Hello from Merseyside

[Padraig]

Greetings from Merseyside. I gather it used to be Lancashire here at one time. They'll leave nothing alone. I'm an Irish citizen and former resident of Pembrokeshire, temporarily (hopefully) in exile in the north of England. I don't cycle as much as I should. It doesn't feel all that safe on these roads. Cars used to give you an excessively wide berth years ago, but now you'd be lucky if the wing mirror misses you. Once we return home, I intend getting out a bit more. Down there, you can cycle for hours on a summer day without seeing another person or vehicle. Cycling as it used to be. Anyway, just had the call for lunch. I'll get involved in the forum a bit later.

 

[roadrash]

owdo

 

[Padraig]

Hi, and thanks for the welcome. I spent some time in Wigan many years ago. Someone drove me through it a few weeks ago and it's changed a heck of a lot. All sorts of new roads and roundabouts. I remember a great shop called Oliver Somers, with a window full of beautiful 531 framesets. Don't suppose that's still there?

 

[ScotiaLass]

from a (mainly) off road rider

 

[john59]

 

[Sharky]

Welcome.

Used to live at Eccleston Lane Ends (just a few miles from St Helens) and it upset a few people whenever they moved us from Lancashire into Merseyside.

Cheers Keith

 

[Mrs M]

Hello

 

[Padraig]

Hello all, and thanks for the posts of welcome. What a friendly forum this is! I know Eccleston Lane Ends, if it's where they have that bronze statue of the young woman giving some flowers to the Great War soldier. I believe he was a young officer killed during the war, and the statue was commissioned by his father, a distinguished local landowner. Hello ScotiaLass. I've travelled about a good bit, but one of my great regrets is that I never crossed the border into Scotland. The Irish and the Scots have a great deal in common, and I believe that speakers of Irish and Scots Gaelic can just about understand each other. I suppose it's a bit like a native of St. Helens and a Wiganer having a conversation. Anyway, Wales lost to South Africa, but it could be argued that they deserved to, giving away so many penalties. Obviously, my main team is Ireland, so a bit of hope there yet. Just hope the All Blacks somehow get beaten by France.

 

[Sharky]

Hello all, and thanks for the posts of welcome. What a friendly forum this is! I know Eccleston Lane Ends, if it's where they have that bronze statue of the young woman giving some flowers to the Great War soldier. I believe he was a young officer killed during the war, and the statue was commissioned by his father, a distinguished local landowner. Hello ScotiaLass. I've travelled about a good bit, but one of my great regrets is that I never crossed the border into Scotland. The Irish and the Scots have a great deal in common, and I believe that speakers of Irish and Scots Gaelic can just about understand each other. I suppose it's a bit like a native of St. Helens and a Wiganer having a conversation. Anyway, Wales lost to South Africa, but it could be argued that they deserved to, giving away so many penalties. Obviously, my main team is Ireland, so a bit of hope there yet. Just hope the All Blacks somehow get beaten by France.

Yes, used to live 2 doors away from the "Wellie" and used to do the annual school cross country run through Knowsley Park - before there were lions I might add.
Cheers

 

[Padraig]

Did you attend Prescot Grammar School, I wonder? I was at West Park myself, before we moved to Dublin and I went to Blackrock.

 

[roadrash]

Hi, and thanks for the welcome. I spent some time in Wigan many years ago. Someone drove me through it a few weeks ago and it's changed a heck of a lot. All sorts of new roads and roundabouts. I remember a great shop called Oliver Somers, with a window full of beautiful 531 framesets. Don't suppose that's still there?

oliver summers dissapeared about 26 years ago if not more .

 

[Sharky]

Did you attend Prescot Grammar School, I wonder? I was at West Park myself, before we moved to Dublin and I went to Blackrock.

Yes, attended Eccleston Lane Ends primary, then PGS from 61 to 68, then a year at the BICC, before moving down to Kent.

Still have relatives around, so pop up now and then. Came up only last month and brought my bike and rode to top of Billinge and back.

Keith

 

[david k]

Hi and welcome, I was born and bred in eccleston and after living there for 38 of my 42 years I moved out to nutgrove/Rainhil border just a few weeks ago, feels odd but like it here

My dad still calls it Lancashire, refuses to accept Merseyside, I couldn't really care less, it's only a name, it's the people that count and I'm happy to say I get on with everyone round here, they are a friendly lot

 

[User32269]

from Liverpool... Merseyside...

 

[Padraig]

Thanks to you both. Eccleston is rightly considered one of the nicer parts of the borough. There was an amusing incident involving Tim Wonnacott, the antiques presenter. He was introducing a programme featuring an antiques business located at the other Eccleston, near Chorley. Clearly, his researchers had been busy, if not particularly accurate. He told us with great assurance that Eccleston, the one with the antiques place, was home to St. Helens rugby league team This was before they moved from Knowsley Road, of course. Incidentally, I'm a Union man myself, having attended West Park.