LANRY bridges, remember 'em? If the answer is "yes" then David Norman's 30 year-old photograph of the railway bridge across St Helens Road at Pennington will evoke memories.

Maybe of Pennington Park or a similar bridge at Queen Street - just a train's length from Leigh Railway Station.

Or, perhaps, that bleach-like smell, something akin to the air in the 'little pool' at Silk Street baths or the then immaculate (complete with giant weighing machine and attendant) public lavatories in Bengal Street.

If the answer is "no" the explanation is simple.

In the 1960s, and for a long time before, street advertisements for Lanry brand bleach were dotted around the district. And what better place to catch the public eye than with the advert strung across main roads at roof height?

Perhaps readers have other memories of the district's 'Lanry" bridges?

Pictures like this feature in detail in Leigh author and publisher Dennis Sweeney's trio of historical railway books "A Lancashire Triangle" available in two parts, plus a smaller, colour edition.

A limited reprint of the sell-out part one is available at £25 from the Journal Office, 44/46 Railway Road, Leigh. Part two is available at the same price and Colour of a Lancashire Triangle costs £13.95.

Wigan Roader Mr Sweeney has also published retired engineman Bob Jackson's tales from the footplate "Steaming Ambitions", it also costs £13.95

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.