PLENTY OF SALT

Yes, we're back in England, Cheshire to be exact. Our first stop is Barrow & Tarvin station, ex Cheshire Lines Committee, closed to passengers in the 1950s, but still intact in 1961 (Ben Brooksbank - Creative Commons License).

Onwards now to Kelsall (see the map here) to visit the yard of Reliance/West Coaches.

Next stop, the small town of Tarporley. Just in time for a parade through the centre in the 1930s (Photographer unknown).

Here's Tarporley Town Hall (Creative Commons License).

There are Robinson's beers at the Rising Sun.

The Swan Hotel is where to stay and drink independent ales.

This Robey loco is at the Salt Union Ltd., West Works, Winsford.

The extraction of salt from below ground has caused the River Weaver to expand and form Winsford Flash.

Onwards to Middlewich. First, the Town Hall (Creative Commons License).

The parish church of St. Michael and All Angels, seen over the Trent and Mersey Canal in Middlewich (Creative Commons License). 

The Shropshire Union Canal joins the Trent & Mersey at Wardle Bridge, Middlewich.

More views of the Trent & Mersey in Middlewich.

Here's what's known as the Big Lock.

The nearby pub is named after the Big Lock. It's built on two levels, to serve road and canal users.

There's also a former Marston's house, the Newton Brewery Inn, in Middlewich.

Middlewich station closed many moons ago. 41206 called there in 1966.

We now follow the valley of the River Dane, to Holmes Chapel station, on the Crewe to Alderley Edge line, just after electrification.

Beside the station was once the Swan Hotel, a Samuel Smith's house, now closed.

The last pint of this post will be at the George & Dragon, Great Budworth, a Lee's house these days.

The Drum & Monkey at nearby Comberbach is no more.

A pleasant place to finish this post is at Daresbury.

We're not far from Runcorn and that's where we'll start the next post.

BACK TO THE BORDER

To the south of Wrexham General station was Croes Newydd loco shed, where 0-6-0PT 3709 is seen.

One of the ex GWR signal boxes, Croes Newydd North Fork, was still in use in 1985.

In the outskirts of Wrexham, Hanmers Coaches' depot is seen.

Leaving Wrexham behind, we veer in a south westerly direction (see the map here), to the village of Eyton. Here, in 2003, the Hay Bank Inn. I think it's since vanished.

Also at Eyton, Plassey Brewery (now called Magic Dragon Brewing).

Bersham Sidings signal box, GWR, on the Wrexham to Ruabon line.

Alongside the main line, NCB Peckett 0-4-0ST 1435 of 1937, shunts at Bersham Colliery in 1977.

Up in the valleys is Minera, where there were extensive mining activities.

The City Arms in Minera brewed its own beer back in 1986. The pub is now a private house.

The Kings Head at Bwlchgwyn was once a Hyde's Brewery pub. It's now a free house.

There was a maze of railways around Brymbo. Psssenger trains once served Brymbo GWR station, seen in 1962 (Ben Brooksbank - Creative Commons License).

Here, we're at Brymbo East, looking north in 1976.

A former Burtonwood pub, seen in the 1980s, the Black Lion at Brymbo has since been renamed Y Tai. It retains cask beer.

On the main route between Wrexham and Chester is Gresford Colliery, the scene of a disaster in September 1934.

The colliery has long gone and Gresford is now a pleasant rural village, with a cricket field, an ancient drinking fountain and a church (Creative Commons License).

Beside the church is the Griffin, a former Greenall's pub.

Sadly, the Yew Tree has since closed.

Onwards to Marford - a sad story; The Red Lion has no cask beer and the Trevor Arms has shut.

More bad news at nearby Rossett. The Butchers Arms has also gone.

Thankfully, the Golden Lion is still open and has a variety of real ales.

Within easy walking distance of the border with England, the Nags Head at Lavister was a Whitbread tied house. It's now free of tie and is called the Dog & Pickle.

That seems a good point to conclude this post. Back to England in the next one.