Stockport Krazy Races 2026

The Stockport Krazy Races 2026 took place on Sunday 9th August.

SK Bombardiers on their third run down the hill

The Krazy Races soapbox derby returned to Stockport for an action packed day of street racing on Sunday 9th August.

The Coffee Block car on the start line

The Stockport Krazy Races saw 27 teams tackle a track from St Petersgate, down Mersey Square and over the finish line on Chestergate.

One of the competitors tackling the first corner

We had a nice afternoon at event. What a turnout, the town was packed. A fun atmosphere and plenty of good viewing spots.

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Well done to Krazy Races, Totally Stockport and all of the teams for a brilliant spectacle.

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A post shared by Richard Gottfried (@richard_gottfried)

Find out more on the Krazy Races website.

Links:

• Krazy Races
• Totally Stockport

Videos:

• The Back to the Future DMC DeLorean car on its third and final run at the Krazy Races soapbox derby in Stockport
• The Octopus Energy car with a smoking finish to their run at the Krazy Races soapbox derby in Stockport

Bee Network branded Northern Class 323 train at Cheadle Hulme railway station (August 2026)

A Bee Network branded Northern Class 323 train (323239) at Cheadle Hulme railway station in Greater Manchester on Thursday 6th August 2026.

Northern Class 323 (323239) at Cheadle Hulme railway station

This was the delayed 13:46 service from Crewe to Manchester Piccadilly.

The train had arrived at Cheadle Hulme at 14:20 ready for a 14:21 departure, but was delayed until 14:55.

I've only seen the Bee Network livery on this train at a station once before, at Stockport in April this year.

YouTube Trains Playlist

Check out my trains playlist on YouTube.

Related blog posts:

• Trains
• Bee Network
• Cheadle Hulme
• Trainspotting

Links:

• Bee Network branded Northern Class 323 train at Cheadle Hulme railway station (August 2026)
• Bee Network branded Northern Class 323 train at Cheadle Hulme railway station (August 2026) - Short

The Plaza Super Cinema and Variety Theatre in Stockport

A look at The Plaza Super Cinema and Variety Theatre in Stockport, Greater Manchester.

The Plaza opened in 1932.

It has had closures over the years, but has been open fully since 2009 and is still going strong.

It's well worth a visit and there are regular theatre shows, pantos, comedy performances and more.

We've also watched some excellent new and classic films on the big screen there.

To watch a film or show there is a superb experience from start to finish - with much more to it than your average multiplex.

The Plaza's original Compton theatre organ is still in situ, and rises out of the floor before performances and during intervals.

The Compton organ being played before a showing of Jaws at The Plaza in July 2024

Find out more on The Plaza website.

Vintage SELNEC bus in Stockport

Seeing a vintage bus in Stockport.

I saw this Leyland National vintage bus - in SELNEC (South East Lancashire North East Cheshire) livery - on the A6 Wellington Road South in Stockport this afternoon.

SELNEC was the Passenger Transport Executive in the area from 1969 until it was renamed Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive (GMPTE) in 1974.

The photo below shows one of the current Bee Network buses on the other side of the road.

Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive (GMPTE) itself ended in 2011 when it became part of Transport for Greater Manchester.

Related blog posts:

• Bus
• Buses
• Retro
• Heritage
• Vehicle
• Stockport
• One of the last buses out of dodge

Flying Ant Day 2026 - Stockport, UK

Today has been Flying Ant Day 2026!

Flying Ant Day 2026 struck on Wednesday 8th July as the ant colony underneath a tree stump in our garden in Stockport, England erupted with hundreds of flying ants in the early evening of the heatwave day.

Bee Network branded Northern Class 323 train at Stockport railway station (April 2026)

Spotting a Bee Network branded Northern Class 323 train at Stockport railway station.

Check out my trains playlist on YouTube.

The Great Britain XVIII steam train - 34067 Tangmere - in Stockport (20th April 2026)

The Great Britain XVIII steam train spotted on the railway bridge above the line at Europa Way in Cheadle Heath, Stockport, Greater Manchester on Monday 20th April 2026.

The locomotive is 34067 Tangmere - a Battle of Britain class engine built in 1947.

The journey began at Chester and will end the day in Carlisle.

The train is on an eight day tour around England, Wales and Scotland. Its journey began at London Paddington on Saturday 18th April and will end at London Euston on Saturday 25th April.

The train tour was operated by The Railway Touring Company.

A wacky waving inflatable arm-flailing tube-man at Birch Garden Centre in Cheadle

There's a wacky waving inflatable arm-flailing tube-man at Birch Garden Centre in Cheadle, Stockport.

The wacky waving inflatable arm-flailing tube-man is back out being wacky, waving, and arm-flailing about the place at Birch Garden Centre in Cheadle, Stockport.

Related blog posts:

• Inflatable advertising
• Wacky Waving Arm-Flailing Inflatable Tube-man
• Wacky Waving Arm-Flailing Inflatable Tube-men
• A wacky waving inflatable arm-flailing tube-man at Birch Garden Centre in Cheadle, Stockport
• Cheadle
• Stockport

Video:

• Wacky waving inflatable arm flailing tube man in Cheadle, Stockport (April 2026)

The Buxton Spa Express in Stockport (14th March 2026)

The Buxton Spa Express steam train spotted between Davenport and Stockport railway stations in Greater Manchester at 5.21pm on Saturday 14th March 2026.

Operated by West Coast Railways.

Happy Friday the 13th!

How are you celebrating the day?

Here's me with Jason Voorhees (from Distant Screams Events) at the Stockport Alternative Market in October 2024

Happy Friday the 13th!

How are you celebrating the day?

Here's me with Jason Voorhees (from Distant Screams Events) at the Stockport Alternative Market in October 2024

Merry Skipsmas!

Always brilliant to see the Skip Christmas Tree go up at Cheadle Skip Hire Ltd. in Adswood, Stockport.

Santa's Rest Stop in Cheadle Village

Spotting Santa taking a break in Cheadle Village, Stockport.

We spotted this fun piece of seasonal window art at Marine Bathrooms on the High Street in Cheadle Village earlier this week! Very festive.

Link:

• Marine Bathrooms

Related blog posts:

• Santa Claus
• Father Christmas
• Toilets
• Cheadle

Inflatable advertising in Bredbury, Stockport

A piece of inflatable advertising in Stockport.

Last year I spotted a piece of inflatable advertising at the Super Shine Hand Car Wash in Bredbury, Stockport. On a recent drive to Hyde I noticed that the red and yellow inflatable character had changed to a blue and white one!

While it's not an airdancer (aka a 'wacky waving inflatable arm flailing tube-man' - my favourite type of inflatable advertising) it's still fun to see it flagging down passing drivers to get their cars cleaned.

Related blog posts:

• Airdancer
• Inflatable advertising
• Some inflatable advertising in Stockport
• Wacky waving inflatable arm flailing tube-man

Video:

• Inflatable advertising at the Super Shine Hand Car Wash in Bredbury, Stockport

Toys R Us at TGJones in Stockport

Toys R Us is now open at TGJones in Stockport.

The rebrand of the former WHSmith shop in Stockport took place last month, and part of the changes to the shop in the Merseyway shopping centre saw a Toys R Us added!

The end of WHSmith, and the start of TGJones.

The start of July 2025 marked the end of WHSmith on the British high street after 233 years. Following the sale of the business to Hobbycraft owner Modella Capital earlier this year WHSmith shops have been undergoing a rebrand to the new name of TGJones.

WHSmith on the high street, and travel stores.

There were around 500 high street WHSmith shops, and another 580 travel stores in the UK. The WHSmith shops at railway stations, service stations and airports etc. are not affected by the rebrand as they were not part of the sale.

Toys R Us at TGJones and WHSmith.

As well being inside the rebranded TGJones shops, the relaunched Toys R Us brand can be found in sections of some travel hub WHSmith stores.

Toys R Us returned to the UK shopping scene with an online presence in 2022 and with concessions opening inside some WH Smith shops in 2023. There are currently 95 Toys R Us stores open nationwide.

Working at Toys R Us.

My first job while at university in the year 2000 was as one of Geoffrey's helpers at the Luton Toys R Us store. I worked on the video game and electronics section.

Meeting Geoffrey at the Stockport Toys R Us today!

The old Toys R Us.

It's been very interesting to find that there are still remnants of the brand on some retail parks in the UK and we've visited several of these closed, abandoned, derelict and demolished Toys R Us locations on our travels.

Find out more.

Visit the TGJones, Toys R Us and WHSmith websites for more information on the brands and their locations.

Related blog posts:

• TGJones in Stockport
• TGJones
• Toys R Us
• WHSmith
• Retail
• Stockport
• Merseyway
• Mascot

Links:

• Toys R Us
• TGJones
• WHSmith
• Merseyway

Live, Laugh, Loft Social in Stockport

Loft Social - a new competitive socialising venue - is open in Stockport town centre.

We spotted this new sign for the venue today

Loft Social is home to indoor archery, curling, deck shuffle and pétanque, and can be found on the 3rd Floor of The Courts (above Sports Direct near the market place).

Playing Pétanque.

We're big fans of Pétanque so it's interesting to know there's a place to play in Stockport.

Find out more.

Check out Loft Social's Facebook Page for more information.

Related blog posts:

• Loft Social
• Stockport
• Petanque
• Competitive Socialising

TGJones in Stockport

TGJones is now open in Stockport.

The rebrand of the former WHSmith shop in Stockport has taken place.

TGJones has opened its store in the Merseyway shopping centre in Stockport, Greater Manchester.

The new TGJones in Stockport town centre is now also home to a Toys R Us!

The end of WHSmith, and the start of TGJones.

The start of July 2025 marked the end of WHSmith on the British high street after 233 years. Following the sale of the business to Hobbycraft owner Modella Capital earlier this year WHSmith shops have been undergoing a rebrand to the new name of TGJones.

As the shop in the Merseyway looked when it was still a WHSmith in July this year

WHSmith on the high street, and travel stores.

There were around 500 high street WHSmith shops, and another 580 travel stores in the UK. The WHSmith shops at railway stations, service stations and airports etc. are not affected by the rebrand as they were not part of the sale.

Toys R Us at TGJones and WHSmith.

As well being inside the rebranded TGJones shops, the relaunched Toys R Us brand can be found in sections of some travel hub WHSmith stores.

Toys R Us returned to the UK shopping scene with an online presence in 2022 and with concessions opening inside some WH Smith shops in 2023. There are currently 95 Toys R Us stores open nationwide.

The shelves were still being filled on my visit

Working at Toys R Us.

My first job while at university in the year 2000 was as one of Geoffrey's helpers at the Luton Toys R Us store. I worked on the video game and electronics section.

The old Toys R Us.

It's been very interesting to find that there are still remnants of the brand on some retail parks in the UK and we've visited several of these closed, abandoned, derelict and demolished Toys R Us locations on our travels.

Find out more.

Visit the TGJones, Toys R Us and WHSmith websites for more information on the brands and their locations.

Related blog posts:

• TGJones
• Toys R Us
• WHSmith
• Retail
• Stockport
• Merseyway

Links:

• TGJones
• Toys R Us
• WHSmith
• Merseyway