A BRIEF FORAY INTO SHROPSHIRE

To the west of Stafford is a village called Haughton, home to the Bell Inn.

 

The Royal Oak in Haughton seems to have closed some time back.

The Staffordshire village of Gnosall comes next. Here's St Lawrence church (Creative Commons License).

The Shropshire Union Canal runs through Gnosall. By the canal is the Boat Inn.

Nearby is the Navigation.

Onwards now to Newport (Shropshire), a small town, painted by Henry Lark Pratt in 1857. This shows the High Street.

Here's a multiview postcard of the delights of Newport.

The New Inn in Newport, seen here in 2008, has recently become a Joule's house.

The Pheasant is another decent pub in Newport.

We turn north now (you can see the route here) to the village of Sambrook, where one can enjoy a few beers at the Three Horseshoes.

Northward to Market Drayton, a small Shropshire town. It's home to Joule's Brewery.

Joule's Brewery Tap is the Red Lion.

Further to the north and just in Cheshire, is Audlem Flight on the Shropshire Union Canal.

Now we turn westwards again, to another Shropshire town, Whitchurch. Here we can find the Shropshire Union Canal again.

Three views around Whitchurch station in 1987.

Shearings once provided bus services in Whitchurch.

Huxley's of Threapwood also served the town.

In 2010, Arriva, GHA and Helms were to be found in Whitchurch.

St Alkmund's Church, Whitchurch (Robert Cutts - Creative Commons License).

The town's war memorial (Harry Pope - Creative Commons License).

Time for some beer in Whitchurch. First stop, the Red Cow,

No cask beer in the Anchor these days.

Never mind, there's plenty of Joule's in the Old Town Vaults.

That seems like a good spot to end this post. Next time, we'll be back in Wales.

STAFFORD

Let's start at the railway station. It's often forgotten that Stafford was, as well as being on the West Coast Main Line, an outpost of the Great Northern Railway. Here are a couple of views in LNER times.

The mail is waiting to be loaded as 86020 arrives at Stafford station.

Res liveried 47737 arrives in 2003.

325007 zooms through on the Up Fast.

47812, in Virgin Trains livery, seen at Stafford.

A Virgin Pendolino passes through at speed.

There's quite a bit of variety to be found at Stafford.

Outside the station was once this little plinthed Bagnall loco, built in Stafford. It's since been moved elsewhere.

There was a small bus terminus outside the railway station, served by Midland Red and Potteries.

Close by is the Railway Inn, worth missing your train for.

The nearby Stafford Arms closed in 2005.

Time for a look at Stafford town centre. Here's a multiview postcard.

The Shire Hall (Creative Commons License).

The Ancient High House (Creative Commons License).

In the 1980s and '90s, Midland Red North was the town's main bus operator.

Arriva has now taken over.

Firstbus run services to and from the Potteries area.

Happy Days is an independent, once running a service into Shropshire. Some schools work was also undertaken.

Another local bus company was Bennett's.

D&G has quite a presence in the town.

With a depot in the town centre, Greatrex had a small amound of stage carriage work.

In 1995, this dray of Banks's Brewery was seen in Stafford.....

..... possibly delivering to the Vine Hotel.

The Forester & Firkin has undergone many changes of name and is now "long term closed".

The Grapes is no longer a Ward's pub and has no cask beer.

The Hogshead, another one that seems to have bitten the dust.

Joxer Brady's is now renamed the Market Vaults.

One of my favourites, the Lamb.

The town's Wetherspoons is called the Picture House.

The Pie & Ale House has now turned into a music venue with no real ale.

The Rose & Crown - a fine Joule's house.

Another great town centre pub, the Sun. This is operated by Titanic Brewery.

Just out of town was the Telegraph Inn, now sadly closed.

We conclude our tour of Stafford at the Bear & Pheasant, which is worth the walk from the town centre.

Next time, we're heading into Shropshire.