Time to leave Southport and turn towards Preston, until we reach a place called Banks. There was a pub here called the Royal Oak, but now I can find no trace of it, except my photo taken in 2000.
A bit further towards Preston (see the map here for our route) is Hesketh Bank, home to the narrow gauge West Lancashire Light Railway.
Just to the south is the Cock & Bottle at Tarleton.
Turning southeast, we come to the Black Horse at Croston.
Not far away, the Farmers Arms (now prefixed "Original") at Ecclestone, seen here in 1991 as a Whitbread house.
Turning west now, we come across the Leeds & Liverpool Canal at Rufford.
Rufford is well known for its Old Hall (Creative Commons License).
The Hesketh Arms at Rufford is worth a visit.
The New Fermor Arms at Rufford was a brew pub. Now it's an old folks' home.
Rufford railway station was controlled by this L&YR signal box seen in 1982.
By 2011, the passing loop remained, but the signal box had gone.
To the west is the Windmill Farm Railway (Creative Commons License).
Now we're back by the canal, at Heatons Bridge.
Burscough Bridge station is on the Southport to Wigan line. Here's a L&YR service arriving.
Burscough Bridge station in 1964 (Ben Brooksbank, Creative Commons License).
Into the centre of Burscough, marked by the clock tower (Creative Commons License).
The Hop Vine is not to be missed, as it has its own brewery.
Sadly the Railway, a pub by the station at Hoscar, is now deceased.
We follow the railway line to Parbold. Here's the old windmill beside the Leeds & Liverpool Canal.
The barge Ambush takes passengers along the canal in 1991.
Christ Church at Parbold (grassrootsgroundswell - Creative Commons License).
Parbold station and its signal box in the early 1990s.
Mr Google reports that the Railway pub in Parbold is no longer in business.
Thank goodness that the Stocks Tavern is still open!
That's where we'll close this post. Next time, we'll visit Ormskirk and a few other places maybe.
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