KNOBSTICKS Spring 2016 IWA North Staffordshire & South Cheshire
Volunteers revealing stonework at Crumpwood Weir Photo: Steve Wood
Editorial just a mixture of soil and rubble”. This is very interesting news to our branch, as we have been trying for some time to find out what materials were used to build the lock islands on the Cheshire Flight.
CRT have been excavating the lock island at Malkins Bank Lock 63 this Winter as part of rebuilding the towpath-side lock chamber wall. They haven’t had to dig down very far to install the piling needed to stop the lock wall moving again, but have discovered that “The fill material in the upper metre is basically general fill, no puddle clay as such,
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The reason we need this information is so that we can work out how best the longclosed off-side lock at Church Lock (Lock 47) can be restored. Many thanks to David Baldacchino and Les Clarke of CRT for this information, and for permission to use the two photographs (©CRT). Branch Contacts List: This edition went to press just before the AGM on 12th February so, by the time you receive it, there may have been some changes to the list of contacts on Page 23. Editor
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Chairman’s Report before, even though I hail from the mild and balmy South West of England. As a branch we have another very busy year in front of us, starting with our AGM in a couple of weeks on February 12th (although by the time you read this, that will already have passed). At the AGM we have a number of the Branch committee coming to the end of their 3 year terms of office and, whilst some have already indicated their willingness to continue, we will have a number of key vacancies: Sales Officer, Branch Secretary, Navigation Officer, Planning Officer, and Membership Officer to name but a few. Hello everyone once again, and a belated “Happy New Year” to all those members who I have not had opportunity to already greet in person. My last chairman’s report started with the words “Summer is now a thing of the past”. I wish that I could now be saying that of Winter because, of course, whilst it has been relatively mild we have had a lot of rain and some tremendous storms. Fortunately, from reports I have received, we have had less damage to the canal infrastructure and boats in our area than other parts, where there has been significant damage to both the canals and to boats moored alongside. Nonetheless, it has been a difficult time for many boaters especially those living on their boats with high water levels and very muddy towpaths. However, walking along the towpath of the Macclesfield Canal this morning there are definite signs that Spring is not so far away and I certainly don’t recall ever having seen daffodils in flower by the end of January Spring 2016
This means of course that those remaining on the committee will have more and more tasks to undertake if we are to remain the very active and interactive branch that we are. So once again, I would make the following plea: Can YOU help? A number of the vacant roles do not require significant amounts of time. If we could get a few people willing to help out, this would mean that existing committee members can focus more on their own respective roles (as well as often many other volunteer roles that our committee members also have outside of direct branch responsibilities). If you are interested, or indeed would just like to know a little more, then please contact me. There is no commitment on your part in so doing, however we do need to ensure that we have as many of our committee roles filled as possible to deliver our very busy programme during 2016. Page 3
Chairman’s Report Not long after the AGM comes our Annual Dinner which will, this year, again be held at Middleport Pottery. Those of us who attended last year will remember that this was a very good venue for such an event. If you haven’t already booked tickets, then please get in touch with Barbara Wells asap. It promises to again be a great evening with good food at a great venue alongside the canal. [NOTE: The official closing date for bookings is 19th February, but Barbara MAY (no promises) be able to squeeze you in if you contact her by 27th February — Ed.] No doubt many of our boater members will be looking towards the end of winter closures and the chance to get out onto the cut once again on a regular basis. Perhaps many of you have whiled away dark Winter evenings sitting down with your maps, planning your various cruises. It’s certainly something we have been doing with a trip planned to the Liverpool Link Canal, which we are combining with visiting the Eldonian Festival on the Leeds Liverpool Canal. It promises to be a very colourful few weeks in Liverpool with the “Tall Ships” at the International Mersey River Festival over the first weekend of June, and then some 100 boats expected to attend the IWA National Campaign Festival at Eldonian Village a week later. Liverpool is one of those places I’ve been meaning to visit for quite a long time by boat but somehow never managed to get up that way. There is something nice I think about planning cruises whilst the weather is cold and dark outside. I just hope that when Page 4
we come to actually go, the weather matches the season. Turning back to activities in our own Branch area this year, as I have already mentioned, we have a busy programme planned including our regular monthly social programme of speakers which you can read more about in this edition. The range of subjects is very wide, so please come along if you can and enjoy listening to the various speakers as well as meeting up with other members for a chat. I can also recommend the rolls with various fillings at the interval, at a great price too! Additionally, the branch will be represented by our sales stand at the various regular annual festivals around our branch area. June is the busy month for these events and so if you are able to lend a hand, even if just for an hour on one of these events, then again please let any of the committee know because as the old saying goes “Many hands etc…..” One other significant event this year will be the celebration of the 250th anniversary of the cutting of the first sod for the Trent & Mersey Canal. On 23 July there will be a celebration event at Middleport Pottery, so again do put this in your diaries. More details in the next issue. Well, I think I have gone on long enough and I’m, sure you will want to get on and read the rest of this edition of Knobsticks which contains not only some really interesting articles, but also information on lots of the forthcoming events during this year. Happy reading. Kind regards
Bob KNOBSTICKS
Going the Extra Length Award
IWA North Staffordshire & South Cheshire Branch volunteers have won a Canal & River Trust, Central Shires - Going the Extra Length Award, for their work to restore and repaint the Grade II listed cast-iron bridge at Hazelhurst Junction. The project was undertaken alongside volunteers from the Caldon & Uttoxeter Canals Trust. The tin of biscuits that was the prize (along with a certificate) was enjoyed at the last branch talk of the year, when Nigel Taylor of CRT gave a very interesting talk about water management. Alison Smedley Above: Some of the North Staffordshire & South Cheshire Branch members involved with the Hazelhurst Junction Bridge Project, with their “Going the Extra Length Award� certificate and tin of biscuits. Photo: Waterway Images. Right: The certificate itself (and a couple of festive crackers) Photo: Alison Smedley. Spring 2016
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Uttoxeter Canal Work Party
Thursday 10th December 2015 Despite the weather being particularly wet, we had a good turnout of volunteers. In the morning we split into two groups, one group went to clear a tree that had fallen across the towpath. It had obviously been blown over by high winds and was easily cut into manageable pieces with bow saws and loppers. The stretch of towpath it had fallen across was the one Waterway Recovery Group had done such a fantastic job of clearing during their ‘Bonfire Bash’ just a few weeks earlier, so we are very keen to ensure it stays fully accessible to walkers in that part of the Churnet Valley.
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The second group continued with the task started during the previous work party of removing the tree stump from the weir culvert and exposing long buried stonework.
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Uttoxeter Canal Work Party In the afternoon everyone concentrated on completely clearing the soil that had built up on the weir abutment over the last century and a half. There proved to be much more stonework than we at first expected, forming a gracefully curving wash-wall; beyond this is an extension which must have been added later constructed of concrete. Although we have only exposed the top of the stonework, it will be interesting to find out what details and shape exist lower down but this will be a job for later requiring a mechanical excavator. Saturday 19th December 2015 For our final work party of the year we again had a good turnout, but perhaps everyone came for the promised homemade mince pies which were greatly appreciated. Once again we were back at Crumpwood Weir removing a bit more of the tree stump growing from the culvert. This is going to be a slow process as we have to work carefully so as not to damage the stonework. Within the team we have an IWA authorised chainsaw operative who is also usually the only first-aider on site. When this is the case he is unable to use the chainsaw, but fortunately on this work party we had a second first-aider, so a bit more of the stump was removed by chainsaw. Soil was washed away from the stump and its roots first by pouring many buckets of water over it. This was done as the gritty soil would soon blunt and damage the chainsaw. Also we had a bonfire and managed to burn a lot more brash left over from previous work parties. Thursday 14th January 2016 It was a bitterly cold morning for our first work party of the New Year, so it was agreed we would have a bonfire to warm us. In fact there were enough of us to have 2. Spring 2016
The first was at the far end of the path from Bridge 70, where we burnt a pile from earlier work parties. We also managed to finish trimming the regrowth from the tree stumps along the line of the towpath in that area. A second bonfire was lit next to the flood-lock, again to burn brash left from the Waterway Recovery Group’s reunion camp.
On the next few work parties we will be concentrating on doing preparatory work on Bridge 70 in readiness for WRG’s next visit to us in April, when they will be doing a major renovation of the bridge including waterproofing the structure and laying a stone sett deck surface. We have an immense amount of work to do before April, so even if you can only spare an hour or two your help would be very greatly appreciated. Photos of Path Clearance: Steve Wood Article & other Photos: Robert Frost Page 7
Cheshire Locks Work Party
Our November work party was cancelled by CRT as the ground conditions were too dangerous, and our December one would have been too near Christmas, so we only have one to report on! 21st January 2016 It was too cold for the normal painting activity so the eight of us filled pot holes in the Red Bull access and parking area, and started work creating a new memorial garden adjacent to the car park and canal. With the assistance of 2 CRT staff we moved, levelled and compacted 5 tonnes of stone, and cleared vegetation from the overgrown garden area. At the end of the day a massive improvement could be seen.
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Above: Garden before we started work. Below: Happy workers in front of cleared area. The next few work parties will continue work on the garden and also, weather permitting, resume the lock painting starting with Red Bull Lock. Article(& Photos): John Brighouse
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New Staffordshire Waterways Group Website A new website has been launched which invites Staffordshire residents, communities and businesses to explore ways they can work together to look after and enhance the county’s waterways. www.staffswaterways.org.uk has been developed by the Staffordshire Waterways Group (SWG) to provide a vision for the county’s waterways. It suggests an approach to how each canal could be improved to deliver a better place to live and to create economic growth, and looks at the value of waterways from many perspectives including community, business, tourism, health, transport and the environment. Individuals, groups, councils and businesses are invited to contact the group if they want to get involved, have an idea they are looking to develop, or wish to support any part of Staffordshire’s waterways. Through the website and the SWG network the group will provide contacts and make connections to help new projects get underway. SWG is a partnership of volunteer canal groups working together with Staffordshire County Council and the Canal & River Trust. It has already helped attract considerable investment for towpath improvements, and delivered many great environmental and access projects. The group includes all nine waterway societies and branches of the Inland Waterways Association from throughout Staffordshire (which, at over 150 miles, has the greatest length of canals of any county). Roger Savage, chairman of the Staffordshire Waterways Group, said: “Staffordshire is at the heart of the national inland waterways network; it has more miles of canal than any Spring 2016
other shire county, along with rivers, lakes and reservoirs galore. We need to look after and to grow the use of our waterways. They are major assets which contribute substantially to our county’s health and wellbeing and to its economy, bringing visitors by boat, cycle and on foot. We all enjoy Staffordshire by water and the group is passionate about helping others put their ideas into action.” Gill Heath, Cabinet Support Member for Environment and Rural Affairs at Staffordshire County Council, said: “Staffordshire has a long and proud history of pioneering canal building and enterprising waterway restoration. We’ve been working closely with the volunteers from the Staffordshire Waterways Group on a number of exciting projects over the last few years, including the multi-million pound Pedal Peak project to improve the towpath of the historic Caldon Canal. The new website is a wonderful tool to connect all our communities and their waterways, and help drive even more innovation around Staffordshire’s canals, rivers and reservoirs.” Charlotte Atkins, Chair of the Canal & River Trust’s Central Shires Waterway Partnership, said: “Staffordshire, with all its canal and river connections, is a great place to enjoy whether it be on the water or on the towpath. By collaborating via the Staffordshire Waterways Group website, sharing ideas and identifying resources we look forward to working with our existing partners and new organisations to deliver the things that matter to residents, businesses and everyone who cares about their local waterways.” Julie Arnold Page 9
All Change on the Sales Front This has been my last year as Sales Officer (and also as Secretary). I volunteered for Sales Officer in 2007 and brought a new approach and energy but that energy has waned since my illness in 2012. At last year’s AGM I submitted a year’s notice, hoping that there would be another enthusiastic volunteer to hand over to at this AGM, but it is looking doubtful. I really enjoyed the sales role, finding new products to surprise and delight our customers, drawing them to the stall and leading to conversations about canals, what the IWA does, what the branch does and, sometimes, leading to new memberships. I am not a membership pusher, I prefer the more discreet approach. The many volunteers brought many different approaches to "collaring" the public. The nail game has produced some surprising extrovert activity, sometimes
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double acts even. The introduction of the neckerchief to the stock has been a real money spinner and many of us will remember Gary from the Lancaster Canal who sold them directly to dogs and provided the "fitting service" which has been carried on by other volunteers since. Volunteers have been both branch members and non-members. At the Middlewich Folk and Boat Festival they have mostly been Middlewich residents who have enjoyed the customer interaction and brought a different and fresh approach. I am looking forward to being one of the volunteers in the future; having my allocated hour or two here and there, and meeting up with volunteers and customers who are regulars at particular events. I hope that there will soon be a new Sales Officer who will bring their own new and individual approach to take the sales stall into a new era. Gillian Watson (Photo: Steve Wood)
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Social Programme
PROGRAMME OF TALKS 2015 – 2016 Friday 11th March 2016, 7.30 for 8pm ANNUAL DINNER Middleport Pottery, Port Street, Burslem ST6 3PE
Contact: Barbara Wells on 01782-533856 or 07710-418908 for more details. [The official closing date for bookings is 19th February, but Barbara MAY (no promises) be able to squeeze you in if you contact her by 27th February — Ed.]
Friday 8th April 2016, 7.45 for 8pm The Caledonian Canal
A digital presentation by Phil Clayton on the history and tales of the Caledonian Canal.
Friday 13th May 2016, 7.45 for 8.00pm Cruising on Remote Waterways
David and Jeanne Smith give us a digital presentation about the voyages of their Wilderness Trailer Boat on waterways that few narrow boaters see: Isolated sections of the Ashby, Hereford & Gloucester, Stroudwater Navigation, River Rother and a few more besides. Admission to 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: Barbara Wells (01782 533856 or 07710 418908) Email bwwells@ntlworld.com or visit the branch webpages at:
www.waterways.org.uk Page 12
KNOBSTICKS
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Spring 2016
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Roger Savage’s Nostalgic Cruise: The Caldon Canal We made the sharp turn above the top lock at Etruria into the Caldon and passed several live-aboards moored beside the Industrial Museum; there were very few such people in the Sixties. The offside here has changed greatly since 1968, with the new landscaped garden of the Beth Johnson sheltered housing presided over by the statue of James Brindley (erected by public donations in 1990). IWA and Stoke Boat Club members were prominent in raising the funds for this statue.
Next we negotiated the Bedford Street staircase without incident, looking back on a greatly changed area.
Bedford Street Staircase. 1973: Harold Bode / Recent: Pauline Savage
Above: Etruria Junction. Below: Harold looking at site for statue. 1973 Photos: Harold Bode
Below: James Brindley Statue between the two arms pictured above. Photo: Pauline Savage
On our left, the former Podmore factory remains derelict. Here, flints ground at his mill on the Consall section of the canal were brought for distribution to pot-banks throughout the city, an important ingredient in white ware and glaze. Page 14
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Roger Savage’s Nostalgic Cruise: The Caldon Canal A great deal of change has happened too come to the windows in earlier times to around Planet Lock. Although the old greet the rare passing boats. waterways cottage still survives, many of the other tatty buildings have been demolished and in their stead stands a state-of-the-art modern Primary Care Centre.
Near Ivy House Bridge. 1973: Harold Bode Modern Housing. Recent: Steve Wood Planet Lock. 1970: Harold Bode / Recent: Pauline Savage
Going through Hanley Park, it is good to see that the large infestations of Japanese Knotweed have been eradicated and much of the fencing has been taken away, leaving clear views over the park itself. Good also to know that the park is currently being renovated thanks to a recent grant. Also on the stretch beyond the park, the old electricity station has been replaced by modern housing blocks with canalside seating. Although the cement mixing depot remains on the right, much of the left hand bank between here and Ivy House Bridge now has attractive housing instead of potbanks. I remember the workers used to Spring 2016
But the chief difference is the water itself. With a steady flow from Rudyard and virtually no boat traffic, the water then was crystal clear. So much so that you could make out the designs on the pottery shards on the canal bed. We now passed the Emma Bridgwater factory on the left, virtually the only functioning canalside pottery on the Caldon, in the former Johnson’s premises. This was where the 3 specially built canal boats, Milton Maid, Milton Princess, and Milton Queen began their journey taking finished ware to the packing factory in Milton, thus nearly eliminating breakages which had occurred when they were transported by road. Page 15
Roger Savage’s Nostalgic Cruise: The Caldon Canal merit these have, I cannot reconcile this with the harsh brick-paved front yards overlooking the canal. Few residents have yet softened these with pot planting. One resident sunning herself agreed that the building site opposite was not a pleasant outlook, but apparently it was soon to become yet more houses.
Above: Milton Maid at Johnson’s, Hanley. Below: Milton Queen’s First Voyage. 1973 Photos: Harold Bode
Ivy House Bridge is no longer a challenge. In the 1960s, it was still a manually operated lift bridge, and heavy and obstinate at that, with impatient motorists watching our puny efforts. Now, with the CRT key in the lock, it is all automatic and we are through in a few minutes. Beyond, as we turned left, it was good to see that the Meakin’s Cricket Ground is still in use, a match between two ladies sides was taking place. I don’t recall many ladies teams in the sixties.
Sharp bends round the council depot at Cromer Road soon bring us to the bend at Bridge 14, where once again modern landscaping and the houses of Birches Head On the opposite bank, we could not save have changed the scene. Apart from the the Victoria Pottery, with its distinctive wall- reduced speed in this section of the City mounted cranes used to load boats in the due to lack of dredging, our onward passage past. Like so many high quality industrial is uneventful now through what was buildings in the City of Stoke-on-Trent, relatively waste land until we reach the 90 once they were abandoned, unscrupulous degree turn by the Foxley Arms. gangs descended to strip the tiles from the roof, allowing the rain to penetrate the Here the old wooden lift bridge which building fabric and render it unusable. Either added to the challenge of the sharp turn has that, or local arsonists would torch the long gone. Milton village gardens were building, much of which had wooden main always well kept, but not many will know structures. This explains the general lack of why there is a grassy ramp down to the historic industrial buildings in the Potteries. water’s edge in one back garden. This is where Cliff Evans, a founder and longIn no time we were under the once glass- serving member of the Caldon Canal lined footbridge which was also the victim of Society, built and launched his boat Loisann. vandalism and is now a much less iconic structure, preceding the new houses of On under the main A53 and another big Hanley Waterside. Despite the architectural change on the left. Ubiquitous housing now Page 16
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Roger Savage’s Nostalgic Cruise: The Caldon Canal stands on what was once Bullers’ Factory site. Here they manufactured those huge ceramic insulators which used to stand in electricity power stations, some 12 feet tall. After Engine Lock we noticed that there are no longer boats moored on the offside here but it was good to see that the two traditional lift bridges between here and Stockton Brook remain in use, albeit with a hydraulic mechanism to raise and lower them. No longer do we have to swing like chimpanzees from the chain to get the unyielding and badly balanced structure to move. Nor will it crash down on the unsuspecting, once you let go. I still have a dent in my cranium from one such episode! The Norton Green section has been neatly piled and recently dredged, with the latest fabric-based Nicospan piling used instead of the galvanised piles so common everywhere. With impeccable timing, we reached the second lift bridge just as it had been opened for a boat to come through, and they held it up whilst we passed. As we began the ascent of the Stockton Brook flight, I remembered that, adjacent to the waterworks was where we had to leave Muscari when we first came up in 1968. When we returned a week later, it had been pelted with mud from the opposite bank. On a later trip up, bringing Malcolm Braine’s Cactus to be based on the summit for a summer season we entered one of the locks which was still timber lined then. As we filled the lock, a huge baulk of timber measuring 6 inches by 3 inches, and some 30 feet long, became detached and fell onto the boat, then into the water. With some difficulty, we pushed it out of the lock and then had to abandon it as it was too heavy Spring 2016
for us to deal with. On our present trip, all was straightforward and we locked up without incident in the early evening sunlight.
Cactus at Endon. 1970: Harold Bode Until recently, the surfaced towpath which had kept us company through the City used to end at Stockton Brook, on the city boundary. The towpath then reverted to a rather muddy state. Not so now. With some of the £5 million funding from the Pedal Peak project phase II, the towpath is now surfaced right through the summit level and down as far as Cheddleton. The aim is to create an off-road cycle way linking Stoke -on-Trent to the Peak District National Park. Another improvement is the lock landing created above the top lock, enabling boats to tie up where we used to have to hover waiting for room to enter the lock whilst another came out – well they would tie up if there was anything to tie to…. Soon we emerged onto the summit pound, with the view of the distant hills. A clear navigation now, but it was barely 5 foot wide in the 1960s, with sedge growing out from either bank. We soon approached the “obstruction” before bridge 27, in fact the remains of the turntable of the railway swing bridge, equipped with an arrow marking the side we should pass. No such thing on our first journey. And it is good to see how local volunteers have excavated the site, revealing the rails where wagons used to come with coal from a nearby pit. Page 17
Roger Savage’s Nostalgic Cruise: The Caldon Canal Ahead is Endon basin, now the HQ of Stoke -on-Trent Boat Club, in those days just an empty arm, which we used as the base for Cactus. As part of the campaign to persuade local authorities of the value of the canal, we took nearly 2,000 schoolchildren from Endon to Hazlehurst and back, explaining the history of the canal en-route. The crew, Canadians Pete and Ellie, used to take a morning swim in the basin. This area is now thriving, with fully equipped moorings and club house. In the early days, I remember being up on the roof of the old wooden building, nailing down the roofing felt.
Endon Wharf 1970. Endon Rally 1971.
Photos: Harold Bode
They have now taken delivery of benches for the platform, in readiness for the trains which will soon resume running between Endon and Cheddleton. Already, the track here has been cleared, as it will be eventually towards the city when freight trains from Cauldon Lowe resume their service. On then to Park Lane, where we used the services and topped up with water. My mind went back to the un-developed site where we had held a campaign rally in 1971, complete with a canal jumping competition, inspired by similar events in Holland. Health and Safety would no doubt not tolerate such an activity now. We came across a group of U3A cyclists from Cheadle, waxing lyrical about the new towpath which enabled them to go from Hazlehurst to Etruria and back on a good surface. One had a puncture, so we helped her by putting the bike on the roof as far as Hazlehurst top lock. She had been a volunteer on Beatrice in the days of Pat and Millie Osborn. We passed without incident under the electricity pylons where Cactus had always ground to a halt, only to be restarted after much hauling on ropes.
Beatrice at Endon. We moored for the night just outside the basin, and walked next morning along beside the railway track to the shops and the Station Kitchen, alongside the platform. Page 18
1979: Harold Bode
At Hazlehurst, we turned right up the Leek Arm. In the early days, there were just one or two boats moored on this section, but now there are a large number of craft, reducing the channel to one boat’s width. KNOBSTICKS
Roger Savage’s Nostalgic Cruise: The Caldon Canal Always an interesting trip, with sharp bends. We met an oncoming boat just where the canal turns through 90 degrees into the aqueduct, and then soon passed the Canal & River Trust contractors extending the surfaced towpath up towards Leek. The Leek Arm is at its best in May, with the woods on the offside carpeted with bluebells. We turned at Tunnel Pool, and moored for the night, spending the evening watching swallows reducing the midge population. Next day, we retraced our steps and descended the three Hazlehurst locks which were derelict in the sixties to The Hollybush – what a change from Jack Reeves’ establishment with its tiny bar and outside privy-type loos, complete with torn bits of newspaper hanging from a nail… The expanded pub has at least retained much of the atmosphere, and the roaring fire was welcoming on a chilly lunch-time.
rings were soon installed. It was good to see the Mill open, surviving and run by volunteers, worthy successors to Robert Copeland and his men who had saved this monument and kept it in working condition for over 40 years now. Then, Cheddleton Locks were derelict, still with wooden sides in the top lock. These days, English Heritage would no doubt have insisted on it being restored preserving that feature – and Health & Safety would not have allowed the young offenders from Werrington to work without safety equipment as they cleared out Woods Lock.
Next day, we moved on to the Flint Mill at Cheddleton, still beside the new towpath. As we approached the designated 48-hour visitor mooring, we saw that width restrictions had forced the contractors to bring the new path right against the concrete capping, eliminating the grass which was always where boats had put their mooring pins. I was horrified to realise that a scheme which I had partly been instrumental in facilitating (the funding opportunity had come up in a Staffordshire Waterways Group meeting) has had such a detrimental effect for boaters, reducing the mooring spaces to just two. I raised this matter with Darren Green (CRT Central Shires Waterway Manager), and it is good to report that he reacted swiftly and mooring Spring 2016
Cheddleton Top Lock before Restoration (with Wooden Sides). 1973: Harold Bode I remember this section well between Cheddleton and Oakmeadowford Lock, as Page 19
Roger Savage’s Nostalgic Cruise: The Caldon Canal Mike Thompson and I used to regularly mow the towpath with an Allen Scythe and there were working parties to cut back the many saplings growing between the towpath and the water. Good too to see the occasional engine running along the Churnet Valley Railway. That too was saved in the Seventies, thanks to the foresight of a local politician, Cllr Hancock. A great change in the industrial scene, as Brittains’ Paper is no more, and the heaps of spoil which they had deposited all down the valley are now grown over. As we passed the Boat Inn, a helpful CRT sign warned of an obstruction in the canal – but unhelpfully did not say whether to keep right or left. As an old hand I knew to keep right as this obstruction, whatever it is, has been there for years. The man moored opposite reports that he regularly pulls boats off. A dearth of moorings here limits the amount of passing boat traffic that can spend money in the Boat Inn. Soon we are cruising down the river in the morning sunlight, twisting our way down to Consall. Here we were disappointed to find difficulty in mooring, as the towpath wall is threatening to collapse into the river, reducing the 48 hour mooring to just one space. This situation is long standing, and must cost the Black Lion a fortune in lost business when boats cannot find anywhere to moor. My attempt to walk under the railway was thwarted as the wooden towpath has been badly damaged by a boat collision and, in my newly handicapped state, I was forced to make a detour over the railway crossing and through the pub garden and down a steep slope. It is over two years since this damage Page 20
occurred but, at a recent meeting of the Staffordshire Waterways Group, I was pleased when Darren Green told us that that it is listed in this year’s stoppage programme. A contractor has been asked to prepare for the repair of the collapsed towpath wall beside the Lime Kilns here. It pays to be watchful and to report issues to CRT when they are noticed!
Above: Consall Forge Rally. 1974: Harold Bode / Recent: Adrian Savage Below: Consall Forge Station back in use.
After spending a night beside the Lime Kilns, we set off next morning again in sunlight, through Flint Mill lock, where we noted how the premises have been skilfully turned into high quality residences. Then down through the narrow sections, where concrete flumes had to be used to offset the effect of the unstable land, now thoroughly naturalised so that you would not realise what a highly engineered section this is. KNOBSTICKS
Roger Savage’s Nostalgic Cruise: The Caldon Canal Too large to pass through the tunnel, we nevertheless walked along to the basin where the first lock of the Uttoxeter canal has been restored thanks to the legacy of Christine Vernon and the combined efforts of WRG, BW and local volunteers.
Flume section when new / Flume “Mellowed”. 1970s: Harold Bode / Recent: Adrian Savage Soon Bolton’s chimney (another feature saved from demolition) came into view, and the wide spaces where once stood the busy copper works.
Bolton’s Chimney. Spring 2016
Photo: Adrian Savage
Moored in new Basin.
Photo Adrian Savage
We were reminded of happy times with our sons watching Badger the Boat Horse and the Youngs dressed in traditional boaters’ finery as they steered Birdswood on its silent way to Consall. We were ready for an ice cream and disappointed that there are no longer any refreshments on sale. When we stood here many years ago to hear of the plans for this picnic area, we thought that was far-fetched enough, but the idea of restoring the canal through to Uttoxeter now seems feasible, given funds and good will. We no longer have the energy to climb the tramways up to Cauldon Lowe, but, thanks to the railway enthusiasts, we were able to take the heritage diesel service up to Ipstones next day before turning homewards. How the waterway has improved since those early days in the sixties when it was impassable for much of its length! Roger Savage Note: Photos by Harold Bode are ©CUCT. Page 21
For an extensive range of traditional narrowboat and sailing fittings
ADVICE AND FRIENDLY, HELPFUL SERVICE.
Brass fittings, portholes, windows, mushroom vents, tiller bars and pins, pigeon boxes, rope, fenders. Solid fuel stoves and chimneys, cookers, fridges and freezers, showerbaths and basins, water and shower pumps, Hep 2O plumbing.
FREE
DOMESTIC HOT WATER FROM WATER COOLED
ENGINES BY HEAT TRANSFERENCE CALORIFIER
Send large SAE for our Disc or catalogue Main Honda agents, outboards and generators. Parts and service. Calor gas and fittings, diesel, DIY and yard storage, slipway, pump out.
Gifts • canal souvenirs • maps and books • clothing
Newcastle Road, Stone, Staffs.
Tel: Stone (01785) 812688 Fax: (01785) 811317 www.stoneboatbuilding.co.uk email: sale@stoneboatbuilding.co.uk
The Swan Inn Stafford Street, Stone
Two minutes from bridge 93 at Star Lock
Serving 10 Real Ales & Scrumpy Cider Bar Snacks available Page 22
Beer Garden KNOBSTICKS
North Staffordshire & South Cheshire contacts President: Chris Skelhorne Vice President Roger Savage roger.st21@gmail.com Chairman Bob Luscombe 07710 054848 bob.luscombe@waterways.org.uk Deputy Chairman + Minutes Secretary Steve Wood 07976 805858 steve.wood@waterways.org.uk Treasurer Alan Chetwyn (No Email) 01782 279277 Secretary VACANT (Contact bob.luscombe@waterways.org.uk) Sales Officer VACANT (Contact bob.luscombe@waterways.org.uk) Social Secretary Barbara Wells 01782 533856 socialsec.nssc@waterways.org.uk Publicity Officer Sarah Honeysett 01782 772295 s.honeysett@btinternet.com Newsletter Editor Roger Evans 01606 834471 newsletter.nssc@waterways.org.uk 10 Long Lane, Middlewich, Cheshire, CW10 0BL Web-site Liaison Alison Smedley 01538 385388 webmaster.nssc@waterways.org.uk
Planning VACANT (Contact bob.luscombe@waterways.org.uk) Membership Officer VACANT (Contact bob.luscombe@waterways.org.uk) Stoke-on-Trent Boat Club Rep. VACANT (Contact secretary.nssc@waterways.org.uk) Navigation Officer VACANT (Contact bob.luscombe@waterways.org.uk) Burslem Port Work Party Steve Wood 07976 805858 steve.wood@waterways.org.uk Caldon Work Party + Uttoxeter W.P. Robert Frost 07743 628091 robert.frost@waterways.org.uk Cheshire Locks Work Party John Brighouse 07808 878317 john.brighouse@waterways.org.uk Congleton Work Party Bob Luscombe 07710 054848 bob.luscombe@waterways.org.uk Other committee member: Julie Arnold 01538 361138 Maria Frost West Midlands Region Chairman VACANT (Contact bob.luscombe@waterways.org.uk)
The Branch committee meets at 7:30 p.m. on the 2 nd Tuesday of odd-numbered months at Stoke Boat Club, Endon Wharf, Post Lane, Endon, Stoke-on-Trent, ST9 9DU. All Branch members are invited to attend. The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the Inland Waterways Association, the West Midlands Region, or North Staffordshire & South Cheshire Branch. They are, however, published as being of interest to our members and readers. Š The Inland Waterways Association - Registered as a charity no. 212342 Spring 2016
www.waterways.org.uk/staffscheshire
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Join Us on a Canal Work Party
Cheshire Locks (Trent & Mersey Canal, Kidsgrove to Wheelock) 3rd Thursday of each month (except December), 10am to 3pm. Contact: John Brighouse Phone: 07808-878317 Email: john.brighouse@waterways.org.uk Uttoxeter Canal (Bridge 70, near Denstone) 2nd Thursday of each month, 10am to 3pm. also occasional Saturdays: check IWA website shortly before Contact: Robert Frost Phone: 07743 628091 Email: robert.frost@waterways.org.uk Burslem Port, Stoke-on-Trent 4th Tuesday of each month, 10am to 3pm. also 1st Saturday of each month, 10am to 3pm. Contact: Steve Wood Phone: 07976-805858 Email: steve.wood@waterways.org.uk Congleton, Macclesfield Canal 4th Friday of each month, 10am to 12:30pm. Contact: Bob Luscombe Phone: 07710-054848 Email: bob.luscombe@waterways.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) Page 24
KNOBSTICKS