OLD HISTORY, NEW MILLS

We're now in the suburbs of Stockport (see the map of the route here) at a place called Offerton, once served by the short lived trolleybuses of Stockport Corporation.

There's a decent free house in Offerton, the Victoria.

South to the Buxton Road, in the suburb of Heaviley.

There's plenty of buses passing through Heaviley.

There's a great Robinson's pub here too - the Blossoms. (Top photo by Smabs Sputzer CC).

West now to Rose Hill station, at the end of a short branch line in Marple. In 1979, a DMU was getting a drenching during a thunderstorm.

Better weather in 2006.

There's a very handy Robinson's pub here called the Railway.

On the main line that passes through Marple, there's an impressive viaduct, with another carrying the canal.

In Marple, we find a flight of locks on the Peak Forest Canal.

The junction with the Peak Forest and Macclesfield canals is in Marple.

Here's the start of the "Macc" in 1993.

All Saints church in Marple (Creative Commons License).

The stocks. Don't be naughty! (Creative Commons License).

Marple's other railway station (Creative Commons License).

Bullock's of Cheadle used to serve Marple.

There are fine views from Marple, as we're in the foothills of the Peak District.

We follow the Peak Forest Canal, passing close to Strines.

Stepping briefly into Cheshire, we call in at the Albert in Disley, now an independent free house, but seen here in the hands of Vaux.

Two more pubs in Disley, the Dandy Cock and the White Horse, both tied to Robinson's.

The Derbyshire town of New Mills has two railway stations, on different lines. Here's New Mills Newtown (Creative Commons License).

A class 40 arrives at New Mills Central.

Glossopdale buses could once be found in New Mills.

Stagecoach was the main operator in 1999.

Here's New Mills town hall (Creative Commons License).

I promised you history. The Union Bridge and the packhorse bridge it replaces (Creative Commons License).

Our first pub stop in New Mills is the Rock, another Robinson's pub.

The Pineapple, the Crescent and the Beehive are all consigned to history.

So we end our tour of New Mills at the Masons Arms. Good night.

Next time, we'll still be in North West Derbyshire.

MUDGIE'S TOWN

This post is dedicated to "Mudgie", a regular blogger from Stockport, who passed away recently. I never met him, but had some dealings with him on the internet and I was an avid reader of his blog, "The Pub Curnudgeon".

Here's a taster of what we might find in Stockport.

The Parish Church - one evening in 1985.

Stockport once had trams, which came together at Mersey Square.

In later years, Greater Manchester PTE buses could be found around here.

Other operators once included Bee-Line Buzz, Tame Valley and Bakers of Biddulph.

Robinson's Brewery is in the heart of Stockport.

Inside the brewery, here's the copper.

And here is how the beer is made.

Time now to visit a few Robinson's pubs. First up, the Arden Arms.

The Armoury is one of my favourites.

The Bakers Vaults is Grade II listed.

The Red Bull is described as a "historic multi-roomed pub".

The Spread Eagle closed in the first years of the 21st century.

The Unity is another loss.

The Tiviot was demolished.

Another closed pub, a free house, is Ye Olde Woolpack.

Thankfully, Ye Olde Vic is still going strong.

Little Jack Horners is another casualty.

Porter's Railway was a great free house, but was doomed to demolition.

Holt's Brewery spent a lot of money on Winters, but it was doomed to fail.

Thankfully, Holt's can still be drunk in the Sun & Castle.

And there we are, that was Stockport. Next time we'll move on the pastures new,