I used to fly light aircraft from Manchester Barton and it’s incredible how much of what was railway is clearly visible from a few thousand feet.

A great explore, Ant. I keep repeating myself, but I do love the map overlays and pictures of days gone by. Thanks for sharing.

Hi Ant. Tyldesley is pronounced TILDSLEY. I can just hear all the locals wincing 🤣🤣🤣. Hope you can get archive photos of Tyldesley Station as that would be really interesting . Great videos by the way. Got my attention whilst watching Martin Zero 👍.

You always include photography from years gone by, your videos, carry on the art of making history for reference

I have done quite a lot of walking in this area which is near where I live. The Bolton line which I have walked recently can be followed most of the way although there are a few deviations required in some places for example near the M61 - but probably worthy of another video. There is also quite a lot of mineral lines in the area that have been converted in walkways.

Hi Ant, nice to see you near my patch. I live in Culcheth which had a line running from glazebrook to Wigan, with a branch off to st. Helen’s. The old Culcheth station is known as Linear park, we’re sadly Rihanna was murdered recently. If you ever fancy taking a look at that one, give me a shout.

Hi Ant , your second photo of the engine propelling it's carriages is taken from the rear of Coniston Avenue , little Hulton and was taken by my grandfather 😊

It beggars belief why they reopen closed railways as 'Guided Busways'. Why not just reopen as railways - which was the purpose they were originally built for. Any normal person knows that railways are much better than road traffic. But, of course, the government makes much more money from road traffic than they do from railways. This is the main reason that railways and any remaining infrastructure are still being obliterated every year.

60 + years ago I lived in a small place called Crankwood road, which was on the Manchester central to Wigan central line. The station was called Westleigh and Bedford, so i love the videos of the surrounding area. Brings back memories from my train spotting days. Now living in Durham and there are lots of disused lines in the area.Thank you.

Thank you for this! As with the Luton/Dunstable line, local people wanted a light railway/tram linking to Manchester. Leigh had 4 stations..a very large town with none!

Thank you for the video Ant, what a great insight into the past, i cant wait for part 2, cheers, Pete..

Another good one, ever thought of doing Masham area old railway and station that had lots of WW1 history, station buildings still there but under different occupancy and publicly accessible, thanks for sharing once again, Robbo 👍

You'll have to go back to see the diversion bridge..just to see what was going on. It was a biggie. That last shot of the bus zooming along, I thought looked ok. Very good. All the best.

Hi Ant, another fab video. what a beautiful walk through all that woodland ,hard to believe there was any track or stations there comparing the old photos it looks completely different. Good to see it used as a pedestrian & cycling route. Regarding the guided buses ive never seen anything so strange! What a waste of money why not just use it as a bus lane? Look forward to part 2 ! ❤😊👍

Another fascinating video. Thanks Ant

Thank you for such inseresting videos!

what a lovely walk through of manchester to wigan its lovely how its been used as a trailway and it amazing how you put the pictures along side these walks well done x

Nice hike and great history lesson.😊

Very good where the old railway as been used as foot and cycle path then a bus lane.

thanks ant really looking forward to next part