At the bottom of this page are two photographs of the same milepost. As chairman of the Trent and Mersey Canal Society, I am very grateful to Sarah Honeysett for agreeing to repaint some ofourmilepostsintheStokearea.
Those north of Harecastle were all repainted a few years ago, but we had failed to find anybody to continue the good work south of Harecastle. Sarah recently volunteered, and has already done four. If anybody wants to help (as there are a lot more still to go), please let meorSarah haveyourdetails.
If you would like to see what a difference it makes, you cane see pictures of all the milepostsonthe TMCS website:
www.tamcs.org.uk/mileposts/index
You will probably have already heard that the Trent and Mersey Canal has been closed to navigation from the summit to Middlewich because of low water levels. However you may not have heard that the towpath has also now been closed on part of the Cheshire Flight after vandals drained several of thepounds.See pages8-11
More cheerful news is that work-parties continue of the Cheshire Flight [page 5] and at Burslem Port [See some splendid “what it could look like” images on pages 6-7] as well as, sporadically on the Uttoxeter Canal[pages 14-15].
We also have news of our winter season of talks [pages 11-13]. along with a provisional date for our Annual Dinner. I hope to see you at one (or more) of these events.
DearMembers,
Leaving things to the last minute, I find myself writing this several days after the official Knobsticks press date, so it was something of a temptation when I opened my laptop and Co-pilot, Microsoft’s AI content creator, asked what I wanted to write. “A magazine article on the current state of UK Waterways” I typed, thinking that might give it a challenge. Milliseconds later, a 1,000+ word report entitled Reflections on England’s Canal Network: Past, Present, and Future - Exploring the Lifeblood of England’s Waterways in 2025appeared on myscreen!
Although a few minor points wouldn’t have passed muster with some of our more expert (dare I say geeky?) members, it really wasn’t bad at all and, had I wanted a potted history and a general SWAT analysis, would have done thejobalarmingly well.
I am, however, a Luddite at heart, and thisis notthatarticle!
I should probably have asked it for some good news about the waterway network, because that seems to be in short supply just now. I note that CRT’s website currently has five pages of navigation closures, including several impacting waterways in or close to our branch area but affecting much of the system. Three pages of those closures are due to low water levels. The Caldon Canal has been closed to through navigation from Hazlehurst to Froghall since 26th May for this reason, allowing more of the dwindling water supply from Rudyard Lake reservoir and other sources to reach the Trent and Mersey instead. While we cannot blame CRT for the weather, we are continuing to monitor concerns about their management of the reservoir, particularly the state of repair and legal status of the Dane feeder into it.
Anyone who watched in horror as excess rainfall at the start of the year caused the collapse of a section of the Bridgwater Canal at Dunham Massey cannot help noting the irony that water shortage and the resulting closures now prevents a planned IWA campaign cruise and rally near Lymm this month, postponed pending significant rainfall. The Cheshire Locks closed at the end of July following the closure (again) of the Bosley Locks on the Macclesfield Canal, and thus reduced input from that waterway to theT&M.
It is probably just as well that our plans for boating this summer always included a “staycation” around Stoke-on-Trent for the various City Centenary celebrations. You will see from Sonning’s article later that this did not go entirely to plan but has (to date) been generally positive, even if the “Hanley Park Boat Gathering” for the People’s Parade was a little sparsely attended. With our friends from
the Caldon and Uttoxeter Canals Trust we ran stalls at the Etruria Canals Festival this summer which generated plenty of interest and a decent income, so very many thanks indeed to everyone who helped, whether in person or by contributingsales items.
I continue to be astonished at how much of the potential of the waterfront through Stoke-on-Trent seems to be squandered, particularly with the construction of yet more soulless warehousing through the Etruria Valley, though there are some signs of a renaissance. Two of our local heritage buildings at risk that made the pages of the latest Waterways magazine (and which, contrary to the map, are located north of Etruria Junction!) are the subject of interesting plans.
Re-imagining the warehouse at the former Burslem Port as a community venue was set as a project for Staffordshire University architecture students and five imaginative schemes were presented. It is to be hoped that this will encourage more interest in the site and itspotential. [See pages6-7]
While the redevelopment of Burslem Port may remain on the electronic drawing board for the time being, plans for Oliver’s Mill beside the T&M are somewhat closer to becoming reality, with the well-connected Teapot Factory group actively investigating the potential of the site to create studios, workshops, retail, catering and music venues. Slightly confusingly, an actual teapot factory beside the canal – the former Price and Kensington works at Longport - is steadily undergoing repairs and improvements, having been bought last year by Wayne Walker of the adjacent meat wholesalers. The plan again is to repurpose the site for retail and leisure
use. While there is still a very long way to go, it’s a treat not to see the piles of rubbish cluttering the yard around the surviving bottle kiln. It’s tragic, however, that the fine old Georgian Duke of Bridgwater pub on the other side of the canal is rapidly falling into a shocking stateofdereliction.
Stoke-on-Trent’s showcase waterside development– The Goods Yard, between Stoke station and the T&M – is apparently now complete. I need to take a look around. It is sited along what is currently a particularly uninspiring and quite poorly-maintained section of the T&M, so perhaps we can hope for landscaping improvements to that grim concrete stretch below lock 36, if only to give a nicer outlook to residents and diners?
North of Harecastle Tunnel, there have been towpath improvements around Kidsgrove Station to give better access and signage for the Gritstone Trail, which follows the T&M and Macclesfield Canal at this point. This work is a collaboration between CRT and Newcastle Borough Council, funded from the Kidsgrove Town Deal. It’ s a reminder that canals aren’t just for boaters although it is arguable that their function as navigations is key to their placeinthelandscape.
Sarah Honeysett
June 19th and 20th
Four of us attended Lock 62 on Thursday and three of us continued on Friday. On both days we finished slightly earlier than usual due to uncomfortably high temperatures. Despite this we made good progress and at last finished the extensivemetal.
All that remains to be done is the banister railing, some touching up and numbering of the lock. I expect us to complete on our next visit and to progress on to Lock 61. Over the 2 days weclocked 45 volunteer hours.
Photosthiscolumn:TonyWalker
July 17th and 18th
We had a great turn-out with nine volunteers in attendance on Thursday plus two of us on the follow-up on Friday. Combined with the clement weather, this meant we were able to put thefinishing touches to Lock62.
We also made tremendous progress on the off-side of Lock 61. The towpath side is currently closed for repairs but we hope to complete (as far as safety considerations allow) next month. We spent a total of 70.5 volunteer hours over the2days.
Photosthiscolumn:JohnBrighouse
Article:TonyWalker
A Degree of Success!
For all of us, the big day arrived on Thursday May 22nd when we finally got to see the degree work of the architecture department of the “University of Staffordshire”. For this special event I had invited a fellow ex-architect, and school mate from Newcastle High School, down from his home up in Clitheroe, Lancashire. Each of the five students who had adopted our project were asked by Dr Islam Abohela, head of department, to present their design proposals for our comment. Good experience for a budding architect! There was such a wide range of design proposals, from the very adventurous design for a new building above our old warehouse, to the more sympathetic heritage focused re-imagining of our old warehouse. As this was an initial private viewing we didn’t hold back with what I hoped were constructivecomments.
For the wider public I had arranged with the department an open day, to which I had invited a wide range of people who I considered “interested parties”. The Evening Sentinel paper produced a fine article, taken in impressive shorthand,
from interviews with myself, the students and Islam. A whole page was devoted to this open day with a local student, Bradley Odonoghue’s project being featured. Certainly a great success from my point of view. Only recently have I been contacted again by the department to discuss further suitable projects. Watchthisspace.
Talks
Since my last report I have given my “long talk” to the Macclesfield Canal Society and a shorter version to Baskeyfield House retirement home adjacent to our canal. The former gave a generous donation to BPT for which we are very grateful.
Work Party News
With much fine weather and (I’m please to say) better health, Aaron and I have been attending site every Friday for between one to two hours. We have continued clearing/exposing the fencing on our western boundary with Eden Valley Properties. We now feel that we have reached about the half way stage with clearer ground ahead. But mother
nature never stops, so we have to forego our boundary work to start clearing our overgrown footpath. Again we feel that wehavereached about half way.
Futuredatesforwilling helpers – please!
September12th +26th
October10th +24th
November7th + 21st
December5th+ 19th
Stop Press!
Just as we go to press, Bradley (one of the degree students who has offered to help us) has produced the most wonderful 3D images of our own warehouse and basin project. I hope that you agree that they present a very realistic image which may just persuade a willing benefactorto help us!.
Article:Dave Broome 3DImages: BradleyOdonoghue
Canal drained by Vandals
CRT issued the following notice on 4th August 2025 at 11:29am:
“The towpath is currently closed between Lock 43 Red Bull and Lock 54 Thurlwood Lower due to dewatered locks.
Unfortunately, the canal was emptied following vandalism over the weekend, and due to limited water supplies after a very dry spring, we're currently unable to refill it.
To keep everyone safe from the risk of falling from height, the towpath will remaincloseduntilfurthernotice.We're really sorry for any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your patienceandunderstanding.”
Navigation on the Trent and Mersey Canal had already been closed all the way from Locks 41 to 71 on25th July due to low water levels (NOT caused by vandalism), so (hopefully) no boats were affected.
You may be interested to see a YouTube video of the empty canal between locks 41 and 42 (which wasn’t included in CRTsstoppage notice): www.youtube.com/ watch?v=Do03uYXQjTE
Hopefully, by the time you read this, CRT will be able to report that the pounds are (very)slowly fillingupagain.
RogerEvans
Empty pound above Lock 52 (also see photo on page 10) Photo:Tony Walker
Canal drained
Long empty stretch above Lock 49
Photo:Tony Walker
Anti-social Behaviour on Towpaths
On Tuesday 17th June 2025, while approaching Etruria Wharf aboard our boat, we witnessed two motorcyclists riding south along the Trent & Mersey Canal towpath, followed by a youth on an electric-assist bicycle, across the bridge spanning Lock 40, and through theCRTyard towardsShelton.
Concerned for the safety of pedestrians on the towpath, and for boat crews, I reported the incident to CRT HQ in Ellesmere Port, copied to Staffordshire Police and received a letter from Nancy Creedy, Customer Support Admin., advisingcontactingthePolicedirectly,
On 29th July, I received a ‘phone call from Chief Inspector David Barrow, based at Longton Police Station, Sutherland Road, LONGTON ST3 1HH, replying to my letter. He stated that much of the anti-social behaviour involving off-road bikes is linked to a rise in theft of motorbikes. Any activity
of anti-social behaviour should be reported by ‘phoning101,oronlineto:https://www.staffordshire.police.uk/ ro/report/asb/asb/report-antisocialbehaviour/
He also told me that Staffordshire Police are running a series of targeted operations involving the use of specialist officers and equipment, including the use of drones, fixed-wing aircraft, offroad motorbikes, and specially trained officers from our Road Crime Team working alongside local neighbourhood officers.
Chief Inspector Barrow concluded by saying that appropriate Police representation would be arranged for advice to boat crews at forthcoming IWA Branch meetings this Autumn or Winter once dates are confirmed.
JonHoneysett Navigations Officer
Empty pound below Lock 51 (see pages 8-9)
Photo:Tony Walker
Social scene
Social Scene August 2025
As ever, with the new social season almost upon us, I’m still putting the finishing touches to the speakers’ list. After a summer enjoying the Centenary celebrations for Stoke-on-Trent and still on a mission to highlight Stoke-on-Trent as somewhere for boaters to cruise to rather than through, the heart of our region has been very much on my mind. As a result, you are in for a somewhat Potteries-centric programme for 2025/26, though with plenty of variety withinthe overall theme.
The first presentation (October 10th), is on the “Transforming the Trent Headwaters” project. This is a great opportunity for branch members to have a say in an important and wide-ranging project. Jon and I attended a consultation event at the New Vic Theatre and immediately thought it made sense to invitetheteamto talkto ourbranch.
The VAST website describes their agenda:
Transforming The Trent Headwaters is an 18-month project led by Staffordshire Wildlife Trust in partnership with VAST and Support Staffordshire amongstothers.Theprojecthasfunding to map the wildlife and habitats, historical landscape and community interest across the Trent Headwaters and tributaries, basically covering Newcastle-under-Lyme, Stoke-on-Trent andBiddulphsouthernmoorlands.
Kathryn Kavanagh (Staffordshire Wildlife Trust) and Tam Harrison (SupportStaffordshire)havebeenasked to link in with as many people and groups as possible to find out what people think of their green and watery
places, what people are proud of locally and what ideas they may have for future projects to benefit local wildlife andcommunities.
This work is being done to help create ideas for future partnership projects and bid for funding from organisations suchastheNationalLottery.
After such a dry summer, many of us will have our own ideas about our “watery places”! Please do try to support this consultation and bring along friends and neighbours, especially those who know the area or are interested in its natural –and human – history.
On November 14th, we will welcome a couple of speakers from the Friends of Hanley Park to tell us more about this glorious green space on the Caldon canal. Whether you visit by boat, bike or bus, there is much to enjoy– lookout for a Heritage Open Day with activities for all the family there on the 20th September.
I am awaiting confirmation of a talk for us from Re-form (note the hyphen!) Heritage on December 12th; best known for their rescue of Middleport Pottery –located on the T&M and home to historic narrowboat Dane -, they are involved in plans to rescue several other historic buildingat risk inThePotteries.
I’ll have more details of the second half of the season in the next edition of Knobsticks.
SarahHoneysett
[The full programme (including outline details for January to April) is on the centre pages]
North Staffordshire & South Cheshire Branch
Friday 10th October 2025
7:45 for 8pm
Transforming the Trent Headwaters A presentation and consultation from Tamsin Harrison of Support Staffordshire
Friday 14th November 2025
7:45 for 8pm
Hanley Park, Past Present and Future Pat Smith and Brian Lawrence of the Friends of Hanley Park
Friday 12th December 2025
7:45 for 8pm (details to be finalised)
A speaker from Middleport Pottery/Re-form Heritage
Friday 9th January 2026 (provisional date) 7 for 7:30pm (provisional time) Annual Dinner at The Bleeding Wolf, Scholar Green
Friday 13th February 2026
7:45 for 8pm
The Canal Heritage of Stoke-on-Trent Andy Parkin from the Potteries Heritage Society
Friday 13th March 2026
7:45 for 8pm Branch AGM followed by A Journey along the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal Alan Chetwyn
Friday 10th April 2026
Marking 40 Years since the National Garden Festival in Stoke-on-Trent Speaker to be confirmed
Admissionto AGM/talks is FREE Donations to waterway causes welcome! Refreshmentsavailable.
Non-IWA members are very welcome
Venue (unlessotherwisestated): StokeonTrentBoat Club EndonWharf,Post Lane, Endon STOKE-ON-TRENT,ST99DU
Himalayan balsam season is back upon us! The Uttoxeter Canal benefited recently from some work carried out by visiting volunteers from the London group area of the Waterway Recovery Group, who spent a weekend in June staying at Great Wood Hall in Tean, whileworkingonthecanal inthevicinity ofBridge70.
As well as clearing lots of Himalayan balsam along the path between Bridge 70 and Milepost 23, they also cleared vegetation on and around Bridge 70
itself. Volunteers travelled from as far afield as London, Hereford, Manchester and Peterboroughforthe weekend.
Repairs to the footpath were also carried out, replacing some rotten stakes which date from when the footpath was installed as part of the Churnet Valley Living Landscape Project in 2014.
AlisonSmedley
Photo shows the towpath repairs being carried out on the footpath between Milepost 23 and Bridge 70 during the LondonWRGworkingweekendinJune
JCB and CRT volunteers at Carrington’s Lock
The volunteers carried out a range of different jobs:
• Painting the bench which CRT volunteers had installed 2 years ago (photo below).
• Clearing vegetation, including the original line of the towpath on the far side of the lock (still officially the routeofthe publicfootpath).
• Revealingthelock edges.
• Uncovering the stone cores from pumping station boreholes (photo right).
BethDawid (CRTorganiser)
The Boating Adventures of Sonning Bear
Last time I wrote an article for Knobsticks I told you about some of the things to see and places to moor along the Trent and Mersey Canal between Harecastle Tunnel and Etruria. We have been up and down that stretch of the canal a lot this summer but also a little way up the Caldon Canal to Hanley Park, as so many things have been happening to celebrate 100 years of Stoke-on-Trent beingacity.
At the end of May there was the Etruria Canals Festival. This happens every year, but I am sure there were more historic boats there this year including some I had not seen before.
There were also plenty of stalls, people singing and dancing – including some Morris Dancers who were doing quite dangerous-looking dances with big sticks! – and a craft display including
Centenary Celebrations in Stoke-on-Trent
The Boating Adventures of Sonning Bear
boaters’ belts for humans just like the ones Aunty Ann Chetwyn made for us bears, which we always wear for special waterwaysoccasions.
We had bright, sunny weather for the Etruria Festival, but were not so lucky with our next special event the following weekend. Our human guardian Polar had hoped we would get several boats to join us for a boat gathering in Hanley Park ahead of the People’s Parade, a carnival to celebrate Stoke’s Centenary that was starting near and returning to the park, but we were the only boat there onFridaynight.
There were lots of families walking in the park wearing their best clothes on Friday evening, because it was their festival of
Eid ul-Adha, but it was all quiet that night apart from a tawny owl going tewit (but only one, as there were no tewoos!).
It absolutely poured with rain for the parade on Saturday morning, but it was still a great event. We saw hundreds of people in all sorts of costumes, several giants and Hanley Bear met Kelvin the Bottle Kiln Mascot for the Centenary.
We stayed in Hanley Park the evening after the People’s Parade and Party in the Park, despite still being the only boat. Just as we were finishing tea, the boat moved as if someone had stepped onto the stern. Polar opened the side hatch, expecting it might be naughty children, and saw a young couple, the lady wearing a niqab, who had been
The Boating Adventures of Sonning Bear
taking pictures of each other next to the boat and then pretendingto steerit.
They didn’t realise there were two people – and four bears – on board! Human guardian Grizzly invited them to have a look inside – they had never been on a narrow boat and were surprised how muchroomthere is.
One of the best things about mooring in Hanley Park is that you are only a short cruise away from the Emma Bridgewater Pottery, where we discovered they do verynicebreakfasts!
Huddlesford and Endon shared a veggie breakfast with Polar and had room for toast and marmaladeafterwardstoo!
We brought Uppie back onto the T&M for another celebration the following weekend, when there was a canal festival at Middleport Pottery. Page 18
It was great fun, with vintage children’ s games, boat rides on Dane and people in costumes, including a lady with a lovely horse (reminding people that canal boats used to be pulled by horses before they were fitted with engines) and a man with a penny farthing bicycle who kindly let me sit on it, although I couldn’t ride it as
The Boating Adventures of Sonning Bear
We had oatcakes and cake too! We spent the night moored on the rings opposite the pottery, just in case it was busy at Westport Lake, and had a nice quiet night there.
We planned to take Uppie back to Hanley Park for two more events but, although we got to them, the boat didn’t. The Friday before Stoke Pride, we were just about to take our boat up the Bedford Street staircase when a CRT lady told us the Caldon Canal was being closed due to shortage of water and she didn’t know when it would be open again.
So we all came home on the bus – only to find out later that the canal had reopened only a few hours afterwards and we could have taken Uppie to the parkagain!
Hanley Bear still went to Pride, where he met a lady with a pet dragon and watched another very colourful carnival parade, this time without getting soaked throughto hisstuffing!
And there was an even more colourful parade in the park in July for the Six Towns Caribbean-style Carnival – but we couldn’t take Uppie to that because the hull was being blacked! Of course Hanley Bear went, because it was all happening in “his” park!
The Boating Adventures of Sonning Bear
We are looking forward to more family events in Hanley’s park this year, with a heritage day planned in September and a Christmas event too, so we hope the canal will be open and we can take the boat along. If you like running or even having a brisk walk, there is a regular Park Run there on Saturday mornings at
9am and a walking group every Wednesday from the Community Hub at 11am.
Mrs Pat and Mr Brian from the Friends of Hanley Park are coming to talk to our branch in November, so they can tell you more about the history of the park and what we do to try to make it a welcoming and safe placeforeveryone.
Hanley Bear hopes more boaters will visit his park and have a walk around, even if they don’t stay overnight, and he has his paws and claws crossed that the café might reopen later this year. He also wonders if Polar can use a little of the T&M’s milepost paint to tidy up the one in the park, even though it’s on the CaldonCanal?
Article:SonningBear
Photos:SarahHoneysett
VisitEngland graded 2-8 berth quality narrowboats. Weekly hire and short breaks available. Wide choice of excellent routes; E.g. Four Counties Ring, Caldon, Cheshire Ring. Beginners and experienced crews welcome; Full tuition given.
Please ring for a brochure or visit: WWW.CANALCRUISING.CO.UK
North Staffordshire & South Cheshire contacts
If any of the roles shown as vacant interest you, please contact Alison Smedley for further information.
Our Branch runs 3 work parties each month, helping to maintain and restore our local canals :-
• Cheshire Locks (Trent & Mersey Canal, Kidsgrove to Wheelock) (jointly organised with the Trent and Mersey Canal Society) 3rd Thursday of each month (except December), 10am to 3pm. Contact: Tony Walker Phone: 07708 320470
Email: walker.tony31@gmail.com
• Uttoxeter Canal (held in partnership with Caldon & Uttoxeter Canals Trust). Work parties are unfortunately no longer running due to lack of an organiser. If you are interested in getting involved (full training and support are provided) please contact: Alison Smedley Phone: 01538 385388
Email: alison.smedley@waterways.org.uk
• Burslem Port, Stoke-on-Trent (working in partnership with Burslem Port Trust) Fridays: September 12th + 26th, October 10th + 24th, November 7th + 21st, December 5th + 19th
Contact: Dave Broome before attending Phone: 07974 966253
Email: dave.broome@burslemport.org.uk
See the IWA website www.waterways.org.uk under “Events” for dates. Volunteers are advised to wear stout shoes and old clothes, and to bring waterproofs (and a packed lunch and drink if staying all day).
