This is a far longer narrative than originally intended. However a little bit of research, surprised me, and its not just the street lights, that are the highlights of Runcorn here.
Okay, so you are still with me. I've been meaning to photograph this for ages, got the chance yesterday but the light was rubbish, on a sunny evening this place really pops.
You are looking down into what at the moment is the western end of the Bridgewater Canal. Behind me, are a series of ten locks, filled with sand which used to enable access down to the Manchester Ship Canal. A new road layout closed access to these in the 1970's but yet another new road layout, will very shortly mean if the money can be found, they hope to re-open the locks.
The main red brick building in the centre, is the former Waterloo pub. Built in the 1830's it opened around 1840 till 2012 as the Waterloo.
It has a historic Blue Plaque on it.
Apparently the Waterloo and the Navigation Inn about 1/4 of a mile, further down the canal bank, were the favourite drinking places for a certain Captain Edward Smith. He was the captain of the ill-fated Titanic that sank on its maiden voyage. His mother is buried in the cemetery just round the corner.
The Waterloo, is also well known as The Archer's. This was the pub in the popular BBC comedy show Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps, that ran from 2001 till 2011. They used to hire a big crane to lift a new sign up on to the front of the pub.
It got a new lease of life in 2012 when it opened up as the WatPhra Singh UK Buddhist Temple & Meditation Centre. Their orange robes are quite a familiar sight around the town.
