About SideTracked Caches
This cache belongs to the SideTracked series. It is not designed to take you to a magical place with a breathtaking view. It is a distraction for the weary traveller, but anyone else can go and find it too. More information can be found at the SideTracked Website.
About Bredbury Station
Bredbury is a busy commuter station and enjoys 4 trains an hour scheduled for Manchester ’s Piccadilly station at peak times. It was opened back in 1875 in a joint venture by the Manchester, Sheffield & Lincolnshire Railway and the Midland Railway.
This was during a period known as railway mania when the MS&LR wished to expand southwards from its main line over the Pennines to Sheffield. It had already entered into agreements with other companies, which were of doubtful legality, but this partnership with the Midland was sanctioned by an act of parliament in 1872.
The new line via Reddish and Bredbury was successful in reducing journey times and also provided a freight and commuter service to the burgeoning homes and industries in the area. This development coupled with population growth meant that separate settlements consolidated into the village of Bredbury, around the station and extensive goods facilities. Nearly a century later, the station managed to escape the now infamous “Beeching Axe” but the goods yard was demolished and the remaining buildings were modernised in 1976.
The original stationmaster’s house survives as does the 1916 footbridge. The lifted railway lines that Bredbury signal boxes used to control, east and west to Stockport and Hyde, are now known as Egerton Park Community Orchard. It was one of 12 new community woodlands instigated by Stockport MBC and although sadly neglected, a waypoint has been provided from which the old railway cutting can still be seen, with the Stockport East Road bridge at ground level!
How to find this cache
The cache is a themed container hidden a short walk from the station near the old alignment of the Bredbury “low level” line. Once you arrive at the final coordinates, please be careful with small children as it is a busy road and the footpaths could be wider. Cars and pedestrians can appear seemingly out of nowhere, so please be discreet while searching for the cache and keep a good lookout. There is a bus stop on the other side of the road, so if it is busy then please wait for the next bus to clear the area before searching!
We do of course welcome logs highlighting any issues that detract from the quality of the cache or any suggestions you have to improve it. Thank you and good luck everyone!
Sources:
Scenes From The Past: The Railways Around Stockport, Gregory K. Fox
Marple Local History Society
Wikipedia