Removals and man with a van in Astley

Getting furniture out of Astley properties

With a drive and side access the load runs quickly; the survey concentrates on garages, garden rooms and anything oversized that needs a second pair of hands or a leg-off. Crews run from Wigan, so Tyldesley and Boothstown journeys carry no out-of-area charge.

Permits and loading around Astley

The crew should be carrying, not circling. We confirm the restriction type on the M29 end, arrange a suspension through Wigan Council where it is worth it, and plan the closest legal standing point to the door. Booked most often on the M29 streets around Astley Green Colliery Museum.

The best slot to book here

Start times here are set by the access, not the diary: where a lift, a bay or a school-run street is involved the crew starts early and finishes inside the day rather than paying for a second visit. Booked most often on the M29 streets around Astley Green Colliery Museum.

What to tell us at survey

Tell us about the loft, the garage, the shed and anything that will not come apart. It is the unlisted items, not the address, that turn a comfortable day into an overtime one. Wigan Council loading rules on the M29 end are checked before the slot is confirmed.

Four weeks before — book and confirm

• ☐Confirm the move date and slot for your Astley address in writing.
• ☐Book the van size against your property type — Colliery terraces at Astley Green, interwar semis along the A580 and modern estates towards Tyldesley.
• ☐Check whether Wigan Council needs a parking dispensation or suspended bay on your street.
• ☐Tell your landlord or agent the exact handover date and key-return time.
• ☐Book any end-of-tenancy or pre-move-in clean for the day either side of the move.
• ☐Start using up freezer food, cleaning products and anything that cannot travel.

Two weeks before — paperwork and access

• ☐Apply for the Wigan Council permit or bay suspension (allow 5–10 working days).
• ☐Book the lift or service entrance if your building near Astley Green Colliery Museum and its Grade II listed headgear has one.
• ☐Redirect post and update your address on the M29 electoral roll, bank and insurance.
• ☐Notify energy, water, broadband and council tax with opening and closing dates.
• ☐Register with a new GP, dentist and vet if you are leaving the area.
• ☐Arrange school transfers or nursery notice periods.

One week before — pack room by room

• ☐Label every box with the destination room, not the room it came from.
• ☐Pack a 'first night' box: kettle, mugs, chargers, bedding, toilet roll, medication.
• ☐Photograph the back of the TV and any flat-pack you are dismantling.
• ☐Drain the washing machine and fit its transit bolts.
• ☐Dispose of paint, oils and garden waste through the Wigan Council tip — the crew cannot legally load them.
• ☐Set aside valuables, passports and jewellery to travel with you.

The day before — final prep

• ☐Charge phones and keep a paper copy of the crew's number and the new address.
• ☐Defrost the fridge-freezer and towel it dry.
• ☐Take meter readings at the old property and photograph them.
• ☐Put cones or bins out to hold the loading space if Astley parking is tight.
• ☐Bag bedding and clothes, and strip the beds you are taking.
• ☐Confirm arrival window with the crew and the key-collection time with the agent.

Moving day — loading

• ☐Walk the crew through the property and flag fragile and do-not-load items.
• ☐Protect carpets, stair noses and door frames before the first box moves.
• ☐Load heavy furniture first, boxes second, soft furnishings last.
• ☐Keep the first-night box and paperwork with you, not in the van.
• ☐Check lofts, sheds, the garden and every cupboard before the van leaves.
• ☐Final meter readings, lock up and hand back keys.

Moving day — unloading and sign-off

• ☐Direct each box to its labelled room as it comes off the van.
• ☐Build beds first so the day can end even if boxes are still packed.
• ☐Test the boiler, hot water, smoke alarms and the consumer unit.
• ☐Take arrival meter readings and photograph them.
• ☐Check items against your inventory and report damage before the crew leaves.
• ☐Break down boxes and book a recycling collection or clearance slot.

Astley local notes (M29)

• ☐Housing stock: Colliery terraces at Astley Green, interwar semis along the A580 and modern estates towards Tyldesley.
• ☐Access landmark for the crew: Astley Green Colliery Museum and its Grade II listed headgear.
• ☐Council for permits and waste: Wigan Council.
• ☐Local context: Wigan-borough village on the edge of Chat Moss, with the last pit headgear in Lancashire on its doorstep.
• ☐Busy times to avoid: school runs and events around: The colliery museum volunteers, Astley Green village life and the Bridgewater Canal towpath.