DB Cargo Maintenance, Stoke (formally Axion, and Marcroft)

[Leviathan]

Can anyone advise whether there are any decent vantage points in order to see into the DB Cargo Maintenance facility at Stoke. I see on other sites that 01568 'Helen' has moved there from the Chasewater Railway and wondered if anyone has any advice that may assist me to see it?

 

[Potterlad]

Can anyone advise whether there are any decent vantage points in order to see into the DB Cargo Maintenance facility at Stoke. I see on other sites that 01568 'Helen' has moved there from the Chasewater Railway and wondered if anyone has any advice that may assist me to see it?

Unfortunately there are very few good vantage points. The site is bounded by the railway on one side and the Trent and Mersey canal on the other., while the main building blocks the view from the north. The only real place where you are able to view from is the A50 road bridge over the railway - I don't know if there is a footpath that you can walk on and the bridge parapet may be too high to see over without using a step ladder. I must warn though there is absolutely nowhere for you to park at this point. It is a very busy and major junction and absolutely not safe to try and therefore should not be considered. If you need to park, best to go to Heron Cross and walk back down the footpath if there is one.

One alternative could be to go to the Stoke City FC car park and see if you are able to view anything from there (around where the Stanley Matthews statue is). When the ground was first built it was possible to see over the A50 into the works but over time the trees etc have grown so again I don't know how good the view is now.

The canal towpath also offers a limited view.

 

[Leviathan]

Unfortunately there are very few good vantage points. The site is bounded by the railway on one side and the Trent and Mersey canal on the other., while the main building blocks the view from the north. The only real place where you are able to view from is the A50 road bridge over the railway - I don't know if there is a footpath that you can walk on and the bridge parapet may be too high to see over without using a step ladder. I must warn though there is absolutely nowhere for you to park at this point. It is a very busy and major junction and absolutely not safe to try and therefore should not be considered. If you need to park, best to go to Heron Cross and walk back down the footpath if there is one.

One alternative could be to go to the Stoke City FC car park and see if you are able to view anything from there (around where the Stanley Matthews statue is). When the ground was first built it was possible to see over the A50 into the works but over time the trees etc have grown so again I don't know how good the view is now.

The canal towpath also offers a limited view.

Thanks for that. I checked Google Maps and it didn't look too promising. Bit local knowledge confirming my doubts

 

[Baxenden Bank]

Thanks for that. I checked Google Maps and it didn't look too promising. Bit local knowledge confirming my doubts

The public footpath to the north of the A50 would be your best viewpoint. There is a steel sided bridge over the start of the fan of sidings. You will need something to stand on as it has high sides.

Directions:
From the canal towpath by the incinerator (shown as MES Environmental on Google) you go up the ramp, over the canal on the south side of the A50, loop around to go under the A50 then turn right to head along the north side of the A50. The path continues on the north side of the A50 to Heron Cross. Parking is difficult, lots of double yellows to deal with employees at nearby warehouses and football fans when a match is on. Somewhere along Grove Road / Whieldon Road, or one of the streets off, is probably your closest option, you can cross the open space from the end of Kemball Avenue.

I'm not sure what you can see from the open space directly east of the works, across the mainline, but there is nothing to prevent access - except prickly bushes and possibly degenerates.