"HELLO ECCLES" (With apologies to the Goon Show)

 Somewhat to the east of Leigh is Astley and the former colliery here has been converted into a museum. An 0-4-0ST loco stands outside.

The Cart and Horses at Astley is a well known Holt's pub.

Further east was Worsley Coal Chute on the Bridgewater Canal.

I once found this Wilson's Brewery dray outside a pub in Worsley.

Now, we head for the town of Swinton. You can follow the route here. There's shops to be found in Swinton Square (Creative Commons License).

Here's St Peter's church (Creative Commons License).

Lancashire United/GMT ran into Swinton. 2335 is on Chorley Road in 1985.

Two Holt's pubs to visit in Swinton, the Park Inn and the White Swan

We now turn south, to Patricroft loco shed in LMS times.

Just to the east is Eccles station, where class 40 locos were common.

Here's the exterior of Eccles station in pre-grouping days.

The old town hall in Eccles (Creative Commons License).

The shopping centre (Creative Commons License).

Salford trams once ran into Eccles.

Manchester's Metrolink now serves Eccles.

Various bus companies have served Eccles. Arriva has a big share of the routes.

Blue Bus ran several services here, but have now ceased trading.

Eccles Greys/Irwell Valley didn't last long.

Another vanished operator, the Lyntown Bus Company, had their depot in Eccles.

Get your Eccles cakes at Ye Olde Thatche!

There's plenty of real ale available in Eccles, but not at the Albert Edward any more.

The Eccles Cross is the town's Wetherspoons.

Sadly, the Royal Oak is no longer open.

Never mind, there's Holt's beers in the White Lion.

We conclude our visit in the Lamb, a historic pub close to the tram stop. More Holts.

Next time, we'll be in the area to the north of Manchester.

A WANDER THROUGH THE BORDERLANDS

In this post we'll travel through three "counties" (thanks to the 1974 boundary changes). We start in Greater Manchester at Wigan Springs Branch depot, once the haunt of EE type 4 locos (class 40). Here, 40012 is stabled, while 40082 passes by.

 

This area was once riddled with coal mines, such as this one - Park Pit at Garswood.

Nearby, the small town of Ashton-in-Makerfield. This is Gerard Street.

We're now in Merseyside, along the remains of the Haydock branch, as 25235 and 25242 trundle along in 1982.

Into Earlestown, where this Toftwood Coaches' minibus was operating in 1994.

Conjoined to Earlestown is Newton-le-Willows, still in Merseyside. The Wellington, seen in the 1990s, when it was a Burtonwood pub. It's still open today, but no cask ale.

To Burtonwood itself now, in Cheshire. Here's the brewery in 1980.

Burtonwood hosted a bus rally in 1983. here are a couple of local entrants.

We cross the West Coast Main Line at Winwick Junction (here's the map if you're lost). Royal Scot no. 46135 passes in 1958.

Staying in Cheshire, we stop off at the Cherry Tree at Culceth for some traditional beer.

Moving back into Greater Manchester, at Westleigh in 1980, we see Greater Manchester Transport no.389, ex Lancashire United.

Into the town of Leigh and you're welcome. (Photo by Zippy - Creative Commons License).

Leigh Corporation used to run its own buses.

Leigh Corporation's buses were absorbed into SELNEC/Greater Manchester Transport.

Lancashire United ran several services into Leigh.

LUT became part of GMT.

GMT bought a batch of ex London DMS type Fleetlines, this one seen in Leigh bus station.

Jim Stones was a local independent.

Other companies running into Leigh included South Lancashire and Timeline.

 

The Leeds & Liverpool Canal runs through Leigh. The Waterside Inn here has recently reopened, but the status of cask ale in here is uncertain.

The Brewery Inn does have real ale. The old brewery itself, seen beyond the pub, is long closed.

The Boar's Head is another decent pub, worth visiting.

The town's Wetherspoons is the Thomas Burke.

That's where I'll leave you for this post. Next time, I expect to be around West and North Manchester.