ok!
I'll have a look through my photos to see if I can find something of interest.

Can anyone tell me why they replaced some of the sleepers at the Taylors Lane end of this line when it appears to be totally defunct?

Glad you are Ok Cliff.
All being well,we`ll have that walk this summer if you are up for it.

Been up there today to take a look, remains of signal box, electric box,and lights are all still there ????

Spent many hrs as a kid in the 70s on that railway line climbed that signal as well as climbed on board coal wagons holding on goin for a ride so many memories when I look at that photo