Cheshire

Reflections on the Mersey estuary behind the Ineos Fluor, Castner Kellner plant at Runcorn.

Shades of civic pride on the council depot, Cleveland Street, Birkenhead.

Coat of Armsof the Borough of Birkenhead on the Corporation Depot, Cleveland Street, Birkenhead. ‘Ubi Fides ibi Lux et Robur’ - Where there is faith there is light and strength

Two Black 5s on the Buxton Spa Express digging into the climb after being stopped at Norbury Crossing to allow the scheduled dmu stopping service to get far enough ahead not to cause problems later on. This view is from the bridge that once carried the Macclesfield Bollington and Marple Railway over the top of the LNWR line at Middlewood Station. The weather forecast said fair - it was raining!

Running through the remote and leafy station at Middlewood, the Buxton Spa Express bashes on up the hill towards Disley.

Plenty of photographers about when the Buxton Spa Express accelerated through Middlewood.

At Buxton Road Wharf on the Macclesfield Canal are some interesting remains that indicate that at one time a lock gate was installed here. Unlike those at Bosley, this gate was a single item of a full seven feet plus in width as can be seen from the recess seen here. At the left of the recess is the quoin and the cut-off remains of the iron straps that held the gate collar. These straps are of an identical design to the few remaining old style straps still in use on the gates at Bosley. At the far left was reason for the gate as this is the entrance to the drydock that the Macclesfield Canal Company built here in the 1830s. The dock is not shown on any of the maps and plans that I have consulted and must have been taken out of use after only a short life. There is, however, a reference in the proceedings of the Macclesfield Canal Committee. Dry Dock at Buxton Road Wharf: Meeting on 10th July 1834 at the Canal Office, Macclesfield. Mr Hall having laid before the Committee a letter from J P Swanwick & Co. containing an offer to rent a part of the Company’s Wharf north of the Buxton Road, including the partly formed dock at £20 per annum provided the Company complete the said dock, each party to be at liberty on giving 6 months notice; the subject was considered, the rent offered was thought too low, and some difficulties appeared to present themselves with respect to the present lime shed, and the ingress and egress to and from the wharf and also as to the waste of water that might occur if the dock was used to repair unless under proper control; the mode of completing the dock was also discussed. It was thought unnecessary to go to the expense of ashlar coping or of puddling round the dock and that a rubble wall would be sufficient. It was therefore ordered that Mr Watts be requested to undertake the arrangement with Messrs J P Swanwick & Co. with the understanding as to 6 months notice and the letting of water to be under Mr Hall’s control and the rent must be more than £20 per annum, and that he be empowered to arrange with Mr Hall and Mr Nicholls as to the completion of the dock and the expenses attendant thereon. I wonder if the cheap construction and consequent water loss made it more trouble than it was worth? There is no further mention in subsequent Committee minutes.

6201 " Princess Elizabeth " leads this morning's Scarborough Flyer past Nether Alderley. We had hoped for a 'Black 5' for a change, but it was not to be.

Wildlife in the four foot as 6201 " Princess Elizabeth " approaches with the Scarborough Flyer.

' Princess Elizabeth ' with the Scarborough Flyer at Nether Alderley and going well after the stop in the loop at Chelford.

The Picturedrome was the first purpose-built cinema in Macclesfield, opening for business on 21st October 1911. It was designed to seat 700, all on one level. In the early 1930s it came into the control of the owners of Majestic cinema in Macclesfield and eventually closed as a cinema in the 1970s becoming a bingo hall until 1999. It has now been coverted to offices and is the headquarters of Cottrills' rewards business.

6201 Princess Elizabeth was a little early when it arrived with the Scarborough Flyer at the Chelford loop where an Arriva Wales train was to pass. Clearly the boiler was full and the fire hot, for the safety valves lifted as soon as the train stopped.

Another dull, dark day and 6201 Princess Elizabeth leads the Scarborough Flyer through Handforth. Maybe it will be sunny next year.

Tanker narrowboat heads away from the lock at Stanthorne on the Middlewich Branch of the Shropshire Union Canal.

In 1853 I wonder how many of the workmen would have been able or inclined to read this notice? By inference it appears to have been ok to smoke and use naked lights in pits where gas was not present. As far as I know all the Poynton pits were gassy!

After years of work by the volunteers at the excellent Anson Engine Museum in Poynton the mill engine saw its first public steaming this weekend. This horizontal cross-compound was built in 1903 by Stott & Co of Haslingden and had operated until 1960 at the premises of Messrs A Barton & Sons, wadding manufacturers, of Hazel Grove, Stockport.

Tarboat Junior straps a boat into a lock at Audlem on the Shropshire Union Canal. This technique stops the boat and closes the gate at the same time. :-)

I had been looking for something made by the Jabez Thonpson works for some time, so was delighted when Capitol 203 and myself found some examples of his terracotta work during a mooch around the Potteries.