PLENTY MORE OF BOLTON

Let's start off with three views of Bolton town centre from my postcard collection. 

Going back in time, here's Knowsley Street, circa 1927. As one can see, Bolton once had trams.

Car no. 46 is seen in the town centre.

A peep inside the depot.

Buses replaced Bolton's trams. Here's the bus station in the 1930s.

A Bolton Corporation Leyland, no. 358, on service.

A more modern Bolton bus, no. 15, a Leyland Leopard, seen in 1968 (Les Flint).

Bolton Corporation was incorporated into SELNEC (later Greater Manchester) PTE.

Some more PTE buses in Bolton.

Lancashire United Transport ran into Bolton. 

LUT got taken over by the PTE.

Firstbus later gained control.

Other major operators included Arriva and Stagecoach.

Another big company was the "new" Lancashire United, later to become Transdev.

Shearings once had a share of the buses serving Bolton. This later became Timeline.

A former municipal running into Bolton was Hyndburn, from Accrington.

Other companies that have served Bolton have included Blue Bus, Bolton Coachways, Cumfybus, Evag Cannon, Maytree Travel and South Lancs Travel.

Now it's time for a look at Bolton's beer scene. Magee Marshall's brewery has long closed.

Our first pub is the Clifton Arms, seen in the 1920s and in 1991. It has since closed.

There were two pubs called the Anchor. Both have since closed.

I believe that the Bowling Green is still serving pints, though not Wilson's these days.

The Millstone is a Holt's tied house.

There's a Wetherspoons, the Spinning Mule.

The Swan Hotel's Barristers Bar has a good selection of real ales.

It would have been nice to have concluded this post at the Howcroft Inn, but wwe can't as it has been shut since 2012.

What a shame! Never mind, we'll get to pastures new in the next post.

LET'S MAKE A BOLT TO BOLTON

We leave Chorley behind and make a beeline towards Bolton, pausing at Blackrod to catch LMS (ex L&YR) steam railmotor 10617 to Horwich. 

At Horwich, the staff have turned out to greet us.

The L&YR had their main workshops at Horwich. Here, we're inside in pre-grouping days.

LMS 12501 in Horwich Works in the 1940s.

50650 at Horwich in 1949.

More ex L&YR locos at Horwich, it's 1957 now.

There was a small narrow gauge system at Horwich Works, operated by steam and diesel locos.

Across country now (see the map here) to another L&YR line at Bromley Cross station.

Here's the signal box and station in August 1963 (Ben Brooksbank - Creative Commons License).

At nearby Hall-'i-th'-Wood we find this Leyland Atlantean of a local independent, Blue Bus, in 1994.

We're now in the northern outskirts of Bolton, where Bank Top Brewery can be found.

And so to Bolton. The town's main railway station, Trinity Street, is our first stop. Here's the exterior in 1963 (Ben Brooksbank - Creative Commons License).

Inside, LMS railmotor 10617 again.

There was plenty of steam about in the 1960s.

40076 passes through Trinity Street station.

Northern operate most services today.

Close by was the loco shed, seen here in LMS days.

Another railmotor, LMS 10600, on shed in 1936.

A few more steam locos at Bolton shed in BR days.

The Bolton Crook Street Train Crash 16th March 1918

That's where I'll leave you today. Next time, we'll venture into Bolton town centre.