Did you recognise where (and when) the pictures on the cover were taken? If so, do come along to our April meeting and share your memories of that event. If not, come along anyway and learn about what happened. Personally, I was only there over Spring Bank Holiday working on the wrg/nw sales stand, so just managed to see a very small part of the site in my breaks, and will be interested to see any pictures of other areas.
Speaking of talks I was in a bit of a quandary about whether to include our February talk on the centre pages. It is still January (just) as I type this, but the delays associated with proof-reading, approval, printing and distribution make it unlikely that you will receive this issue before the talk has happened. In the end I decided to include the talk and add this bit as an apology if the date has already passed!
CRT have just issued an advice notice that ALL passages of Harecastle Tunnel this summer must be booked at least 48 hours in advance [See page 7]. This seems a very onerous requirement to me as coming up the Cheshire Flight makes it very difficult for us to estimate exactly (to the hour) when we will arrive at the tunnel. I also wonder how many hirers starting locally will realise that they need to book a passage before they have even set off for the boatyard to collect their boat. Presumably, as they won’t know which boat they will be getting, they will have to get the hire-base to make the booking for them.
Anyway, enough of my musings, what does this issue have for you? It starts with a very interesting chair’s report that asks some very pertinent questions about the future of our waterways. Do please read this and let us know of your thoughts on these problems.
Then [page 7] we have the Harecastle Tunnel notice and the official notice of our branch AGM.
Next [page 9] comes the latest news on Burslem Port, where the work-party has recently doubled in both size and frequency.
Sarah’ s “Social Scene” article follows [page 11] which, again, asks questions about the future and solicits your thoughts on possible alternative meeting and meal arrangements. It also asks for offers of help on our stand at 2 events in May and June.
Our social programme [page 12] is followed [page 14] by more pictures of the mystery event shown on our front cover.
Finally [page 16] Sonning has run out of boating stories (temporarily), but regales us with news of a railway outing instead.
Actually, that isn’t quite the end, as the back cover has the usual information about forthcoming work parties to which you are all invited.
Well, goodbye for now but, before I go, a final heartfelt plea. I have been editing this magazine since Summer 2007 using Microsoft Publisher software which is being killed off in October this year. I say “killed” as it will be automatically removed from my subscription so that I can no longer use it. Is there anybody out there who uses different software who would like to take over editing this magazine? Failing that, can anybody recommend different software which they have found to work well for this type of magazine?
Yours in desperation, Roger Evans
I would like to start by wishing those of our members that I haven’t already seen this year a very Happy New Year. Hopefully, thanks to some ideas you can find in the Social Scene section, I may get to meet more of you this year, even if you can ’t get to our regular social meetings.
This year, 2026, is a significant one for the IWA, as it is the 80th anniversary of the Association’s founding, the inaugural meeting taking place on 15th February of that year. IWA are making the Canalway Cavalcade Festival at Little Venice, from 2nd – 4th May, the focal point of their celebrations and are seeking volunteers to help at the event, as well as general publicity for it. Cavalcade is a lovely event in a glorious setting and well worth visiting. Once rail timetables and fares for those dates are available, I will see if anyone would like to travel down as part of a group, just for a day, to support it.
We can also celebrate the anniversary locally at the Etruria Canals Festival and a fortnight later at Middleport Pottery’ s Canal Festival – subject to enough
people coming forward to look after our
This is a timely moment to remember that the IWA was established as a campaigning organisation. In my case, belonging to “campaigning organisahas tended to involve a lot of walking around with placards, shouting and singing, and handing out leaflets in support of whatever good cause we were campaigning for. In the last decade or so, it has often felt that any victories won on those causes are unravelling.
Those of you who know me well may be aware that I spent most of my working life in Social Security Advice work. Coincidentally, much of the modern Social Security system can also trace its foundation back 80 years, to the 1946 National Insurance Act. After decades of uneven but general progress towards greater social justice, particularly during the 1990s and early 2000s, more recent years have seen repeated cuts and increased restrictions – and sadly, the same seems to be true when it comes to waterways.
To quote from a recent IWA officers’ bulletin about the Canal and River Trust’s Restoration Delivery Plan: “The underlying problem is that whilst on the one hand, CRT seeks to portray itself as a leader of the restoration movement delivering lofty sentiment at national events, on the other hand it is custodian, either in whole or in part, of multiple canals that past neglect and mismanagement over several decades have led to be abandoned and allowed to become an embarrassment in their communities.”
“In more enlightened times of 25 years ago, the then British Waterways Board management launched ambitious plans to revive and regenerate these waterways
leading to spectacular restoration reopenings, such as the Huddersfield Narrow, Rochdale, Droitwich, Forth & Clyde, and Union canals.”
“Momentum has now faltered in a more difficult economic climate, and CRT is getting into the embarrassing situation of being perceived, rightly or wrongly, as a blocker of restoration.” Despite the brave words and high hopes when British Waterways became the Canal and River Trust, there are times when it’ s difficult not to see this as another failed water privatisation!
If we look, for example, at boaters’ amenities, while CRT are pledging to ensure water points, waste disposal and elsan disposal points are available within daily cruising distance and pump-out facilities every two days, the reality is that at the beginning of last November, all remaining showers, toilets and laundry facilities were permanently closed. This may not seem a big deal to boaters in modern narrowboats with WCs, showers and even washing machines, but is a significant loss for boaters in smaller craft or unmodernised heritage boats lacking these things.
More worrying still is the risk to existing waterways. Our hopes of seeing the navigability of the Caldon Canal below Hazlehurst Junction protected from future droughts by the restoration of the Dane Feeder into Rudyard Lake appear doomed to failure, as the Environment Agency have (perhaps understandable) concerns about the risk of spreading invasive species by linking these watercourses.
Post “Whitchurch” we ’re also being more vigilant about threats to sections of our local waterways running along embankments. We have put in objections to two
planning proposals in Stoke-on-Trent which involve major works rather too close to embanked sections of the Caldon Canal either side of Hanley Park.
Following a recent walk in that park after very heavy rain, I had a moment of panic when we noticed water pouring down Regent Road. Having dashed back up the hill to investigate, the cause (fortunately for the canal, if not for the residents) proved to be contractors accidently digging through the water supply to the flats! We should all keep our eyes open for signs of stress to our canal infrastructure and report any concerns promptly.
At the time of writing, we are waiting to see if at least one route of the Fund Britain’s Waterways campaign cruise will come through our region in June or July and, if so, we hope to give them a good welcome and get our local media interested.
Indeed, we might be entertaining them for a little while longer than they may have planned. The proposed Harecastle Tunnel summer opening arrangements [See page 7] no longer include the turnup-and-go morning option but require all passages to be booked 48 hours in advance. While this is going to be a nuisance for people with their own boats who may not be able to predict the time needed to ascend the Cheshire Locks (for example), it risks making navigation of the tunnel quite impractical for anyone hiring from local bases.
Despite my enthusiasm to make Stokeon-Trent a destination of choice for boaters, I don’t really want them to be stranded here longer than they planned to be! We will be taking this matter up with CRT and lobbying them to reinstate the usual morning free-for-all arrange-
ments; it is possible that they simply under-estimate the likely demand for tunnel use after the navigational problems that stopped many boaters using the Macclesfield Canal and Cheshire Locks last year.
Hopefully, sense will prevail, but if not, maybe it’s time for IWA to get out the placards!
Sarah Honeysett
Last chance to see?
Vegetation has been cleared from beside these former industrial buildings along the Caldon Canal between Bedford Road staircase locks and Planet Lock, so they are better visible than in the past, but I understand that they are likely to be
Chair’s Report
demolished shortly to make way for a new housing development. The site definitely needs regenerating and Stoke needs decent new housing, but it seems a pity that some of these could not be repurposed.
[Ed: See 2 more photos on next page]
CRT have announced new rules for Harecastle Tunnel passages from 1st March to 31 October 2026. They say :-
All passages must be pre-booked 48hrs before passage online.
There is no guarantee of passage for boats unless pre-booked.
Bookable passages are available:
Southbound (Kidsgrove to Tunstall): 8am, 10am, 12pm, and 2pm.
Northbound (Tunstall to Kidsgrove): 9am, 11am, 1pm and 3pm.
If you turn up earlier than your booked slot, the Tunnel Keepers will do their best to get you through. Alternatively, please contact us on 0303 0404040.
For direct tunnel enquiries please email <eventsnorthstaffs@canalrivertrust.org. uk.>
Please always follow the directions of our team members on site.
Passage is only permitted with a working horn and tunnel light; at present we are unable to lend such items.
CRT Advice Notice issued 27/1/26
Notice of Branch AGM
The Inland Waterways Association NORTH STAFFORDSHIRE & SOUTH CHESHIRE BRANCH AGM
Notice is hereby given that the 52nd Annual General Meeting of the North Staffordshire & South Cheshire Branch of The Inland Waterways Association will be held on: Friday 13th March 2026 at 7.45 for 8.00 pm at Stoke-on-Trent Boat Club
Endon Wharf, Post Lane, Endon, Stoke-on-Trent, ST9 9DT
A G E N D A
1. Apologies for absence.
2. Approval of the minutes of the last AGM and any matters arising from these minutes.
3. Report from the Branch Chair.
4. Financial Report from the Branch Treasurer.
5. Election of members of the Committee.
6. Any resolutions requested by members of the Branch notified to the Branch Secretary in writing at least six weeks prior to the AGM.
NOMINATIONS for the BRANCH COMMITTEE
Committee members, including those current committee members reaching the end of their 3 year term and wishing to seek re-election, will be elected from the floor at the AGM for a term of 3 years. We welcome any branch member who is interested in joining the committee.
The AGM will be followed by more of Alan’s canal holiday films.
Work Parties
At the end of last year we were joined by Damian and then Bert. Their presence on the existing team of just myself and Aaron has been hugely appreciated as, believe it or not, four can do twice the work of two! As a priority we have cleared and widened the approach to the steps at the end of Luke Street which lead down to the footpath on the line of our old canal.
Having completed that we have now gone right back to where Aaron and I started early last year, to the branch canal’s original junction with the Trent and Mersey. All around the large display board has been cleared, some areas from years ago. The intention is to work back along the line of our canal to clear more
than ever before now we have three strong lads and me!
Design and display progress
All seven three dimensional images have been completed by Bradley and he is now working on the floor plans of our old warehouse.
Our first public display of these was quite recently at Brampton Museum as support to a film that Ray Johnson was showing about Woods Pottery. Woods were the main users of our warehouse so it was very special to have a member of the Woods family present and to see her hold a sample of their “Iris” jug found in our warehouse. Julia Roberts has a Facebook page regarding Wood Pottery. So we hope that via this she can show to
My phone number is 07974-966253.
We have now changed our regular fortnightly dates to weekly ones but for
Social Scene
I am pleased to report that our 2025/6 programme of social meetings has continued to be quite well-supported, and we are grateful to our speakers at the November and December meetings for their excellent presentations.
In November, Pat Smith and Brian Lawrence from the Friends of Hanley Park shared their enthusiasm for this lovely open space with some moving stories from the park’s founding and development in the Victorian era, followed by more up-to-date pictures of how the park continues to be at the heart of the local community. I will continue to share details of events happening in Hanley Park on our branch Facebook page, in case anyone travelling along the Caldon Canal wants to moor up and drop in. If you are on Facebook, please follow our page to keep up with things happening between Socials – currently, a disproportionate number of followers seem to be from India, where we suspect IWA NSSC may be something completely different!
Our December talk was another great double-act, with Tony Lea and Mike Plimbley from Middleport Pottery. Tony began the presentation with the history leading up to the pottery’s founding, before moving on to its development, decline and subsequent rescue and revival. Mike then talked to us about Dane, the historic narrowboat based at Middleport Pottery, including an appeal for volunteers to help crew the boat during the operating season, and to help move Dane to Tamworth in the latter half of April to have its hull blacked. Please let us know if you would like to assist and again, watch for updates on our Facebook page.
At the end of January, we held our New Year 2026 Annual Dinner at The
Bleeding Wolf in Scholar Green. Despite the rather grim name, it is a very welcoming pub serving hearty portions. We had a comfortable, wood-panelled room to ourselves, so could enjoy our raffle and quiz (thanks to Anne and Alan Chetwyn for organising this) without disturbing other diners.
However, as only fifteen people were able to attend, we think that will be the last one in the current format for the time being. I suspect that, as many of our membership have been aging, fewer are keen on driving at night. Holding the dinner in the winter also comes with the risk of travelling in poor weather too. Holding it on a Friday evening, the same as the social evenings, means that people with other commitments on Friday (or avid Gardeners’ World watchers!) cannot get to any of our social events.
This year we are hoping to work with the Stoke-on-Trent Boat Club to organise a daytime or weekend family event in latesummer/early-autumn. I will hopefully have more details for you in the next Knobsticks. The Trent and Mersey Canal Society have kindly said that our members are very welcome to join them for their Christmas dinner, usually held at the Red Bull by T&M lock 43 in early December.
I would be interested to hear from you about whether a Sunday lunch or afternoon tea might work better as an annual gathering in future years.
We will probably have held our next social – with Andy Perkin of the Potteries Heritage Society – by the time this edition of Knobsticks reaches you, but I will remind you about our AGM in March (plus Alan Chetwyn’s home movies of a trip along the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal). I do hope plenty of
our members can come along.
Our April social meeting will be the last for this season. I haven’t yet found a guest speaker on the National Garden Festival’s 40th anniversary, so it looks like I will be doing a short DIY presentation. Hopefully this won’t matter too much as I am planning for this to be a memory-sharing event for those of you who went to the Garden Festival. I was living over 200 miles away at the time but would love to know more about this piece of horticultural history. Please bring your photo albums and souvenirs!
[Ed: See front cover and pages 14-15]
As ever, we are looking for volunteers to help on our stand at the Etruria Canals Festival, taking place over the weekend of 30th and 31st May. We are also hoping
Social Scene
to run a stall at the Middleport Pottery Canal Festival two weeks later. Please get in touch if you might be available to help at either event. Perhaps the boaters amongst us can enjoy an informal boat gathering on the Festival Park moorings around the same time?
I would love to meet members we don’t usually see at our usual events, so aim to get along to some of the Work Parties this year. I am also planning to let you know when Sonning Bear and his friends will be enjoying “Elevenses” at canal side cafes in our area, so you (and your children/grandchildren) can join us when we are local to you. Looking forward to plenty of cake and chats this year!
Sarah Honeysett
North Staffordshire & South Cheshire Branch
Friday 13th February 2026
7:45 for 8pm
The Canal Heritage of The Potteries
Andy Perkin
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
7:45 for 8pm
Marking 40 Years since the National Garden Festival in Stoke-on-Trent
Speaker to be confirmed
- OR possibly (see pages 10-11)
A short presentation by Sarah followed by
Members’ memories of the Garden Festival
[Ed: See the front cover and pages 14-15 for starters]
Admission to AGM/talks is FREE Donations to waterway causes welcome! Refreshments available.
Non-IWA members are very welcome
Venue (unless otherwise stated): Stoke on Trent Boat Club Endon Wharf, Post Lane, Endon STOKE-ON-TRENT, ST9 9DU
For further information contact: Sarah Honeysett (01782 772295)
socialsec.nssc@waterways.org.uk or visit the branch webpages at: www.waterways.org.uk
National Garden Festival Stoke, May-October 1986
40 years ago there was a big festival where Stoke Marina now is. Here are some pictures to go with those on the cover (Canal mural + Heritage arm).
Photos: BW Visitor Centre + Waterfalls + Passenger train taking visitors around
the site + Historic steam goods train + Galleon moored on the lake. All good fun!
National Garden Festival Stoke, May-October 1986
