Billychris

I did a quick 'Google' when neighbour gave me photo . only info I found was that prize jazz bands were very popular in St Helens and Liverpool during the thirties. http://www.old-merseytimes.co.uk/prizebands.html

My neighbour handed me a tiny photo of what appears to be some type of walking day in the 1930's only a tiny photo , I've zoomed in and enlarged as best I can .The parade is led by Parr Prize Jazz band. Apparently in the thirties these type of bands were very popular.

Well done Phyll ! Looks like he was correct . I'll print that map off for him . Big thanks for the info . added 18 minutes later Phyll , have had a good look at the map .The tramway for the miners (from Helena Road) appears to start just past the bridge .. ie. where the bricked up area is in the photo .. fairly certain my friend was correct . By the way , it was his mother many years ago who had told him about the tramway.

When passing what looks like a bricked up doorway just under bridge at Junction Station a friend told me that there used to be a colliery railway that took the miners from just southeast of the Junction station to the pit and that this was the entrance for the miners . Is he correct ? Have uploaded photo from Google maps.

This photograph was on Facebook page ( St Helens Pubs) Have seen it somewhere else actually. The Facebook page says the pageant is walking past the old Red Lion Pub in Robins Lane . The old Red Lion was demolished and rebuilt in 1963 . I can make out ' Walkers Warrington Ales ' on side of pub . Does anyone remember the old Red Lion ? is it the one in photograph ?

Looked on lots of sites but apart from the photo no info. I presume another train ran into it and derailed carriage , Looking on Stephen Wainwrights excellent Sutton Beauty site , on the transport time line . Numerous accidents and incidents over the years at St Helens Junction , the 'Sutton incline' often mentioned Just how dangerous it was is referred to in an extract from Daily Post "January 1860 - Three trains collided on Sutton incline. In its report of the accident on the 9th, the Liverpool Daily Post wrote: 'It is a remarkable fact that though there are many more dangerous stations on the London and North-western Railway than St.Helen's Junction, yet it has always been noted for misfortune...Strange to say, it is the fourth accident which has occurred at this place in the short space of one month."

I did spot it on Sutton Beauty site . As you say , does seem a bit of a coincidence re two identical incidents . The Sutton Beauty site seems to be so well run though that its hard to imagine the chap that runs it getting the date wrong .

That's photo I spotted . Can't find any info though . Looked at various sites via Google but apart from photo and the date 1906 nothing else. No eyewitness accounts or why it came off rails etc

Have seen a photo of a 1906 rail crash at Junction Station . The train smashed into station masters building . Apart from the year it happened no other info . Was train going too fast ?Was it derailed by something on track etc ? Was anybody hurt ? . There might well be some info on here but I have used search engine at top of page and not been able to find any link .

Thanks for quick reply (though I've only just spotted it as I didn't realise I had to scroll down , thought latest comment would be at top ). That must be the one . A lot of info for me thanks . The line is an easy walk , only takes about 20 minutes there and back . Top end there is a path that leads out to Taunton Avenue area . added 39 minutes later The last third of the track is surrounded by a jungle of the dreaded Japanese knotweed . Apparently it is found by many railroad tracks as the Victorians used to line the tracks with it because it grows so quickly (10 cms a day apparently !) .

Always looking for somewhere new to explore , bloke in pub said " did you know there is a disused railway line , parallel with Leach Lane , back of Sidac Club ?" Checked it out the other day , he was right . Turned up Hawthorne Road (end of Leach Lane by Wheatsheaf Pub ) then just after Scout Club turned right up narrow path ... lo and behold disused railway line . Quite a bit of land actually . Gravel where the lines used to be , still got concrete posts on either side where fencing used to be . Walk takes you past back of building site where numerous houses being built on what was Sidac sports field. Runs up to back of Clock Face Road (no access ) I presume the line originally carried on under the bridge . Does anyone know when line was closed ?