When Bolton's Nelson Square had its own ‘wooden road’

Taken in the early 1900s this view of Nelson Square is still recognisable today.

The Pack Horse was then on the corner with Bradshaw gate and cannot be seen in the picture. Where it moved to has a board on the roof advertising J T Gowley, Tailors.

At the back of the square on the left is what was then the education offices.

Previously it had been the Infirmary and instead of cobbles in the roads around the square there were wooden blocks to prevent noise disturbing the patients there.


Source

Wooden blocks to provide roadways was also used on some London streets, and in Russia too. The best wood was alleged to be Aussie. Machine with multiple circular saws would saw the planks into blocks. Some were coated in a rubber solution.
Doubt it would work these days. Need two amazon forests a year.

Wood block pavement.

Nicolson Pavement.