Knobsticks - Autumn 2022

KNOBSTICKS

This issue was put together as we cruised home from the IWA Festival of Water at Burton on Trent the long way round via Leicester and Birmingham. We found the Leicester Line locks very hard work, but thoroughly enjoyed Foxton, Watford and Braunston locks despite having to do much pre planning to present ourselves at each flight during their much restricted (by water shortages) opening hours.

After Stockton (easy), Cape (very hard) and Hatton (a mixed bag) we started up the Lapworth flight towards Birmingham. Mooring above lock 6, we were shocked to hear that our beloved Queen Elizabeth II had just passed away. It seems only fitting that this issue should include pictures of her and of her son (now King Charles III we heard the next day) doing something related to canals.

Her Majesty The Queen unveiling a plaque at the Boat Museum, Ellesmere Port in 1979 (with Cllr F Price, Mayor of Ellesmere Port & Neston, on the right. (Photo: IWA collection, unknown photographer)

Prince Charles usimg a ceremonial brass windlass to reopen Welshpool Lock in 1974. Photo: Harry Arnold

I hope you have all had a good summer, despite the lack of water and many canal closures which must be affecting our corporate members in particular. Please do what you can to support your local canal based businesses, especially those that advertise in this magazine.

All our local canals have had their fair share of disruption with the Macclesfield, Trent & Mersey and Caldon canals all with closures to navigation due to lack of water supply as I write this in early September. In fact, the closures almost mirror our IWA branch boundaries, with the Trent & Mersey Canal closed from Kidsgrove to Middlewich and from the top of Stoke to Newcastle Road Lock in Stone, the Caldon closed in its entirety apart from the Leek Arm summit level, and Bosley Locks closed on the Macclesfield Canal.

The Caldon Canal had only recently reopened after the Ivyhouse Embankment works, and in addition to its current closure due to lack of water, was already due to close to boats from 5th September to March 2023 for the rebuild of Bridge 37 at Hazelhurst. The towpath between the aqueduct and Hazelhurst Junction will be closed for even longer, through to August 2023.

The Caldon Canal is starting to feel a bit like a poor relation to the rest of the canals in the West Midlands, having been closed for so much of the last 3 years, and I do worry that the lack of boat traffic will result in a silted up channel, even more overgrown vegetation and maintenance problems when it does finally reopen next year. We will need to be ready to campaign for full reopening with all remedial maintenance carried out, as otherwise it is in danger of becoming unnavigable again, particularly beyond Hazelhurst, as it was before the 1974 reopening.

Screenshot of CRT’s canal closures as at 4th September

The overgrown vegetation between the towpath and the water’s edge has got particularly out of hand on the Caldon in recent years, and we will be writing to CRT about all these issues to raise our concerns.

Deputy Chairman’s Report

These concerns are echoed nationally by IWA, following CRT’s announcement of its second increase of boat licence fees

maintenance, and believe CRT has not taken full advantage of volunteers to support navigation”.

Deputy Chairman s Report

Show and the Braunston Historic Boat Gathering, while our more local boating plans for late summer have of course been cancelled due to all the canal closures. As a family we spent most of August exploring Europe by train, and saw much of the River Danube in various countries, as well as the canals of Venice and Amsterdam.

So I’ll conclude my piece by including a pic of our accommodation in Amsterdam

Article & uncredited photos: Alison Smedley

pub has been named joint winner in the New Build category in CAMRA’s highly acclaimed Pub Design Award, organised by the Campaign for Real Ale, which assesses newly built pubs.

After a gap of some 40 years, the name of Joules has returned to the town, and to a site close to where its predecessor brewed until the 1970s. The company, working with architect Jim Entwistle of Bleazard and Galletta, have taken their inspiration from historic canal side warehouses. The new taphouse is a robust building, built of traditional brick, making much use of reclaimed materials and fittings in the interior fit out. The large central hall continues the warehouse theme, with smaller, more intimate spaces opening off it with a more ‘pubby’ feel. An impressive staircase leads up to a first floor function room and will eventually give access to a space which is being fitted up as a theatre.

Phillipa Machin, Marketing Manager at Joules Brewery said “We are thrilled that CAMRA and English Heritage have recognised Crown Wharf for its vision,

the culmination of over years in planning and design.

“

The pub celebrates all that is Joules our story, our commitment to our community driven pubs, and our passion for real pubs and pub culture, which is unique throughout the world. We couldn’t be more delighted that the judges have singled out Crown Wharf as one the best example of pub design in the UK, and it is a great honour to receive such a prestigious and rarely awarded prize.”

Less welcome news is that an application has recently been made to review our premises licence at Crown Wharf claiming the Prevention of Public Nuisance is being undermined. This application is seeking to stop the use of the outdoor Canalside Terrace including the balcony off the Boardroom. These restrictions would reduce our capacity, enforce limitations on the business in an already difficult trading climate and remove our connections with the Canal going community, one of the many reasons the site was initially chosen.

Press Releases

The re launch of our monthly work parties on the derelict Uttoxeter Canal commenced on Monday 20th June and saw Himalayan balsam removed from a long stretch of the former towpath close to Alton. Volunteers from Canal & River Trust joined IWA and Caldon & Uttoxeter Canals Trust members for an enjoyable day of pulling up this non native invasive plant. Volunteers also took the opportunity to reinstate two of the milepost plaques which needed re fixing.

Earlier the same month, your Uttoxeter work party organiser hosted the Stramshall Cubs on a Himalayan balsam bashing outing the first experience of this fun activity for many of them after 2 missed years due to Covid.

The monthly work parties will generally take place on the third Monday each

month, alternating between meeting at Alton and Crumpwood.

Monday 17th October will see volunteers working around Crumpwood and bridge 70, where the work will include repairing the wooden posts next to Carringtons Lock, along with vegetation clearance.

On Monday 21st November the work will be vegetation clearance at the Alton end of the cleared towpath.

We’ll miss out December (bit too close to Christmas!) and then resume again on Monday 16th January at Crumpwood.

If you would like to join in, just turn up on the day or let Alison Smedley know by email allie.smedley@waterways.org.uk (phone 07779 090915 on the day if you can ’t find us).

Alison Smedley

when the canal was very busy with boat traffic, most heading towards Middlewich for the Folk and Boat Festival. We decided that two volunteers would prepare and paint the previously untouched bywash fence, and the remaining two would focus on paddle gear, rails and balance beams which inevitably also meant much opening and closing paddles and gates for the boats passing through the single lock chamber in use. Despite all this and the increasing heat, much was achieved. In addition, we had the first visit of the year of the CRT grass cutting contractors who, to be fair, worked alongside us, prioritising areas of the very long grass at our request to give us some clearance in the areas where we would be working.

All round, a good day and a special thank you to Laura from the adjacent stables who very kindly supplied us with mugs of tea.

Photo below: Jane Hargreaves

July 21st

Another very warm day at Lock 60 where our six volunteers set about completing the remaining preparation and painting work. The waterway was again very busy and with only the offside lock available due to the long awaited repair and the low water levels slowing the filling of the lock, we made sure that members of our group helped boaters through.

The continuing dry weather ensured that we completed painting all the strapping and mooring posts, paddle gear, balance beams, bridge rails, metal fittings on the gates and an extra coat on the bywash fence. Finally, the lock number was painted on the bottom gates and the towpath side top gate.

The day ended with news that the Trent and Mersey was closing that afternoon due to an acute shortage of water and we were to deny passage through the lock, requesting and assisting boaters to moor in the pound between Locks 60 and 59, which we did. Several boats on the way down from Rode Heath were reported stranded on the mud or unable to negotiate the locks.

August 18th

Five volunteers enjoyed good weather except for a few minutes light rain at lunchtime as we started work on locks 59. We scraped and prepared the paddle gears at the top of the locks and rails on the top gates and had time to paint them. Some vegetation clearance around the lock and a litter pick to finish.

Unfortunately Bob had to leave us as he tripped over a tree root on the towpath and ended up in A &E with a fractured bone in his elbow. According to later reports, he should hopefully be OK in a couple of months!

Photo above: Sandra Lawson

Article (& other photos) : John Lawson

Burslem Port

Firstly, it is sad for me to announce that, as he intimated recently, Roger Savage has taken the decision to step back and retire from Burslem Port Trust. However, after the uncertainties of the last few months concerning the Trust’ s future I am pleased to report that Burslem Port Trust lives on!

My report this time is understandably brief as the four new trustees, of whom I am one, are yet to get going and meet around the table! Thankfully for us, David Dumbelton and Richard Barnes have generously agreed to stay on and watch over us during this daunting transitional stage.

Before moving on, the new trustees wish to give Roger and David and their team a huge vote of thanks for all their efforts over the years and more recently to realise at long last a physical transfor-

Water Shortage

mation along the line of the old canal such that members of the public can enjoy the open space, wildlife and the history of the area. The only outstanding work of the Footsteps Project at present is the installation of the information boards along the line of the canal. We hope that Nick and Joe will be able to undertake this work in the coming weeks.

Our challenge then, as new trustees, is to keep up this momentum and to look to the future under the guidance of Laura Wigg-Bayley and Patrick Moss of MNY, our consultants.

I hope to report in greater detail of our achievements and plans in our winter edition.

Best Wishes Dave Broome

Knypersley Reservoir, which feeds the Caldon Canal, at a historic “lowest ever” level (according to CRT records) in early September.

Photo: Julie Arnold

It’s almost time to start a new season of IWA socials. We have a venue and speakers booked up to and including our December meeting but nothing in place yet for 2023.

In May I explained that we might be merging our meetings with those of the Trent and Mersey Canal Society and asked for informal feedback from members regarding this, ahead of our committee discussing it. Nobody has been in touch so far, but I hope many of you will let me have your opinions in the online poll I hope to send out soon (when I have both mastered the technology and agreed the questions with our committee).

The questions will address:

• When we meet (which day of the week, and whether daytime or evening).

• Where we meet (Stoke

Club, the Red Bull at Scholar Green or an alternative site).

• Whether you would like to include some online meetings (perhaps during January or February).

• What you would like our speakers to talk about (waterway history and heritage, restoration projects, nature and conservation, or any other suggestions).

For anyone who isn’t online please feel free to call me with your thoughts. I am keen to find out what would bring members who don’t currently attend to our meetings, but at least as keen to make sure we don’t lose people attending loyally at present.

In the meanwhile, at least until Christmas, we will continue to meet on as usual. See pages 12-13 for details.

Sarah Honeysett

North Staffordshire & South Cheshire Branch

Our first speaker, after several years of Covid-related postponements, is Helen Gardner from the Waterway Recovery Group, with an update to our October meeting on their current projects. I really hope we will have a good audience for Helen, after waiting so long to welcome her, and it is always good to support WRG in their vital work.

In fact, all three of our planned talks for autumn/winter 2022 are looking at restoration projects, as we have John Potter from the Stafford Riverway Link as our guest in November and a speaker from the extremely busy Lichfield and Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust will be joining us in December, hopefully bringing Huddlesford Bear home for Christmas, as he has been on secondment to them as a mascot this summer.

But that’s another story!

Friday 14th October, 7:45 for 8pm Waterway Recovery Group Helen Gardner

An update on current projects.

Friday 11th November, 7:45 for 8 The Stafford Riverway Link John Potter

An update on linking Stafford to the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal.

Friday 9th December, 7:45 for 8

Lichfield and Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust (Speaker to be announced)

An update on current progress with this exciting restoration project to reconnect the northern part of the BCN with the Coventry Canal and the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal.

2023 Talks

No speakers have yet been booked for 2023. Please see the “Social Scene” article on page 11 for an explanation why, and details of how you can help us decide on our future plans.

We are, of course, planning for our usual branch dinner to take place early in 2023. We can discuss exactly when people would like this to take place at our first social meeting. Full details will then be published in the next issue.

Sarah Honeysett

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

nations and territories of the Commonwealth, taking 294 days. It finished its journey by travelling around England,

the Front Cover]

Press Releases

removing and throwing into the Canal

"Boundary Stone".

Boundary Stone ?

Barry (the Green Landrover man) once again gave an example of "Good Public Spirit" which we are blessed to see in our village. With waders on he entered the canal and after a long search located the stone. Again after much “malling” he managed to return to its historic home.

I've always known this stone as a "Boundary Stone" between Barlaston and Stone from the 1700s. I stand to be corrected, can anyone give any information about it?

Article (& Photos): Dave Dobson

[Ed This was originally reported to Barlaston Community Group on Facebook on 1st September 2022, and passed on to us by Julie Arnold. If anybody can help Dave with his query about whether it really is a “boundary stone” please let us know]

The stone back in its proper place

The hole where the stone used to live

The Adventures of

Three Bears En Vacances

I have a rather different boat trip to tell you about in this edition of Knobsticks. As our human guardian Grizzly celebrated a special birthday this year, Polar treated him to a special holiday, taking a cruise on the river Rhone in France and three of us bears went with them!

To get to our ship, Hanley, Endon and I had an exciting railway journey through the Channel Tunnel on board a Eurostar train to Paris, then by double decker TGV to Lyons. Hanley Bear, who wore his beret and stripy jersey for the trip, says he thinks French trains are the coolest he has ever travelled on.

The Boating Adventures of Sonning Bear

We joined our cruise ship in Lyons. It was a lot bigger than Uplander II! We loved it on board, as we had great views from the big window in our cabin, a comfortable bed and wonderful food. Our favourite meal was afternoon tea, with delicious cakes and pastries!

Endon thought the lavender farm was the loveliest place he had ever seen.

There was something for every bear to enjoy. Hanley had a thrilling journey on the Train de l’Ardèche.

I was amazed by the Roman aqueduct, the Pont du Gard.

Our journey took us from Lyons up the Saone into wine producing country, back to Lyons, then down the Rhone to Arles, before returning to Lyons via a stop in Avignon. Every day there were exciting excursions ashore (to historic towns and cities, vineyards and wine cellars). We had very warm weather, which wasn’t always comfortable for those of us with fur, but at least during our trip we had enough water in the rivers for our boat to cruise, and no nasty fires.

Cruising on a big European river was very different from boating at home, even on rivers like the Thames or Trent. There were other cruise boats like ours, but we saw plenty of very big working boats too, carrying all sorts of cargo.

We liked the barges and thought it was marvellous how the boat people on these carried their cars on their vessels. Most of the houseboats, which we saw moored in Lyon and Avignon, were also these Dutch style barges.

Having seen the size of the boats, we weren ’t surprised to find that the locks were very big too. Our boat just fitted into the ones on the Saone, so our crew had to be very careful taking us in and out. We didn’t see them on the way up the river, as we were cruising at night and were all sound asleep, but when we went through a lock on the way back down the river, all the passengers came out to watch.

The Rhone locks were even bigger, with room for our boat and a smaller barge as well, and they all had big hydro-electric power stations beside them, generating lots of power.

lock, there was a nasty crosswind which buffeted us about and made it very tricky to manoeuvre into it.

These huge concrete locks usually had a big sliding top gate and a guillotine bottom gate, all operated by the lock keeper from a control room with very good views. Our ship usually had no problems getting in or out but, at one

Sometimes all the human passengers and any bears up there had to leave the sundeck, because we were passing under a low bridge. The crew had to dash about folding down all the awnings, tables and deckchairs, and then busy themselves putting them all back up again if there were no more low bridges for a little while.

We were sad when our holiday came to an end and it was time to go home, although that did mean more exciting TGV journeys.

We had an extra day in London on our way home, so we went to visit the London Canal Museum and to Paddington on the Elizabeth Line to see the statue of a very famous bear!

The Adventures of Sonning Bear

We can’t have any boating adventures at memories of our cruise along the Rhone.

President: Chris Skelhorne

Vice President Roger Savage roger.st21@gmail.com

Chair

Alison Smedley 01538 385388 allie.smedley@waterways.org.uk

Treasurer

Alan Chetwyn 01782 279277 (No Email)

Secretary

VACANT

Contact Alison Smedley

Sales Officer

VACANT Contact Alison Smedley

Social Secretary

Sarah Honeysett 01782 772295 socialsec.nssc@waterways.org.uk

Publicity Officer

Sarah Honeysett 01782 772295 publicity.nssc@waterways.org.uk

Web and Social Media Officer:

VACANT

Contact Alison Smedley

Newsletter Editor

Roger Evans 01606 834471 newsletter.nssc@waterways.org.uk

10 Long Lane, Middlewich, Cheshire, CW10 0BL

Planning

VACANT

Contact Alison Smedley

Membership Officer

Mary Smith membership.nssc@waterways.org.uk

Navigation Officer

Jon Honeysett 01782 772295 navigation.nssc@waterways.org.uk

Burslem Port Work Party

Dave Broome 07974 966253 dave.broome45@gmail.com

Caldon + Uttoxeter Work Parties

Alison Smedley 01538 385388 allie.smedley@waterways.org.uk

Cheshire Locks Work Party

John Lawson 07940 878923 john.lawson@waterways.org.uk

Other committee members: Julie Arnold West Midlands Region Chairman

Helen Whitehouse 01543 491161 westmidlands@waterways.org.uk

The Branch committee meets at 7:30 p.m. on the 2nd Tuesday of March, June, September & December 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 our 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

Our Branch runs 3 work parties each month, helping to maintain and restore our local canals :-

• Cheshire Locks (Trent & Mersey Canal, Kidsgrove to Wheelock) (jointly organised with the Trent and Mersey Canal Society) 3rd Thursday of each month (except December), 10am to 3pm.

Contact: John Lawson Phone: 07940 878923

Email: john.lawson@waterways.org.uk

• Uttoxeter Canal (Bridge 70, near Denstone or near Alton) (working in partnership with Caldon & Uttoxeter Canals Trust) usually 3rd Monday of each month (except August & December)

Contact: Alison Smedley Phone: 01538 385388

Email: allie.smedley@waterways.org.uk

• Burslem Port, Stoke on Trent (working in partnership with Burslem Port Project)

Fridays: October 14th and 28th, November 11th and 25th, December 9th , 10:30am to 2:30pm.

Contact: Dave Broome Phone: 07974 966253 Email: dave.broome45@gmail.com

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)