Photowalk: Tiviot Dale church to Lancashire Hill

Early this month, I went on a photo walk from the centre of Stockport where Tiviot Dale railway station used to be located to Lancashire Hill and back.

I dropped off my car on a warm and sunny Friday morning for its first annual service and then proceeded to walk from the garage to the starting point passing underneath the famous railway viaduct along the pedestrian path.

Pedestrian and cycle track going underneath Stockport viaduct

As I started my photo walk, I tracked my progress using an exercise app to record the length of the walk and the time it took.

The walk was roughly distance of 2.5 miles with an elevation of 166 feet.

I made my way walking over a motorway bridge on Lancashire Hill Road from where I could see the M60 ring road. I walked up some steps past a wall of carved sandstone and made my way to Dodge Hill.

From here I walked up a steep road with a series of back to back houses to my right and a road bending off to the Saint Mary’s Roman Catholic Church and school on the left. The church has a distinctive sloping design and can be seen in many old photos of when the Tiviot Dale railway line was in full use.

After viewing the whole of Stockport’s skyline through a mesh fence, from the vantage point of the church’s car park, I sent off on my travels once again.

Dodge Hill was first mentioned back in 15th Century. In the middle of 1800s, members of the Dodge family emigrated to the USA and were involved in setting up Dodge City in Kansas and amongst other businesses the Dodge Motor Company.

History of Dodge Hill

I took a detour down Love Lane, to view Heaton Norris park. I then made my way back to Lancashire Hill Road and travelled up to the roundabout at the top of the hill.

On my way I passed a large building called Foodline which provides baking for the catering industry. The windows were plastered with flour. To get to the other side of the busy roundabout, I walked down an uninviting subway. This led me to the centre of the roundabout with paths leading in all directions. Once I was on the correct path I came out near a retail park which was featured in a recent BBC television series called Small Prophets.

I visited the Wickes store to buy a new drill bit and some bolts to repair a rabbit run.

I return back down Lancashire Hill passed the beige and green tower blocks along the way as the road went down towards Great Egerton Street and then finished my photo walk at Tiviot Dale Methodist church.

Toy Theatre idea

One of my next ideas for this project is to build a 3D toy theatre using a combination of printmaking techniques to create a miniature theatre of a local Stockport scene.

My inspiration is the Benjamin Pollock’s Toy Theatre and a recent visit to Pickford’s House.

More to follow…

A toy theatre on display at Pickford’s House, Derby.

‘Avro Vulcan’ print

Here is a small etching aquatint depicting the Avro Vulcan flying in a tropical setting. The Vulcan bomber was assembled in Stockport at Woodford and used as a nuclear deterrent during the Cold War.

I am eventually going to produce an edition of 10 prints from the zinc etched plate I created on Saturday.

The size of the print is 10 x 10 cm and is printed on Fabriano paper which makes the print slightly lighter than if printed on ‘bread and butter’ proofing paper.

104th Stockport Art Guild Exhibition

https://www.stockportartguild.com/2026-exhibition

Bakers Vaults Drypoints

Here are a few more Drypoints prints I created last month depicting the Bakers Vaults pub. I have mixed the inks and used chine collé this time.

Spring Photowalk

Early on Thursday evening after work, I caught a 192 bus for a photo walk of approximately 1.5 miles from the start of Higher Hillgate to The Blossoms pub on London Road (A6).

My first notable place to visit was behind the back of the Strawberry Studios to view a plaque.

The Stockport Heritage Trust plaque read:

“Home to the band 10cc and used by many to create memorable music, including Joy Division, Paul McCarthey, Martin Hannett, Neil Sedaka, The Stone Roses, The Smiths and The Syd Lawrence Orchestra.”

Stockport Heritage Trust plaque at Strawberry Recording Studios

Along Hopes Carr past the Stockport Air Disaster Memorial, I spotted a cute piece of tile art.

Opposite is a large mural located on Hopes Carr and some collage street graffiti art

More colourful street art, this time on Canal Street opposite Hopes Carr.

I walked towards Crowther Street just as the sun was starting to go down. The street has been depicted by many artists, most famously by L.S. Lowry.

A information board is displayed at the top of Crowther Street which mentions the former long gone Crowther Street Mill and Workers Housing.

Covent Garden Cafe is on the other side of Crowther Street making my way back to Higher Hillgate.

The cafe was recently featured in a TV series called ‘Small Prophets’.

In the tv series you can just make out the abandoned metal structure in the background.

If you look carefully, you will see a fainted mural behind the structure.

Site of Tabernacle Club, plaque.

Plaque remembers ‘The Fab Tab’ music venue where the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Pink Floyd, Small Faces performed.

Located on Black Lion Passage.

Walking towards London Road, on the left is Oldknow’s House, Hatters Court. Home to cotton mill industrialist Samuel Oldknow.

The blue plaque reads:

“Built around 1740.

Samuel Oldknow, pioneer Stockport cotton industrialist lived in this house 1784-94.

Also the home of William Radcliffe who in 1802 invented the ‘dandyloom’”

Other buildings of interests are;

The Salvation Army building.

Royal Oak Brewery sign.

Street art on Virginia Mills building, Higher Hillgate.

After my short photo walk, I made my way crossing London Road towards The Blossoms, which is a Robinsons brewery public house to get some much needed refreshment.

The pub is cosy inside and has ornate stained glass windows. I sat in the Pool room and then was persuaded by the landlord to participate in a game of pool!

Cheers 🍻

St George’s church Mono prints

This weekend I have been working on some mono prints using St. George’s church as inspiration. I lightly soaked some cartridge paper in water and used oil based ink. Using cotton buds, ink dabber and a cloth to wipe away sections I wanted to be light. I then passed the inked acrylic plate through the press.

The third mono print was created by placing a photograph under the acrylic plate as a guide to map out the shape of the church using masking tape.

Print no.3. Mono print using a photograph as tracing

Pub Drypoints

Here are a few drypoint prints I’ve been working on today. The first print depicts the Boars Head Hotel Pub which I have created some sepia prints with black ink. You can make out St. Mary’s church at the Marketplace in the background to the right of the picture.

The second print depicts the Bakers Vaults pub which is across from the Boars Head. This is currently a work in progress.

Eco Image Transfer mini prints

I’ve been working on a small series of Eco Image Transfer prints recently using Fabriano printing paper. I am using black & white and colour laser prints.

The size of the prints are roughly smaller than A6 (10.5 x 14.85 cm). One of my prints was experimental and consisted of trying to combine eco image technique and linocut. The layer of Lino print didn’t really allow the toner from the transfer to adhere to the paper and caused the transfer to apply a blotted effect. The toner has tried to absorb into the paper but the oil based ink seems to have blocked the print from fixing. I found smaller detail like the aeroplane seem to work but the church building was more like a murky blob. Interesting results, may try out a few more.

Eco Image combined with Lino printed background

Below is a gallery of prints I’ve been working on this month.

In summary, I observed that the Eco Image Transfer print method works best for small sized print formats and that black and white toner works best.

Review of 2025 in pictures

Here’s a gallery of prints and images from this year.

Boars Head Hotel by Neil Robinson, Drypoint

Vernon Park bandstand by Neil Robinson, Eco Image Transfer

The main highlight from this year was receiving an Honorary Lifetime Membership. It was huge surprise and I was deeply flattered to receive the award in recognition of my outstanding contribution to Stockport Art Guild.

Other highlights include my very first go at hosting a series of printmaking workshops using the Eco Image Transfer technique. The workshops have proved very popular. I am also pleased to have prints in both the 20:20 Hotbed Press International Print Exchange and the IPE – International Print Exchange.

I have also started to work with Generative Artificial intelligence (AI) to bring to life my prints.

In the summer, I visited the heritage centre and did some reading up on local history including Woodbank Park.

On a day trip to London, I looked around the annual London Original Print Fair (LOPF) at Somerset House which is always worth a visit. A worthy mention was visiting PrintFest in Ulverston and the Manchester Contemporary Art Fair at the GMEX.

I am looking forward to a new year of printmaking, watch this space, there’s more to come!

Here’s wishing everyone who reads this blog a Happy New 2026!

Cheers,
Neil.