Historic 1963 Images Show Wigan Chimney Coming Down 2026

Key Points

• Wigan Today published a set of black and white photographs taken in 1963 to show some developments made in Wigan
• These photographs include the destruction of the chimney of Wigan Junction Colliery located at Bickershaw Lane
• A new building of seven-bays for fire brigade headquarters was built at Robin Park Road, Newtown in 1963
• The fire station situated at Chapel Lane, which was in use since 1928, was decommissioned in November 1963
• These photographs belong to the Wigan Archives Services collection consisting of more than 100,000 images
• The new fire brigade headquarters were inaugurated in April 1964
• These photographs give us an idea of developments in Wigan in the 1960s

Wigan (Manchester Mirror) August 18, 2026 – A collection of black and white photographs from the uk/local/wigan/">Wigan Today archive has brought to light significant developments that shaped the borough in 1963, including the demolition of a colliery chimney and the construction of a new fire brigade headquarters. As reported in the Wigan Today publication, the gallery presents a miscellaneous selection of images from the Wigan archive, all dating from 1963, capturing a year of notable transition for the town’s industrial and civic infrastructure.

The Chimney Demolition at Wigan Junction Colliery

The archive photographs document the demolition of the chimney at Wigan Junction Colliery, located on Bickershaw Lane. According to records held at the National Archives under reference COAL 80/1060, photographs of Wigan Junction colliery at Bickershaw, near Wigan, Lancashire, are described at item level within the coal industry collection. The demolition of industrial chimneys during this period represented a broader trend across Lancashire as older collieries were modernised or closed, reflecting changes in the coal mining industry during the 1960s.

As documented by NewsPrints.co.uk, which offers retro prints of the 1963 Wigan Junction Colliery chimney demolition on Bickershaw Lane, the images capture this significant moment in the borough’s industrial heritage. The chimney demolition would have been a substantial engineering operation, requiring careful planning to ensure the safe collapse of the tall structure without damage to surrounding buildings or infrastructure.

Fire Brigade Headquarters Construction at Robin Park Road

According to Fireground.org.uk, which maintains detailed records of fire brigade histories, the long-inadequate Chapel Lane fire station was eventually replaced by a large new seven-bay headquarters at Robin Park Road, Newtown, with occupation beginning in November 1963 and the official opening taking place in April 1964. This development marked a significant upgrade to Wigan’s fire protection capabilities, replacing facilities that had been in use since 1928.

The historical record shows that Wigan Fire Brigade had operated from Chapel Lane since 1928, when the brigade moved into its new fire station as part of an extension to the municipal offices. By the early 1960s, these premises had become inadequate for the modern appliance fleet and operational requirements of the brigade. The new headquarters at Robin Park Road provided seven bays for fire appliances, representing a substantial investment in the borough’s emergency services infrastructure.

The Wigan Archives Service Collection

What does the Wigan Archives Service hold?

The Wigan Archives Service maintains one of the largest photographic archives in the region, containing over 100,000 images covering all aspects of life in the borough. According to the Wigan Council’s archives service, the photographic collection documents change in the built and natural environment across the borough, with the Wigan & Leigh Archives Online website containing a portion of the full photographic archive available for public browsing.

As stated by the Wigan Local History organisation, the Wigan Archives Service holds well over 500,000 documents, photographs, maps and historic books in their collections. The archives team conducts essential behind-the-scenes work including sorting, cataloguing, appraising, and reboxing materials to ensure the preservation of the borough’s historical records. Photographs that are not yet available online can be viewed at the Wigan Archives Service at Leigh Town Hall by appointment.

Historical Context of Wigan Fire Brigade Development

The earliest reference to fire protection in Wigan can be found in the Wigan Water Act of 1764, which provided for the use of water to supply “the water engines” should “any fire happen or break out,” according to Fireground.org.uk. By 1837, the town had three engines kept in a shed at the Wigan Gas Company on Darlington Street. In 1857, the existing brigade was reorganised as a police fire brigade under the control of the Chief Constable, with all firefighting duties carried out by police constables.

By 1876, the brigade comprised a Captain (the Chief Constable), one Chief Engineer (a Police Inspector) and eight Firemen-Constables. The Borough’s first motorised fire engine, built by Merryweather & Sons of London, was purchased in 1909. During World War I, the brigade attended an explosion and fire at the Roburite and Ammonal works in Gathurst on 15th May 1916, with the Chief Constable and three members of the fire brigade awarded the Medal of the Order of the British Empire following this incident.

On 18th August 1941, the brigade was absorbed into the new National Fire Service as part of the No.28 Fire Force with its headquarters in Bolton. On the de-nationalisation of fire services on 1st April 1948, Wigan County Borough Fire Brigade was re-formed under Chief Officer J.H.W. Brown, with Mr. Albert Cawley as Deputy Chief. On the retirement of CFO Brown in 1958, Deputy Chief Officer Norman Peet was appointed as head of the brigade.

Industrial Heritage and Colliery Development

What was the significance of Wigan Junction Colliery?

Wigan Junction Colliery at Bickershaw formed part of the extensive coal mining infrastructure that characterised the Lancashire coalfield during the 19th and 20th centuries. The National Archives holds records of Wigan Junction colliery, Bickershaw, near Wigan, Lancashire, with photographs described at item level within the coal industry collection. The colliery would have been a significant employer in the Bickershaw area, contributing to the local economy and community development.

The demolition of the colliery chimney in 1963 likely represented either the closure of the facility or significant modernisation works. During the 1960s, many Lancashire towns saw changes to their industrial landscape as older facilities were replaced or closed, reflecting broader economic and technological shifts in the coal mining industry.

Background of the 1963 Development Period

The year 1963 represented a period of significant transition for Wigan and the wider Lancashire region. The post-war period had seen substantial investment in civic infrastructure across the United Kingdom, with local authorities upgrading public services and facilities to meet modern standards. The replacement of the Chapel Lane fire station with the new Robin Park Road headquarters exemplified this trend towards modernisation of emergency services infrastructure.

The coal mining industry, which had been central to Wigan’s economy since the 18th century, was undergoing changes during this period. The National Coal Board had been implementing modernisation programmes across the industry, and the demolition of older colliery infrastructure such as chimneys reflected both the closure of some facilities and the modernisation of others. The Wigan Junction Colliery chimney demolition captured in the 1963 photographs represents this broader industrial transition.

The Wigan Archives Service’s preservation of these photographs ensures that future generations can access visual documentation of these significant developments. The archive’s collection of over 100,000 photographs provides an invaluable resource for understanding the borough’s development across the 20th century, from industrial heritage to civic infrastructure improvements.

Prediction: How This Development Can Affect Local Historians and Community Researchers

The publication and preservation of these 1963 archive photographs will likely have significant implications for local historians, genealogists, and community researchers interested in Wigan’s development. The visual documentation of both industrial demolition and civic construction provides concrete evidence of the borough’s transformation during a pivotal decade.

For local historians, these images offer primary source material for understanding the pace and nature of change in Wigan during the 1960s. The chimney demolition photographs can inform research into the decline and modernisation of the Lancashire coalfield, while the fire brigade headquarters images document the investment in public services that characterised the post-war period.

Community researchers and genealogists will find these photographs valuable for tracing family connections to specific locations and industries. The Wigan Junction Colliery images may help individuals identify ancestors who worked at the facility, while the fire brigade photographs can assist those researching family members who served in the local emergency services.

The accessibility of these images through the Wigan Today publication and the Wigan Archives Service’s online platform increases the potential for public engagement with local history. As more archive materials become digitised and available online, researchers from outside the immediate area will be able to access these resources, potentially leading to new discoveries and connections in Wigan’s historical narrative.

The preservation of these photographs also serves an educational function, providing visual material for schools and community groups interested in local history. The images can help bring the past to life for younger generations who may not have direct connections to the industrial heritage documented in the photographs.

Looking forward, the continued digitisation and publication of archive materials from the Wigan Archives Service collection will likely reveal further significant developments from the 1960s and other periods. The 1963 gallery represents only a portion of the over 100,000 photographs held in the collection, suggesting that additional historically significant images remain to be discovered and shared with the public.