Haigh, Greater Manchester

St David's Church is in Copperas Lane, Haigh, Wigan, Greater Manchester, England. It is an active Anglican parish church in the deanery of Wigan, the archdeaconry of Warrington, and the diocese of Liverpool. The church is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade II listed building. It was a Commissioners' church, having received a grant towards its construction from the Church Building Commission.

Aspull is a village in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, in Greater Manchester, England. Historically in Lancashire, Aspull, along with Haigh, is surrounded by greenbelt and agricultural land, separated from Westhoughton, on its southeast side, by a brook running through Borsdane Wood. The ground rises from south to north, reaching 400 feet (122 m), and has views towards Winter Hill and the West Pennine Moors. It has a population of 4,977. Aspull was once a centre of mining and textile manufacture, though little evidence of this can be seen in the village today. Haigh Country Park estate lies to the west.

Haigh Hall Miniature Railway (HHMR) is a 15 in (381 mm) gauge miniature railway, situated in the grounds of Haigh Country Park in Haigh, Greater Manchester, England.The railway officially re-opened on 20 April 2014, but it had run trains under a new operator since late July 2013, running shuttle services between two stations; Haigh Hall North and Haigh Hall South. The full 1 mile (1.6 km) circuit was re-opened in early 2014. The railway first opened in 1986 under different operators; it runs over the same general track layout, but some alterations have been made over time. HHMR's two resident locomotives are Helen and Rachel, they have been a part of the railway for some time. The Railway recently took delivery of two new locomotives from the Cleethorpes Coast Light Railway; The Cub (otherwise known as John) and KD-1. KD-1 is a long term restoration project, but The Cub is on loan to Haigh Hall for a general overhaul and running in. KD-1 was previously known as the Rapido Railcar. It is under a fast-track overhaul to a fully operational locomotive. It was once part of a four-car unit, the three other carriages are beyond repair, so they are being stripped of parts in order to make KD-1 serviceable as a locomotive. What is left of the other vehicles will be used as flat wagons for the railway's permanent-way train. The railway runs passenger services 11am - 4 pm Saturdays, Sundays, Bank Holidays and school holidays. Tickets cost £1 for all ages and free for under 2 year olds.

The Snake Pit is a wrestling gym and organisation in Aspull, Wigan Borough, England. It hosts the Aspull Olympic Wrestling Club. Founded in 1948 by Billy Riley in the town of Wigan, it was originally known as Riley's Gym. Riley was succeeded by Roy Wood, one of his last living students. In December 2023, Wood was recognised on the 2024 New Year Honours and awarded a British Empire Medal (BEM) "for services to wrestling and young people" after coaching for almost 50 years. An exhibition about Riley and the gym began at the Leigh Town Hall in April 2024. The gym has been a significant influence on the evolution of catch-as-catch-can (CACC), freestyle, and professional wrestling, as well as mixed martial arts (MMA), especially in Japan. Riley was the head coach for over 20 years, teaching the Lancashire style of catch wrestling, and the gym became known in Britain and internationally for producing skilled wrestlers. Riley closed the gym in the early 1970s due to theatrics overtaking legitimate skills in pro wrestling but it was soon revived through a community effort, with Roy Wood becoming head coach, assisted by Riley and other veteran wrestlers. The gym switched to freestyle wrestling, producing champions and international competitors, and hosting the Aspull Freestyle Wrestling International for over 35 years. The gym moved to Aspull during this time, establishing the Aspull Olympic Wrestling Club. The gym continued to be one of the most essential sources for preserving catch wrestling and began to formally promote the style again in 2012 through competitions, training, and certification. The Snake Pit has hosted the Catch Wrestling World Championships since 2018. The 2024 Catch Wrestling British Championships are scheduled for August 10, followed by the World Championships on September 7.

Haigh Hall is a historic country house in Haigh, Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, Greater Manchester, England. Built between 1827 and 1840 for James Lindsay, 7th Earl of Balcarres, it replaced an ancient manor house and was a Lindsay family home until 1947, when it was sold to Wigan Corporation. The hall is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade II* listed building and is owned by Metropolitan Borough of Wigan.

Blackrod is a town and civil parish in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester, England, 3.9 miles (6.3 km) northeast of Wigan and 6.6 miles (10.6 km) west of Bolton. At the United Kingdom Census 2011, it had a population of 5,001.Historically part of Lancashire, Blackrod was once a centre for coal mining.

Blackrod was, from 1872 to 1974, a local government district centred on the village of Blackrod in the administrative county of Lancashire, England.

Whelley railway station was in Whelley, Wigan (now in Greater Manchester, England) on the Whelley Loop section of the Lancashire Union Railway. The station was situated where the B5238 bridged the line.

Blackrod railway station serves the village of Blackrod, England, 6.5 miles (10 km ) north west of Bolton railway station. It is just 1+1⁄4 miles (2.0 km) from the town centre of Horwich - closer than Horwich Parkway station. It lies on the Manchester-Preston Line and is served by Northern Trains, who run local stopping and express trains from Manchester Airport & Hazel Grove to Blackpool North. Despite its high passenger usage and the recent refurbishment (see below) the station is currently unstaffed. A drop in passenger usage in the year 2017/18 is largely due to industrial action and engineering works.

St Stephen's Church is in Balcarres Avenue, Whelley, Wigan, Greater Manchester, England. It is an active Anglican parish church in the deanery of Wigan, the archdeaconry of Wigan and West Lancashire, and the diocese of Liverpool. Its benefice is united with that of St John, New Springs. The church is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade II listed building.

Rivington Water Treatment Works is a water treatment plant in Rivington, Lancashire, England. It is located below the Lower Rivington Reservoir, the last in the Rivington chain of reservoirs. The first treatment works, a slow-sand filter plant on the site opened in 1860, supplying water to Liverpool. The present works was built in 1994, and in 2007 was the largest automated three-stage plant operated by United Utilities, the water is now disinfected by adding small amounts of chlorine. Most of its output supplies customers in the Wigan area.Raw water from the Rivington chain of reservoirs can be supplied to the Thirlmere Aqueduct via a pipeline downstream of the Lower Rivington Reservoir embankment and treated water via a pumping main and the Treated Water Pumping Station on the Rivington Water Treatment Works site..

Whelley is an area of northeast Wigan, Greater Manchester, England. Historically part of Lancashire, it is mainly a residential area, between New Springs and Scholes. In Whelley, there is Canon Sharples Church of England Primary School and Nursery, St Stephen's Church and a Labour club. Whelley also had its own (non-acute) hospital which specialised in rehabilitation of the elderly, and was part of the Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Trust. The hospital closed in 2009 and was demolished in late 2010. The site is currently being developed with numerous houses, flats and bungalows. In terms of local elections, Whelley is grouped with New Springs and Aspull, and is consistently a Labour supporting area, as with the majority of the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan.