The model of the Poynton Area.
One of the early engines on display.
One of the Diesel engines on display.
One of the Crossley Engines.
A modern Bentley engine.
Windows rescued from one of the boardrooms.
Lunch in the Sun on the Middlewood Way.
The Middlewood Way after lunch - the only way to get both of us in the picture!
A Grey heron on the edge of the Macclesfield Canal.
Walk stats: Distance: 8.7 miles (plus whatever we did as we walked around the museum). Climb: 260'.
Time: (walk only) 4 hours 9 minutes. On the move walking average: 2.6 m.p.h. Overall walk average: 2.1 m.p.h.
Group: Martyn and Mike.
We started the day by visiting the Anson Engine Museum, a museum run by volunteers and enthusiasts. We started by seeing the scale model of the area showing how it was in the 1930s, and showing where most of the pits were located at an still then working. We then went round the rest of the museum following the suggested route, seeing a good number of old and modern engines, some working and others with sections removed to see the various working parts.
Interesting DVDs/tapes enabled us to get some of the history behind some of the earlier pioneer engineers.
We saw just one engine actually working, but on the last Saturday of October they will have a lot more working, so that would be a good day to visit. You'd probably need more than the couple of hours we spent there.
Another good point is that they are gearing up and setting up educational workshops to train young people with the skills need to maintain the engines on display.
As the first two customers of the day we were privileged to have two of the stalwarts of the museum to set us on our way.
Recommended visit for anyone that has any likes for engineering or science. You know this place is run by engineering enthusiasts who are continually restoring and servicing the engines when you see "Swarfega" by the sinks in the gents!
After two hours of our brains taking in as much as they could about engines we set off on our walk along the Middlewood Way. We did try to do a lop that would take us past several areas where coal mining was arrived out, but alas the best we saw was one of the old inclines!
Half and hour after setting off it started to rain and we decided to put waterproofs on, but by the time we had put them on the rain had stopped!
We were very fortunate to stop for lunch, sitting on the edge of an old railway platform, not realising that had we gone a little further we would have found a bench!
There wasn't a lot to photograph along the old railway line, but some sections were delightful as the Sun's ray filtered through the trees.
The Cown Edge Way across Marple Golf Course, thankfully was well signed and we had no problems with golfers trying to hit us with drives off the tees.
The final return section was along the towpath of the Macclesfield Canal, a section where the path is good and firm underfoot.
Birds seen or heard today included: European robin, Rook, Common blackbird, Common buzzard, Mallard, Mute swan, Moorhen, Canada goose, House sparrow, Black-billed magpie and Grey heron.
After walk drinks were enjoyed at the Netherton Hall at Frodsham, where the Lees bitter tasted really good.
We'll have to go to the Brit occasionally, just to get an ocasional Lees bitter fix!
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