Knobsticks Autumn 2015

KNOBSTICKS

IWA North Staffordshire & South Cheshire

Autumn 2015

Hazlehurst Junction Bridge before and after repainting. Photos: Alison Smedley

Editorial (or lack of it)

Page 2 KNOBSTICKS

I’ve no space for an editorial, but I just

couldn’t leave out this picture of what can

happen to even very experienced boaters.

They got the rudder trapped between the

bottom gates when ascending Upper

Thurlwood Lock and down she went. RCR

attended quickly and raised her in under

two hours. Thanks to Malcolm Bridge (who

was caught in the queue) for the picture. I’m

glad our stern fender protects our rudder!

Skittles Inter-Branch Contest — Please help us win again!

Why not come along and join in the fun. No

experience necessary.

Please confirm bookings to me

by 3rd October 2015

Tel: 01606 835 606

Mob: 07976 318 356

Email: [email protected]

P.S. We won last year, so do come along

and help us to retain the trophy.

Gillian Watson

As usual the competition will be between

our branch, Lichfield branch and Shrewsbury

District & North Wales branch. Each branch

will field as many teams of 4-6 players as

their attendance permits.

Date : 10th October 2015

Time : 7.30pm

Location : Stafford Boat Club

Refreshments : Fish and Chips followed by

Trifle (both standard and sugar free)

Cost £7.50 to be paid on the night

The Branch Stall at Middlewich 2015 — A Report

Takings were very similar to previous years

and Barclays Bank’ community engagement

project, being represented by Hana Brocket,

will donate cash to match the takings.

Weather was good; the stand was busy

throughout both days; several membership

forms were issued, and many Knobsticks

magazines given away to those who

expressed interest in the branch.

Gillian Watson

We attended the Middlewich Folk and Boat

Festival on our usual pitch on 20th and 21st

June 2015, taking the sales stall and the nail

game. We ran both activities from 9am to 5

pm both days.

Volunteers were: Alan & Ann Chetwyn,

John Watson, 9 Middlewich residents

(Margaret 1, Margaret 2, Callum, Joan,

Charles, Ann, Graham, Hannah and Old

Peter) + Hana Brocket from Barclays Bank.

Branch Stall at 2015 Stone Food & Drink Festival — Help needed !

More details will be circulated by email via

IWA Head Office. Let me know if you

can come along.

Gillian Watson

We will be taking the stall, nails and displays

to Stone on Saturday 3rd October only

this year. We will be at the bridge near

Canal Cruising.

Chairman’s Report

Autumn 2015 Page 3

Hello again. I hope that despite the

somewhat variable weather we have had

over the past month or so you are all

managing to enjoy the summer season;

whether boating, walking, cycling or

whatever else you might be doing.

Many of you will no doubt have already had

your holiday and I hope that each of you

managed to have a relaxing time wherever

you found yourselves. We have now

completed our main boat trip for this

summer which started during May and, with

several breaks along the way, finished back

at my marina in July. We were blessed with

a lot of good weather which made cruising

that much more enjoyable.

Our journey this time took us first to

Birmingham, and to Gas Street Basin, which

has really changed out of all recognition

from my early memories of the area. Now

the centre is a thriving and attractive place

to visit, unfortunately the outskirts are still a

challenge. It is such a pity that there are still

people who seem to regard the canal as a

convenient dumping ground for anything

they want to dispose of. Anyway, after

having to stop half a dozen times to clear

the prop of assorted wire, clothing, rope,

etc. we eventually reached the central area,

which as I mention above is very pleasant

and enjoyable to visit. It seems that there is

something happening most weekends and

we were able to enjoy Dragon Boat racing

one weekend, which was great fun to watch.

Our journey also took us to Warwick which

is always a great place to visit with some

really wonderful coffee shops to enjoy (a

special interest of mine!).

Two other places we visited for the first

time were the Black Country Living Museum

and Dudley Tunnel / Limestone Caves, both

of which I would highly recommend for

anyone who hasn’t already visited.

Meanwhile of course, it has continued to be

a busy time for the branch with our work

party programme now having 6 regular

monthly work parties as well as the

additional work parties associated with our

annual Himalayan Balsam Bash campaign, I

shouldn’t let the occasion go by without

thanking all those branch members who

both lead and support these events as they

really do make a difference.

It is good too to report some recognition

for all the hard work, and you will be

pleased to know that the IWA Himalayan

Balsam campaign has been selected as one

of the finalists for this years CRT Living

Waterways Awards. Whilst this recognizes

the national campaign, the work we do in

our area is an integral and important

contributor. Indeed the judges visited the

Caldon Canal during this years campaign as

part of their assessment, and thanks to

Alison, Julie and Rob for hosting the judges

during their visit.

Chairman’s Report

happen and so and without apology, I once

again repeat my request for more help.

Even if you feel you can only offer a minimal

amount of help then this would be great.

We still urgently need more members to

volunteer to sit on the branch committee

and also, if at all possible, to support the

regular work parties in any location

convenient to yourselves.

If you feel you can help in any way, however

minimal, then please let me know. If you

would like more information on any of our

work parties then the leaders’ contact

details are on the back cover. If you would

like more information regarding committee

involvement then please contact myself .

Well, I guess that is enough from me for the

moment and so I will finish my Chairman’s

report by wishing you an enjoyable rest of

the summer, and hope that you enjoy

reading all the interesting articles that follow

in this edition of Knobsticks.

Regards, Bob

The Macclesfield Canal, which sits equally

between our area and Manchester IWA, has

also been recognized recently with the

prestigious Green Flag Award which covers

the entire 26 miles of the canal. One of the

significant points mentioned by the

assessors in making the award was the

significant contribution made by volunteers

to the canal environment.

Finally, in terms of awards, the town of

Congleton is once again hoping for success

in the North West “Britain in Bloom”

competition. As part of the assessment the

judges visited the local station and canal

area to see for themselves the work that

our regular volunteer work party is

undertaking. They gave a very favourable

response to what they saw. We have to

wait until October to find out the results.

So as you will see, and no doubt read in this

edition of Knobsticks, we are a very busy

branch really making a difference to the

environment around us. However,

unfortunately, we still rely on a relatively

few number of people that make this

Page 4 KNOBSTICKS

Lock 37 - A Strange Tale

Steelite and Middleport, the wasteland that

was Shelton Bar and the soulless regenera-

tion of Festival Park, before dropping

through five locks that nestle in the heart of

the Six Towns. Etruria deep lock and its

shallower companion are numbered 40 and

39. They form part of the picturesque

industrial scene beside a boatyard and a

bone mill, still supervised by master

engineer James Brindley, his statue retired

to a sheltered housing scheme and his wig

powdered white by disrespectful pigeons.

Twyford Lock - number 38 - is unremarka-

ble, though below it the waterway passes

The Trent and Mersey Canal takes a varied

course south from its shadowy summit in

the ferrous depths of the Harecastle Tunnel,

past Westport Lake with its vociferous

wildfowl, modern and Victorian potteries at

Autumn 2015 Page 5


ominously between the living and the dead.

Modern housing faces a graveyard; long-

dead generations sleeping beneath their

marble covers a sombre reminder of

mortality as the flat-dwellers rise and draw

their blinds to each new dawn.

At the neglected southern boundary of the

cemetery you reach the unlovely and

unloved lock 37 where, crushed beneath

iron girders straining under the main line to

Manchester, the canal descends from a

landscape of dereliction into darkness.

Corroded railway bridges bleed rust

through faded, blistered paint, tattooed with

mindless daubs of vandalism unworthy of

the name ‘graffiti’. Livid green algae cloaks

the walls of the lock chamber, flaying away

in sheets of slime as the water level falls and

the tattered wooden gates open to the

unquiet waters ahead. A seething by-wash

boils and hisses in the gloom and thin, bony

stalactites reach down from the blood red

girders of the bridge while, too close above

your head, trains howl and screech like

angry demons. It is always a relief to be

through this dismal lock; to duck carefully

under the skull-splittingly low railway bridge

while peering through the dank gloom

beneath, before motoring briskly away into

even the dullest wet day’s light.

Mr and Mrs Entwhistle’s first attempt on

lock 37 unexpectedly ran into trouble. A

shuddering and clanking from their

narrowboat’s propeller and the realisation

that though the water level was falling

steadily and levelly, their vessel was not,

caused a moment of panic before Mrs

Entwhistle loyally followed her husband’s

instructions to close all the paddles and then

carefully refill the lock. With the prop still

sluggish, they towed the boat backwards

through the grey morning’s light spring rain

and moored in the pound above. The

skipper delved about in the weed hatch,

removing a quantity of fabric and fluff that

might once have been part of padded jacket,

but a second attempted descent took them

no closer to the bottom of the lock, before

the propeller snagged and the boat began to

tilt again.

Surmising that there must be an obstruction

beneath the surface hindering the boat’s

descent, they refilled the lock, reversed

again and called out the Canal and River

Trust, whose lads made the gruesome

discovery that lock 37 had been the portal

to Purgatory, if indeed there is such a place,

for one Mickey Mulligan.

In death, as in much of his forty-seven years

of life, the fates had conspired against

Mickey Mulligan. Lock 37 usually leaks to

empty through its moth-eaten mitred gates,

but the crew of the last boat ascending on

the final evening of his life must have left

one of the top paddles raised in their haste

away from this God-forsaken spot, allowing

the lock to stay full. Mickey might yet have

found a full lock less deadly than a drained

one, had his tattered rucksack and the

pockets of his ragged anorak not been

stuffed with stolen goods, but these had

dragged him to the bottom without even a

brief scrabble for freedom; the post mortem

revealed none of that lurid slime from the

lock’s cold walls under his nicotine-stained

nails.

But gold is a remarkably heavy element and

Mickey Mulligan was drowned in possession

of a substantial quantity of it. In fact, once

the items retrieved from a painstaking

fingertip search of the reeking mud at the

base of the lock were reconciled with those

still in the dead man’s pack and pockets, the


Whichever route Dennis plotted to get

them from there to Birmingham, the long-

suffering Marjorie knew she would have to

wind the paddles up and down on at least

thirty more locks, and then the same again

from there to Stratford, before she had to

wrestle with those massive river locks on

the Avon all the way to Tewkesbury and

back up the Severn. It would perhaps have

eased her labours if occasionally he showed

that he appreciated her hard work; their

ruby wedding anniversary had passed

without card or present a week before as

she had slogged up the Marple flight in biting

sleet, windlass in hand, for no more reward

than the offer of a nice cup of tea.

Dennis had in fact belatedly remembered

the occasion, a little while after they first

reversed out of lock 37. While groping

about in the weed hatch, removing the

remnants of poor Mickey Mulligan’s anorak,

a glint that was not the brass of the

propeller had caught his eye through the

murky waters. The clanking noise he had

heard in the lock was explained as he

carefully and nervously disentangled an

intricately formed necklace of thick golden

chain that had wrapped itself around the

prop-shaft. On a whim, and quite out of

character, he slipped it into his pocket. It

was hardly Marjorie’s usual style, being

rather ethnic looking, but when he had the

chance to examine it more closely while his

wife was getting the groceries, he decided it

could be worth a stroll into the Birmingham

Jewellery Quarter to get the dents and

scratches repaired.

It would make a perfect. if belated.

anniversary present for ‘the Missus’, and she

need never know it had cost him next to

nothing and was only second-hand. ...

Story & Photo: Sarah Honeysett

police could account for all but one item

stolen in the armed robbery on Mohammed

Zia’s jewellery shop, eight days before

Mickey was dredged out of the lock. What

they couldn’t account for was how the

proceeds of that crime came to be in

Mulligan’s possession, when both the

witness statements and CCTV suggested the

suspects were two young men of Asian

origin, a description which in no way

matched the corpse in the canal.

Most likely Mulligan, a persistent but

incompetent thief with addictions to fund

and debts to pay, had stumbled across the

haul when scouting his neighbourhood for

unlocked doors or ill-fitting sash windows,

and had stumbled again as he tried to short-

cut across the lock on his get-away. Apart

from where the boat had struck his already

lifeless body, there were no wounds to

suggest foul play, and his fall had surely been

an accident; had anyone helped him into the

water, they would certainly have searched

and emptied his bag and clothes of the loot

first. So the police publicly ascribed

Mulligan’s death to ‘misadventure’ and

privately attributed the shortfall between

what was found and what was reported

missing to an over-zealous insurance claim

by Mr Zia, despite his most earnest

protestations that the missing necklace was

a precious heirloom, purchased as a

wedding gift by an important customer.

Delayed in the Potteries for a couple of

days, Dennis and Marjorie Entwhistle

completed their third and final descent of

lock 37 on a bright spring evening, chugging

on in their trusty Maisie Joan to the grim

concrete of lock 36, where an angry dog

barked them down onto the drain-like

channel to the Trent aqueduct, and so on to

Trentham and the last lock out of the city.

Page 6 KNOBSTICKS

Himalayan Balsam work parties on the Caldon Canal

Autumn 2015 Page 7

The campaign against Himalayan Balsam in

the Churnet Valley continued this summer

with six work parties taking place on the

Caldon Canal (see Pages 18-19 for those on

the Uttoxeter Canal). The work parties,

which are jointly organised by IWA North

Staffordshire & South Cheshire Branch and

the Caldon & Uttoxeter Canals Trust,

contribute to the Churnet Valley Living

Landscape’s “Big Pull” Project, as well as the

national IWA Himalayan Balsam campaign.

Work started in June with a summer

evening’s work party between Froghall and

Cherry Eye bridge.

This was followed by a weekday work party

with 23 volunteers working on the stretch

between Consall Station and Flint Mill Lock,

in partnership with the Churnet Valley

Railway and with assistance from the

Personnel and Payroll Department of

Michelin, who are based in Stoke on Trent.

On this occasion volunteers worked on

both sides of the canal as well as from an

aluminium work boat provided by CRT.

A Sunday session, again using CRT’s

aluminium boat, saw the canal below

Cheddleton Locks cleared of the plant.

Another evening work party saw the

Himalayan Balsam between Denford and

Cheddleton tackled, while a family

volunteering day in the first week of the

school holidays had young people as well as

older volunteers joining forces to clear the

plant on the river section of the Caldon

Canal upstream from Consall Lime Kilns.

A final evening session, for Cheddleton’s

Light Seekers Youth Group, saw the Leek

Arm cleared of Balsam between Hazelhurst

Junction and Horse Bridge.

In all the locations that were being re-visited

from previous years, there was a visible

improvement in reduced growth and spread

of the plant, enabling progress into new

areas in an attempt to contain the growth of

Himalayan Balsam along the canals in the

Churnet Valley.

Article & Photo: Alison Smedley

Page 8 KNOBSTICKS

Hazelhurst Junction Bridge Project

A week of fine weather in June saw the

iconic cast iron bridge at Hazelhurst

Junction on the Caldon Canal finally looking

pristine in a new coat of black and white

paint. The project had been quite a long

time in the finishing, with a start having been

made over a year ago on the IWA North

Staffordshire & South Cheshire Branch and

Caldon & Uttoxeter Canals Trust’s joint

monthly work parties, but after being rained

off a couple of times, and then having to

move resources elsewhere due to other

priorities (Himalayan Balsam, and then

Cheddleton Top Lock in readiness for the

Caldon 40 celebrations), the bridge

remained less than a quarter painted!

Therefore we decided to put aside a whole

week for the project, and arrange a work

boat so that we could paint the underside at

the same time. The week agreed with CRT

was the week commencing Monday 8th

June, and what a week we picked! We had

gloriously sunny weather all week, with just

a few splashes of rain at the end of the day

on the Friday!

Planning, of course, had started some weeks

earlier with a site meeting with CRT’s

Heritage Adviser Mark Clifford. He advised

us about preparation methods and paint

types because it is Grade 2 Listed. A work

boat was sourced (1930s BCN Motor Boat

“Ben” had recently been licensed and

approved by CRT as a work boat for use on

the offside veg clearance work over the

winter, and CRT agreed that we could use

that to access the underside of the bridge).

Rather than one volunteer having to be

available to lead the project for the whole

week, we allocated one day each to five

Hazelhurst Junction Bridge Project

Autumn 2015 Page 9

volunteer leaders. Once the project plan,

with method statements, risk assessments

and other useful information, was complete

and approved by CRT, we were ready to go.

The preparation of the metalwork took a

surprising amount of time, with careful

scraping of the underside of the bridge (and

collecting the scrapings so they didn’t end

up in the canal), and wire brushing of the

scalloped design of the parapets both being

particularly time consuming. After the first

two days spent in preparing surfaces, we

started to apply the paint, firstly a zinc rich

primer where bare metal had been exposed,

followed by white or black Hammerite,

depending on which bit of the bridge we

were painting. As it’s a Listed structure, we

had to keep to the same colour scheme,

although it was interesting to note historic

photographs showing it painted all white, all

black, and numerous variations of black and

white, over the years. One of our

volunteers was a professional artist who

undertook the tricky bit of repainting the

“1842” date on the bridge.

A number of people visited the work party

during the week, including, on the first day,

Ian Dudson CBE, Lord Lieutenant of

Staffordshire, who with his wife, Jane, was

enjoying a day out on the Caldon Canal

hosted by Roger & Pauline Savage, and

David & Cynthia Dumbelton.

By the time the end of Friday came around,

rain was threatening and there was still a

couple of hours of work left to do, but 4

volunteers returned on the following

Monday afternoon to finish the last bits of

painting, so within just over a week the

bridge was finished.

We had 14 different volunteers in total,

who contributed a total of 26 days work,

and as can be seen from these photos it

now looks much smarter, as the many

boaters, cyclists and walkers were

commenting by the end of the week. Our

thanks to the numerous volunteers who

came out and helped during the week, some

of whom came for several days, and thanks

to my fellow site leaders who all contribut-

ed to such a great project.

Article & Photos: Alison Smedley

Page 10 KNOBSTICKS

North Staffordshire Pensioners Convention Outing

On Wednesday, 8th July 2015, 24 North

Staffordshire Pensioners Convention

(NSPC) members cruised from Etruria to

Middleport Pottery on LINDSAY and KEPPEL.

Our group included Cllr. Jack Brereton

(Transport & Environment), and Alan Smith

(co-author of 2 excellent reports Stoke-on-

Trent Canal Opportunities Study and Stoke-on-

Trent City Council Heritage & Design Team).

The aim of the journey was to highlight the

need to coordinate the upgrading projects

planned for North Staffordshire's wonderful

inland waterways, and to promote their use,

not just by Heritage & Industrial Archaeo-

logical Tourists, but also by local people.

After lunch. BBC Radio Stoke interviewed

NSPC Chair, Janet Smallwood, Cllr. Jack

Brereton and myself about the initiative. It

was pointed out that unlike Liverpool,

Birmingham, or Manchester, our city has no

purpose-built, full-accessible, 24-seat Day-

Boat for use by locals or tourists.

We were then joined by Trudi Barnard

(Regeneration Officer for Newcastle-under-

Lyme Borough Council) and Dr Bernard

Lovett (Business Advisor from the Etruria

Industrial Museum). Cllr. Brereton stressed

the need for 'joined-up thinking' by all

concerned with upgrading and promoting

North Staffordshire's waterways, and of his

commitment to this aspect of his wider

transport portfolio, welcoming the NSPC

initiative to create awareness of our unique

advantages for tourism, and the regenera-

tion role of the Burslem Port Project. Trudi

Barnard explained what has already been

achieved at Kidsgrove, highlighting the items

necessary for encouraging the public

(including narrow-boat crews to moor-up) -

good lighting, good signage, CCTV coverage,

designing/painting out anti-social graffiti.

Alan Smith drew attention to the superb

local tow-path surfaces, and his 2 reports'

recommendations, agreeing that good

signage was needed in some of the T&M

sections in Stoke. Bernard Lovett reiterated

the case for re-opening Etruria Industrial

Museum, with emphasis on a financial

income structure broader than that purely

of 'footfall' into the Museum.

Concluding, I commented on the badly-

graffitied walls and bridge structures around

Locks 36 (see page 4) and 37 (above) where

no visitor would have a sense of safety.

There are also no modern non-towpath side

moorings adjacent to Stoke railway station,

nor well-landscaped canal backgrounds,

signage, or attempts to utilise waste or

derelict sites.

Cllr. Brereton, Trudi Barnard, and Bernard

Lovett were willing to form a Canal Project

Coordinating Group, though anxious not to

duplicate the work of specifically targeted

groups. Also I was nominated to be the

NSPC representative on the existing Stoke-

on-Trent City Council Canal Study group.

We look forward to organising the first

meeting to assess any impact, and 'feed-

back' from our deliberations. We will also

address, if invited, public community groups

about the issues requiring their support.

Article: Jon Honeysett (Photos: Sarah Honeysett)

Opening hours:

Monday Closed (except Bank Holidays)

Tuesday - Friday 7:30 to 11:00pm

Saturday 1:00 to 4:00pm & 7:00 to 11:00pm

CAMRA award-winning Pub

Constantly changing Real Ales

from smaller breweries

Farmhouse Cider and Perry

Speciality bottled beers

Dave and Kay Washbrook welcome you to a true free house

The Blue Bell Hardingswood, Kidsgrove

www.bluebellkidsgrove.co.uk

Autumn 2015 Page 11

Social Programme

Page 12 KNOBSTICKS

PROGRAMME OF TALKS 2015 – 2016

Friday 9th October 2015, 7.45 for 8pm

The Hazel Project The “Hazel” project is the restoration of a 1913 built narrow boat to work as a well-being

boat, providing time on the waterways for people suffering stress, depression etc.

Friday 13th November 2015, 7.45 for 8pm

Milestones to Marple A digital presentation given by Dave Rushton on the history, locations and details of the

canal milestones to Marple.

Friday 11th December 2015, 7.45 for 8pm

Canal and River Trust Water Control

and Scada in the 21st Century Nigel Taylor will give us an insight into how the Canal and River Trust utilises modern

technology for water control and automation. He is hoping to explain what those little

black kiosks do on the lock sides.

Friday 8th January 2016

NO MEETING

Social Programme

Autumn 2015 Page 13

Friday 12th February 2016, 7.45 for 8.00pm

IWA NSSC Branch Annual General Meeting

followed by Time on the Lott Once again we enjoy another digital presentation of Patrick and Angela Marks’ trips – this

time on the River Lot in southern France.

Friday 11th March 2016, 7.30 for 8pm

NEW YEAR ANNUAL DINNER – Venue to be advised. Contact: Barbara Wells (IWA NSSC Branch Social Secretary)

on 01782-533856 or 07710-418908 for more details

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

Canal, Hereford & Gloucester Canal, 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 [email protected]

or visit the branch webpages at:

www.waterways.org.uk

http://www.waterways.org.uk/

Burslem Port Work Party

first time, we will be welcoming a group

from Michelin who are joining us as part of

the company’s community work. We have

had groups from a church and from

Community Payback, as well as our regular

volunteers, meaning that 16 different people

have so far been to one or more of our

events, contributing around 200 hours of

their own time so far this year.

Recent achievements

The historic path which crosses the canal via

the footbridge has been closed for much of

the last year while building work went on

for the nearby Baskeyfield House extra care

development and the adjacent housing

estate. As has been widely reported, streets

in this area have been renamed with Robbie

Williams song titles, so what was once

Dimsdale Street is now Angels Way. The

end of this road goes down a footpath and

across the canal on a footbridge. Since it

reopened in early summer, we have carried

out a number of work parties in this area,

cutting back the overgrowth, cleaning up the

path and we are now part way through

repainting the bridge. It is interesting to see

the reaction of residents, many of whom are

new to the area, when we tell them that we

want to reopen the canal which used to run

under this bridge.

It is now six months since we started work

parties at Burslem Port, so a good time to

pause and reflect on what we have achieved

so far. We started in February, clearing up

the rubbish after a boat fire at the end of

the Branch Canal. Since then we have also

cut back lots of vegetation along the length

of the canal and adjacent sections of the

Trent & Mersey Canal; exposed more of the

towpath edge; cleared the pedestrian routes

from Middleport; repainted the footbridge;

and numerous other small tasks, not least of

which is carrying out at least one litter pick

a month.

When we started, we were meeting on the

fourth Tuesday of the month. This soon

expanded to add the first Saturday by

request of volunteers who could not make

the weekday events. This month, again at

the request of our volunteers, we are

adding an extra event, meaning three work

parties in August. It is great to see such

enthusiasm. Most of our volunteers had

never been to an IWA work party before,

yet most of them come back month after

month and almost every event has had at

least one new face. Next month, for the

Page 14 KNOBSTICKS


sorts of artefacts, not necessarily related to

the canal but interesting nonetheless.

Over the coming months we will continue

to work on the paths, revealing the towpath

edge and more vegetation clearance. We

have had some useful discussions with

landowners, including the City Council, and

all have commented positively about the

work our volunteers are doing. We are still

some way from making firm plans to restore

the canal itself but the work our volunteers

group has been doing is making the area

look more appealing for those who want to

learn about the history, as well as those

who just want to walk through what is one

of the quietest spots in the City.

We welcome new volunteers, whatever

your skills or energy levels. There is always

something to do, be it litter-picking,

painting, supervising the bonfire or getting

involved with the more strenuous tasks. We

meet at 10am on the fourth Tuesday and

first Saturday of the month. Additional

events will be publicised on the Burslem

Port website www.burslemport.org.uk or

you can subscribe to our email list which

has the latest news. For more information

contact me on 07976 805858 or Email me

at [email protected] .

Article & Photos: Steve Wood

One of our volunteers, Dave, decided that

he wanted to look for evidence of the

towpath edge in front of the wharf. A test

dig with an excavator in front of the

warehouse in April 2014 had found evidence

of clay puddle from the bed of the canal but

nothing of the canal sides. To our great

surprise Dave got lucky, and even more

surprising was the discovery that unlike the

every previously revealed section of

towpath on the Branch Canal, this area had

not been built up with concrete. This

implies that the canal had not subsided in

this area as it had elsewhere. Over

subsequent work parties a significant length

of the stone canal edge has been uncovered.

It is now clear, however, that the section

closest to the warehouse has been lost. We

need to do more work in this area to see

what else we can learn and three of our

group have focussed quite strongly on this

task. It is quite hard work as the canal was

infilled with builders’ rubble in this area, but

it is very rewarding. We have discovered all

Autumn 2015 Page 15

Page 16 KNOBSTICKS

Cheshire Locks Work Party

Thursday 21st May

Spring had arrived in Church Lawton! The

sun shone down on our team of eight

volunteers, so we took advantage of a long

dry day, and completed painting Lock 44 and

half of Lock 45 on the Red Bull flight, along

with all of the gardening tasks around and

between the locks. It was a busy day for

boaters and towpath users – all were most

happy to praise our work and thank us for

our efforts.

Our regulars were joined by a new

volunteer so we had a team of eight to

really get to grip with the work. Thanks to

the team Lock 44 looks very smart.

Thursday 18th June

Our sixth volunteer work party of the year.

We finished Lock 45 and began preparation

of Lock 46. As we are halfway through the

year it feels like an opportune time to

reflect on the work done by our volunteers

so far this year: Our team of committed

regulars - supplemented by some recent

new faces - have contributed 288 hours of

painting and gardening to date, working

through foul weather and, at last, some

sunny spells.

Our June work party was very well

supported by eleven volunteers. The sun

eventually appeared in the afternoon, which

was most welcome after a rather cool and

breezy day for late June.

While most of us finished the painting, some

of the group moved down to start

preparation work on Lock 46. This looked

like a big job and we needed to get stuck in

in July to make it ready for painting. There’s

also lot of work to do tidying the very

overgrown setts and lock sides.


Autumn 2015 Page 17

Thursday 16th July

We had a good turn out with nine

volunteers putting in a productive day’s

work where we completed a couple of

finishing touches to Lock 45 and made great

strides towards completing Lock 46.

It was a very busy day for boaters and we

had to take a lot of pauses to pass the boats

through and avoid wet paint issues. The

weather was bright and sunny so, despite

the interruptions, good progress was

achieved with the paint drying quickly.

We plan to complete our uplift of Lock 46

by September so that the whole of Red Bull

Flight (locks 44-46) will look at it’s best.

For our August work party we shall

continue working at Red Bull on Lock 46

and then we will organize an opportunity to

move back to Harding’s Wood Junction and

complete the uplift of the Kidsgrove locks.

If you’ve got a few hours spare and fancy

helping out on a Thursday, please come and

join our friendly team, you will be made

most welcome. Please contact me first

though, so that you know where we are

meeting and working that month.

Article & Photos: Andy Hellyar-Brook

Uttoxeter Canal Work Party

Thursday 14th May

In the morning we completed the removal

of small shrubs, self-set saplings and

brambles from in front of Crumpwood

Cottage. This has really started to open up

the area and it is probably getting closer to

how it would have looked in the first half of

the 19th century, when the weir-keeper

would have needed uninterrupted views of

the weir and flood lock from his cottage

windows.

It is planned that a specialist team from

Waterway Recovery Group will remove the

fallen birch from the weir during their

reunion camp in November.

After lunch we moved up to Bridge 70,

where we tidied vegetation from around the

bridge using the original Caldon Canal

Society’s slashers from when the Caldon

was restored; they are still giving sterling

service. We also worked along the towpath

giving the tree stumps a ‘haircut’ to remove

the regrowth. This is something we will

need to perform on a regular basis, as if

these epicormic shoots are allowed to grow

too large it will become a much bigger task

to remove them in the future. Due to the

sensitive nature of the site we are unable to

remove the tree stumps.

Throughout the day there were many

walkers, all of whom stopped and chatted.

Without exception they were all extremely

complimentary and appreciative of the hard

work that has been done by all the

volunteers. It is very nice to know we are

adding something to visitors’ enjoyment of

this part of the Churnet Valley.

Saturday 20th June

It was a real pleasure to welcome two new

faces for our first Saturday work party on

the Uttoxeter Canal. We had drizzle for

most of the day but didn’t let it dampen our

spirits as we busied ourselves tackling the

Himalayan Balsam on site for the first time

this year. Working from the old pump-

house adjacent to Crumpwood Weir

towards the line of the canal, we cleared a

large expanse by hand-pulling, putting the

plants into two large piles to compost

down. Hopefully the seeds of native species

will colonise the bare patches left behind.

Thursday 25th June

Just five days later we were back to

continue our assault on Himalayan Balsam.

This was a deviation from our usual work

party pattern as the second Thursday in the

Page 18 KNOBSTICKS

Uttoxeter Canal Work Party

month coincided with the week-long work

party dedicated to painting Hazelhurst

Bridge on the Caldon Canal; which many of

our volunteers helped on. Carrying on from

where we left off the previous Saturday we

continued working along the line of the

canal, finally reaching an area where it is still

in water. Thankfully the weather was much

kinder to us, starting off overcast but dry

and brightening as the day went on, though

luckily not too hot as long sleeves were

necessary owing to much of the Himalayan

balsam growing amongst the nettles.

Thursday 9th July

We focussed our efforts on tackling the

Himalayan Balsam in the flood lock and a

large area surrounding it, including in the

gaps in the stonework on the top of the

adjacent weir abutment. By far the tallest

plants were those growing in the entrance

to the lock, most were already over two

metres tall and some were in flower,

obviously benefitting from the fertility of the

river silt. It is important that we eradicate

Balsam from this area as, in the not too

distant future, we would like to excavate

the flood lock and associated weir sluice and

would not want to spread the seeds

elsewhere within the spoil. It was a warm

and sunny day and we were glad to be

working mostly in the shade cast by the

large sycamore tree growing out of the

flood lock wall; what is not welcome though

is the damage its substantial roots are

causing to the stonework.

Of particular interest was that, since our

previous visit, someone – possibly anglers

accessing the river bank - had ‘bashed’ some

of the plants about 30cm from the ground;

in just two weeks they were showing signs

of apical regrowth from the lower nodes

which could still flower and produce viable

seed; proving that if Himalayan Balsam is

tackled with strimmers or slashers early in

the season the plants must be cut below the

first node to prevent regrowth.

Saturday 18th July

Unfortunately no volunteers turned up

(other than me!). This could well have been

due to the holiday season, so the remaining

Saturday work parties scheduled for this

year will still go ahead. Please support us if

you can.

Article & Photos: Robert Frost

Autumn 2015 Page 19

01782 279547 14 Piccadilly Arcade,

Hanley, Stoke on Trent STI 1DL

Specialist Jewellery Repairs On the Premises

• Watch and Clock Repairs • Pearl & Bead Stringing

Silver Repairs & Plating • Valuations

C.J. Skelhorne Jewellery The Treasured Gift

Let Us Help You Choose The Gift That Will Always

Be Treasured

*Diamond Rings *Gold & Silver

*Watches & Watchstraps *Clocks

*Pens *Gifts *Engraving

Page 20 KNOBSTICKS

Congleton Work Party

Autumn 2015 Page 21

Eight volunteers supported the regular

monthly IWA work party at Congleton on

Friday 24th July. The volunteers carried out

their regular litter pick and, although litter

around the station area and along the

towpath remains an issue, it is good to note

that the amount of litter has reduced

considerably from the start of our regular

litter picking, from some dozen bags to now

one or two per month.

The volunteers also spent a good deal of

time working on the area of land between

the canal and the station which we plan to

landscape with low maintenance plants

during the autumn season. The accompany-

ing photos show some of the hard working

regular volunteers as well as the cleared

area.

Over the coming months, the group will

continue to litter pick as well as working to

maintain vegetation growth along the

towpath. We will also work with CRT staff

on the ramp leading to the former

lengthman’s cottage uncovered during

earlier working parties, and undertake soft

bank repairs in the area.

Article & Photos: Bob Luscombe

The Swan Inn Stafford Street, Stone

Two minutes from bridge 93 at Star Lock

Serving 10 Real Ales & Scrumpy Cider

Beer Garden

Bar Snacks available

Page 22 KNOBSTICKS

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: [email protected]

North Staffordshire & South Cheshire contacts President: Chris Skelhorne

Vice President Roger Savage

[email protected]

Chairman

Bob Luscombe 07710 054848

[email protected]

Deputy Chairman + Minutes Secretary

Steve Wood 07976 805858

[email protected]

Treasurer

Alan Chetwyn 01782 279277

(No Email)

Secretary + Sales Officer

Gillian Watson 01606 835606

[email protected]

107 St Anns Road, Middlewich, Cheshire

CW10 0AA

Social Secretary

Barbara Wells 01782 533856

[email protected]

Publicity Officer

Sarah Honeysett 01782 772295

[email protected]

Newsletter Editor

Roger Evans 01606 834471

[email protected]

10 Long Lane, Middlewich, Cheshire,

CW10 0BL

Web-site Liaison

Alison Smedley 01538 385388

[email protected]

Planning

Andrew Hellyar-Brook 07926 204206

[email protected]

Membership Officer

VACANT

(Contact [email protected])

Stoke-on-Trent Boat Club Rep.

VACANT


Navigation Officer

VACANT



Steve Wood 07976 805858

[email protected]

Caldon Work Party + Uttoxeter W.P.

Robert Frost 07743 628091

[email protected]


Andrew Hellyar-Brook 07926 204206

[email protected]

Congleton Work Party

Bob Luscombe 07710 054848

[email protected]

Other committee member:

Julie Arnold 01538 361138

Maria Frost

West Midlands Region Chairman

Vaughan Welch 0121 477 9782

[email protected]

The Branch committee meets at 7:30 p.m. on the 2nd 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.

© The Inland Waterways Association - Registered as a charity no. 212342

www.waterways.org.uk/staffscheshire Autumn 2015 Page 23

Join Us on a Canal Work Party

Page 24 KNOBSTICKS

Cheshire Locks (Trent & Mersey Canal, Kidsgrove to Wheelock)

3rd Thursday of each month, 10am to 3pm.

Contact: Andy Hellyar-Brook Phone: 07926-204206 Email: [email protected]

Uttoxeter Canal (Bridge 70, near Denstone)

2nd Thursday of each month, 10am to 3pm.

also Saturday 26th September, 24th October, 21th November, ...

Contact: Robert Frost Phone: 07743 628091


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


Congleton, Macclesfield Canal

4th Friday of each month, 10am to 12:30pm.

Contact: Bob Luscombe Phone: 07710-054848

Email: [email protected] ——————————–——————–————————————-———————————————–——————————–———————————-—————————-—————

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)

Documents

Knobsticks Autumn 2015