ALMOST BACK TO THE MIDDLE OF MANCHESTER (BUT NOT QUITE)

 So, we can now leave Warrington (Cheshire) behind and our first stop is the swing bridge over the Manchester Ship Canal at Walton. If you're already lost, you can follow the map here).

Further east along the ship canal is Latchford Lock and a high level railway bridge.

The small Cheshire town of Lymm comes next, seen in this postcard view from my collection.

In the early 2000s, there was a regular vintage commercial vehicle rally at Lymm.

Beyond Lymm is Agden Wharf, passed by the Bridgewater Canal.

It's here that we find a pub named the Barn Owl.

To the north, by a disused railway, was a pub called The Railway Hotel, seen in 1990, but it shut its doors in 2006.

Here's a nice old photo of the Boat House at Irlam. It's still open, but no cask beer.

Plenty of Holt's beers at the Roebuck in Flixton.

Moving on, we come to Urmston station, seen here in the days of the Cheshire Lines Committee.

These days, Urmston station sees services from East Midlands Trains, Northern and Trans Pennine, though not all of them stop.

The old station building has been converted into a pub, seen here as the Steamhouse. It's since been renamed the Auld Chimp.

There's also a Wetherspoons in Urmston, the Tim Bobbin.

Stagecoach buses can be found in Urmston.

Manchester Community Transport were running a route through here in 2014.

Back in 1973, this old Ashton Corporation Leyland was found near Urmston.

Another lovely Holt's Brewery owned pub, the Melville at Stretford.

The Manchester Ship Canal's railway had quite a layout of lines in the Trafford Park area, traversed by this railtour in 1965.

Trafford Park had its own rail system, shunted by the ex BR class 08.

Some LNER locos at Trafford Park shed in 1935.

43580 and other locos on shed. Old Trafford football ground behind.

76089 passes the football stadium with a local service.

The exterior of Old Trafford station, Manchester, South Junction & Altrincham Railway.

It was also possible to get to Old Trafford by Manchester Corporation Tramways.

That's it for this post. Next time, more South Manchester suburbs.