Welcome to the Winter edition of Knobsticks. Lots to say as usual.
First there is our December 13th talk (which I am trying to get this issue out to you in time to advertise—Did I do it ????). It is a celebration of 50 years of our IWA branch, so there will be lots of things to see and hear about that most of us are too young to remember. Sounds fun.
Our Annual Dinner is next on January 24th. The menu (pages 14-15) looks very tempting. If you would like to come along and join us then please make sure that you book your place with Sarah Honeysett by Friday 10th January.
We have a new Branch President (pages 4-5). I say “ new” but most of you will recognise his face as he has been working hard for our branch since 1995. Let’s welcome him to his new position.
Before I finish with a report on the progress of our Cheshire Locks workparty, I would like to thank John Lawson for his many years of being in charge. Sadly, he has decided to retire because of ill health, so Tony Walker is now in charge, after being John’s deputy for some time.
CHESHIRE LOCKS REPORT
(by Tony Walker)
Thursday 16th August
There were 8 volunteers today, including 3 newbies. Despite the ever-present threat of rain we were able to make great progress in prepping and applying paint to the metalwork. Unfortunately, the weather did finally intervene and we had to finish about an hour early. The following day 3 of us attended a followup session (including another newbie).
This time the weather was perfect and we made more progress on the metalwork.
Thursday 19th September
Once again the weather was kind to us and we made splendid progress on Lock 64. The 8 of us (including 1 new recruit) got most of the remaining work done, plus we were able to smarten up the metal mooring posts either side of Lock 64 and those below Lock 63. Additionally, 2 of our crew made a start on prepping and painting the beams on Lock 63. On the Friday follow-up visit 2 of us made further good progress including the numbering of Lock 64.
Thursday 17th October
There were 9 of us in attendance on Thursday (including yet another newbie) plus our new Volunteer Supervisor Will Leyland, which was very encouraging. With such a number to manage I was more than grateful to Roger and John B for their additional team leading skills. Myself, Colin and Rob Pearson attended a follow-up visit on Friday.
The weather was again kind to us on both days and so we were able to do a lot of work on Lock 63 and some touchingup on Lock 64. Both locks still have one chamber cordoned off which limits what we can achieve. Will has promised he will check back as to when restrictions will be lifted. We concentrated our efforts on prep and painting metalwork including the footbridge fencing.
Ed See picture of Lock 64 on page 11.
P.S. I hope that you have an enjoyable Christmas and a not-too-merry New Year. See you in 2025.
Roger Evans
Dear Branch Members
I hope that many of you will be able to join us for the social meeting on 13th December where we will be looking back at the achievements of your IWA Branch over the last 50 years.
The process of pulling together the material for the evening has involved Roger and Pauline Savage and myself going through the branch archives for interesting snippets of what the branch did back in the 70s, 80s and 90s, before even the longer-standing members of our current committee were directly involved. It was fascinating to discover things we didn’t know about, as well as observing a number of recurring themes in the branch minutes that resonate with us today – concern about the loss of historic structures, reports of boats travelling too fast, worries about a lack of committee members and interestingly the fact that 50 people turning up to a
branch social (out of a then membership of 400+) wasn’t considered good enough! These days we get between 20 and 40 people out of a membership of about 200, so we’re not doing too badly!
You will read elsewhere in this issue of Knobsticks about the achievements of Roger Savage, your current committee’ s second longest-standing member (Alan Chetwyn beats him by a couple of years, having joined the committee in 1995). We are very proud to have Roger as our new Branch President, which reflects the huge amount of work he has put into various projects and keeping the branch on an even keel over the last 27 years. We look forward to many occasions where Roger will be able to eloquently represent the branch, as he did at our November social and will be doing again on 13th December when he will lead the reflections on our 50 years of branch campaigning.
Thank you to everyone who came along to Stoke-on-Trent Boat Club on Saturday 21st September for their event to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the restoration of the Caldon Canal [see pics on page 8-9]. Thank you especially to the volunteers who helped with the branch stand, the logistics of getting the all the equipment including the IWA branded gazebo to the event, and supporting the various fundraising activities, including a “guess the name of the rabbit” competition organised (and knitted by) Anne Chetwyn. We brought the Caldon Canal Model Railway Scene Treasure Hunt out of retirement for the event too.
As ever, I encourage you all to come along to some of our winter’s social programme, and perhaps even consider getting more involved. One area where we need some help is in monitoring
Chair’s Report
planning applications for developments that will affect the canals in our branch area, especially for the Cheshire East planning authority area (Trent & Mersey Canal south of Wardle Junction, Macclesfield Canal from top of Bosley to Kidsgrove) and Stafford Borough (Trent & Mersey Canal north of Sandon Lock). The task would involve bringing any such applications to the committee’ s
attention, and then compiling a response based on the committee’s comments to submit in either objection or support of the planning application. If this is an area that interests you, do get in touch with me.
Alison Smedley Branch Chair
Appointment of new Branch President
The Branch Committee is pleased to announce the appointment of Roger Savage as Branch President..
Roger’s involvement with the local North Staffordshire waterways goes back to 1968 (and his and Pauline’s membership of IWA dates back even further, to 1964). Roger first joined the IWA Stoke-onTrent Branch (as we were then) Committee in March 1997 following an appeal in the branch magazine from the then Chairman, Barbara Rees, for someone to become Secretary. He was Branch Secretary until June 1999, and continues as an active committee member to this day. He was Branch Chairman from April 2008 to June 2012 and it was during this period that he led on some of the branch’s most significant achievements of the last 20 years.
The Cheshire Locks Project came about following reports of difficulties by boaters operating the locks on this flight, with several of the duplicated locks having been taken out of use. Roger initiated this project which saw himself, Julie Arnold and Steve Wood boating the flight of locks with then British Waterways senior managers for the local area, Julie Sharman and David Baldacchino. Within a couple of years the project had seen some small successes: Better maintenance (at least for a while) meant
the paddle gear was easier to operate; at least one of the duplicate locks was put back into use (and a subsequent emergency repair on the duplicate chamber meant that no stoppage was required); Roger arranged for WRG to carry out a chamber clearance at the derelict chamber at Lock 47 at Church Lawton in 2010; and monthly volunteer work parties commenced on the flight in August 2012 (and continues today, in partnership with CRT and the Trent & Mersey Canal Society), carrying out vegetation management and painting lockgates and railings.
At the IWA National Festival in Burton on Trent in 2011, all the waterway organisations in Staffordshire were brought together under one roof, as a result of Roger’s vision and coordination, in the “Staffordshire Waterways Marquee”.
The Staffordshire Waterways Group then came about as a result of a conversation that Roger had with a county councillor in the Staffordshire Waterways Marquee during the festival. The first meeting of this group of waterway organisations, navigation authority representatives and local authority officers and councillors, took place on 10th November 2011, and continued to meet regularly under
Appointment of new Branch President
Roger’s Chairmanship until Covid came along, following which it has proved
local Middleport Masterplan in 2011. This work is continued today by the
supported by the branch wherever
ments over the last 27 years, there are many more, and we look forward to having him keep an eye on the work of the branch and committee, and supporting us with his steady hand, over
Our new Branch President Roger Savage measuring the model railway field to find the winner of the treasure hunt at the recent Stoke-onTrent Boat Club “Caldon 50” event. Photo: Alison Smedley
An Academic Invasion!
Well, they came in their droves, all 20 of them from Newcastle Technical College! Some in a mini-bus and others in their “Hot Rod” old cars. Luckily it was a dry and sunny day, so I’m sure it was an enjoyable escape from lessons for the students, and maybe even a welcome break also for Eloise and Jim having to keep them all in order.
Although still quite overgrown, the path down to the Trent & Mersey was just about clear enough. It’s the groundhugging brambles that tend to trip you up! My idea was to first give the students a little of the background to the canal with the help of our very wonderful large illustration board. [See photo above]
Within this I was able to pick out in 3 dimensions the original layout of the canal wharf as it was way back in the 1860s and onwards. [See next photo]
Once briefed, the students were then led back down the path towards the wharf warehouse building which is to become a central feature of their design proposals. We were only able to view it from a distance due to the dangerous activities of Potteries Waste with their large brick and concrete crushing machines.
There are seven tasks being set for the students ranging from: planning a survey, practical surveying, quantity
surveying, through to management and finally the overall design. All of this has to be completed by December 18th with my involvement as assessor being on December 16th.
And next come the University lot!
But before they can get started, I have a meeting with their tutors to show them around the old warehouse as it will form the focus of their architecture project set for the New Year. It will certainly be exciting to see just what these youngsters can design for us – with no expense spared!
Essential Preparations
It struck me that if our canal was going to be surveyed then at the very least some of its distinguishable features
have been concentrated on bramble bashing. Hard prickly work!
Future Work Parties
January 10th + 24th, February 7th + 21st, March 7th + 21st,
View from the bridge into the Arm
Photo: Julie Arnold
Old Caldon Canal Society display boards
Photo: Julie Arnold
Our IWA Branch Sales Stand
Photo: Alison Smedley
Notice of Branch AGM
The Inland Waterways Association NORTH STAFFORDSHIRE & SOUTH CHESHIRE BRANCH AGM
Notice is hereby given that the 51st Annual General Meeting of the North Staffordshire & South Cheshire Branch of The Inland Waterways Association will be held on: Friday 14th March 2025 at 7.45 for 8.00 pm at Stoke-on-Trent Boat Club
Endon Wharf, Post Lane, Endon, Stoke-on-Trent, ST9 9DT
A G E N D A
1. Apologies for absence.
2. Approval of the minutes of the last AGM and any matters arising from these minutes.
3. Report from the Branch Chair.
4. Financial Report from the Branch Treasurer.
5. Election of members of the Committee.
6. Any resolutions requested by members of the Branch notified to the Branch Secretary in writing at least six weeks prior to the AGM.
NOMINATIONS for the BRANCH COMMITTEE
Committee members, including those current committee members reaching the end of their 3 year term and wishing to seek re-election, will be elected from the floor at the AGM for a term of 3 years. We welcome any branch member who is interested in joining the committee.
The AGM will be followed by a Waterways (mostly) Quiz.
Social Scene
Our 2024/25 social season is now well underway, with two of our monthly meetings behind us and our preChristmas gathering soon approaching.
At our October meeting, our own Sonning Bear – with more than a little help from his human guardians – shared stories and pictures from his adventures on cruises along the Rhone and the Rhine, including huge river locks and hydro-electricity plants, all manner of shipping, scenery and antiquities, and quite a lot of cake. If you missed it, you might be at something of a disadvantage when we get to the “where Is The Bear” round in our spring quiz!
Our November meeting rounded off a year of celebrations to mark the reopening of the Caldon Canal 50 years ago, with a presentation of more fascinating archive photos from Steve Wood and recollections of the campaign to restore the canal and the characters involved from Roger Savage. Unfortunately, I could not get to this meeting which is a great shame, as I always enjoy Steve’s presentations and was looking forward to hearing more of the story of the Caldon Canal’s restoration.
Our meeting on 13th December is another 50th anniversary celebration, this time of our own IWA branch. We are still working on the details but there will
be photos and records from the past 50 years, and we hope members will share their own stories and memories. As it will be our Christmas gathering, you’ re also welcome to bring and share mince pies and other festive fare.
Our annual dinner is now booked for the Barchetta Restaurant beside the Trent and Mersey Canal at Wheelock, on Friday 24th January from 7pm for a 7.30 meal. If you would like to join us, please choose your starter (if required) and main course from the menu and let me know your choices (by email or phone) by Friday 10th January, along with any special dietary requirements. A good range of traditional desserts (tiramisu, panna cotta, cheesecake, ice-cream etc.) are usually available but are not listed on the menu I have to hand as I type! I will
ask the proprietor what will be available on the night (and the prices) and let you know when you get in touch to book. Payment will be made to the restaurant on the night.
Our speaker for the February meeting is now confirmed and I am delighted to say it is Jonathan Mosse, who writes and researches the very comprehensive Nicholsons guides to the waterways that many of us rely on when exploring unfamiliar routes.
Our AGM is in March and I am currently getting a speaker for April organised, so look out for the details in our next Knobsticks.
Sarah Honeysett (Social Secretary)
Cheshire Locks—Lock 64 finished
North Staffordshire & South Cheshire Branch
Friday 13th December 2024
7:45 for 8pm
A celebration of 50 years of our IWA branch
We’re aiming for an informal evening with lots of reminiscences as we trawl our archives for photos and stories from the past 50 years. We would particularly like to invite members to bring along their own snippets of branch history.
As it will be our Christmas gathering, you’re also welcome to bring and share mince pies and other festive fare.
Friday 24th January 2025
7 for 7:30pm Annual Dinner
At the Barchetta Restaurant, Wheelock
If you would like to join us, please choose your starter (if required) and main course from the menu (see pages 14-15) and let Sarah Honeysett (email: socialsec.nssc@waterways.org.uk or phone 01782 772295) know your choice(s) by Friday 10th January, along with any special dietary requirements.
A good range of traditional desserts (tiramisu, panna cotta, cheesecake, ice-cream etc.) are usually available but are not listed on the
Social Programme
menu, so Sarah will let you know what is available (and the prices) when you get in touch to book.
Payment will be made to the restaurant on the night.
Friday 14th February 2025
7:45 for 8pm
Talk
Researching the Nicholson’s Guides to the Waterways
Jonathan Mosse
Friday 14th March 2025
7:45 for 8pm Branch AGM followed by Waterways (mostly) Quiz
Friday 11th April 2025
7:45 for 8pm
Talk
Speaker to be confirmed
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
Annual Dinner Menu Friday 24th January 2025 7 for 7:30pm at the Barchetta Restaurant, Wheelock
Starters
Olives & Bread - Marinated mixed olives, served with sliced ciabatta bread, olive oil and balsamic vinegar. £6.00
Garlic Bread - Classic – £5.00, Tomato –
£6.00, Cheese – £6.00, Cheese and tomato – £7.00
Soup Of The Day - Freshly prepared, with ciabatta bread and butter.
£6.00
Bruschetta - Toasted ciabatta topped with an aromatic salsa of beef tomato, red onion, garlic and basil.
£5.00
Mussels - Pan fried mussels with chilli, onions, garlic, lemon and a tomato cream sauce. £9.00
Sucuk & Halloumi - Spicy beef sausage and grilled halloumi cheese, with salad garnish. £8.00
Creamy Garlic Mushrooms - Sautéd mushrooms with Gorgonzola cheese, garlic and herbs, with ciabatta bread. £6.00
Gambaretti - King prawns in a chilli sauce, cooked with mushroom and onions, with a ciabatta crust. £9.00
Hummus - Chick peas, tahini, garlic, fresh lemon juice and olive oil.
£6.00
Main Courses
Pollo - With chicken, chorizo, mushroom, cherry tomatoes in a creamy tomato sauce. £14.00
Vegetarian - With roasted vegetables in a creamy tomato sauce. £13.00
Seafood - With mussels, king prawns, baby octopus, calamari, peas, mushroom and peppers, in a creamy tomato sauce. £16.00
Pasta
Seafood - Mixed seafood, courgette and peas in a creamy white wine sauce with a touch of tomato. £16.00
Pollo - Chicken, asparagus, cherry tomato and courgette in a creamy white wine sauce with a touch of tomato. £14.00
Bolognaise - Cooked with lean minced beef, onion, garlic, oregano, red wine and tomato sauce. £13.00
Chicken Carbonara - Chicken, pancetta, parmesan, and cream. £14.00
(made with fresh dough, folded over, filled, and baked to order)
Ham, mushroom, pepperoni, peppers, cheese, topped with a tomato sauce. £13.00
Vegetarian - Mixed roasted vegetables topped with a tomato sauce. £12.00
Diavola - Turkish sausage, pepperoni, chicken, chilli, onion, topped with a tomato sauce. £14.00
Sides
Hand Cut Chips
£5.00
Mixed Salad £5.00
Pepper Sauce £5.00
Blue Cheese Sauce £5.00
Desserts
A good range of traditional desserts (tiramisu, panna cotta, cheesecake, icecream etc.) are usually available but are not listed on the menu, so Sarah will let you know what is available (and the prices) when you when you get in touch to book. See page 12 for details of how to book (by Friday 10th January).
The Boating Adventures of Sonning Bear
Bears Abroad
(A Journey on the Rhine)
It was a great honour for this Small Bear to put together a presentation for our IWA branch in October, all about our journeys so far on the waterways of Europe. I do hope that those of you who came to see it didn’t mind too much that our human guardians had to talk for me, as I am a very quietly-spoken bear and felt quite shy on the evening. I am glad that you all seemed to enjoy it too.
I have already written in Knobsticks about our journey on the Rhône, but I thought it might be nice to share some of our other adventures for the people who couldn’t get to our talk. So here is an article about our journey on the Rhine.
We bears - Hanley, Endon and I - and our human guardians, travelled out to Basel in Switzerland by train to meet our cruise boat. We went through a huge lock before bedtime and probably some more during the night on our way to our first stop at Strasbourg the following morning, which was our first proper look at a very big inland port, where the Rhône-Rhine Canal and Marne-Rhine canals reach the Rhine.
The Boating Adventures of Sonning Bear
We realised that the Rhine was a much busier commercial waterway than the Rhône had been, although this part turned out to be quiet compared to further downstream. As on the Rhône, the Rhine locks are part of massive civil engineering works including diversion canals and huge hydro-electric power stations.
Endon Bear saw another of the huge Rhine locks being repaired on his way to the first adventure ashore, a trip to the Black Forest – with gateau, of course!
Hanley Bear got to visit Speyer the following day and I had a trip to Heidelburg, and all three of us also had adventures aboard the ship, including a game of deck quoits with human guardian Grizzly, where we sat on the quoits, and eating cakes at afternoon tea.
After Strasbourg, we didn’t see any more locks or canalised sections of waterway, as we were cruising on the great river itself. The most spectacular part of the journey was through the Rhine Gorge.
There were castles everywhere and, according to the captain of our ship, in the olden days lots of them were owned by bad people who robbed travellers on the roads and on the river, so it was a very dangerous journey.
The Boating Adventures of Sonning Bear
Because there is a strong current in the river through the gorge, it is still quite a risky journey and special boating rules apply to allow boats coming up stream to choose which side of the river they want to use. If they are going to be passing on the wrong (starboard) side, they put up a special blue board by the ship’s bridge to let other craft know and the oncoming boats do the same to show that they have seen and understood the signal. The captain told us that they also send automatic radio signals to each other.
We bears thought this was a very clever idea and started looking out for blue boards on our boat and the others. We saw a very special boat, the steamer Goethe, which has been restored after spending many years sunk in the river after being bombed during World War 2.
We all visited Koblenz after that and had an exciting cable car ride across the Rhine to the fortress overlooking the city, where you get a marvellous view of where the river Moselle joins it.
There were absolutely huge freight boats on the river now, often big tugs pushing three or four big container barges, and the railway lines on both sides of the river were very busy too. Around 400 boats use this stretch of waterway every day!
Hanley Bear had the first of two unusual railway journeys the following day, as we stopped at Königswinter, where a little rack railway took him up to a great viewpoint above the river, with mountains to the east and the cities of Bonn and Cologne to the west and north.
The Boating Adventures of Sonning Bear
We spent the following morning in Cologne and I went ashore with our human guardians to see the Cathedral and famous Hohenzollern railway bridge
We found Hanley Bear had stowed away with us when he heard that we were also visiting a brewery!
Heading north from Cologne, the development along the river banks got much more industrial and less picturesque, although it was still interesting to see all the different types of boats on the move. We had a very long journey overnight and, when we woke up, we found we were in Amsterdam!
The Boating Adventures of Sonning Bear
I enjoyed looking around this very pretty city with human guardian Polar, quite early before it got too busy. I loved the canals, which are kept clean by flushing fresh water through every morning, and all the elegant houses and interesting houseboats – but it was the wrong time of year for tulips!
[Ed See picture at bottom of this page]
Hanley Bear had a different adventure, as he went north out of the city for a trip on the Medemblik Steam Railway. This ran across very flat countryside, where they grow tulips in the spring, to the coastal town of Hoorn. Hanley’ s favourite part of the journey was crossing a motorway by level-crossing, with six lanes of road traffic stopped to let the little train pass!
We all had a marvellous time, but our holiday was almost at an end – and so is my little article. But I will tell you about our second visit to The Netherlands next time and this time there will be plenty of tulips!
Article: Sonning Bear
Photos: Sarah Honeysett
VisitEngland graded 2-8 berth quality narrowboats. Weekly hire and short breaks available. Wide choice of excellent routes; E.g. Four Counties Ring, Caldon, Cheshire Ring. Beginners and experienced crews welcome; Full tuition given.
Please ring for a brochure or visit: WWW.CANALCRUISING.CO.UK
North Staffordshire & South Cheshire contacts
If any of the roles shown as vacant interest you, please contact Alison Smedley for further information.
Sarah Honeysett 01782 772295 socialsec.nssc@waterways.org.uk
Publicity Officer + Website Editor
Sarah Honeysett 01782 772295 publicity.nssc@waterways.org.uk
Newsletter Editor
Roger Evans 01606 834471 nssc-newsletter@outlook.com 10 Long Lane, Middlewich, Cheshire, CW10 0BL
Planning Officer
Dave Broome (for Stoke on Trent City Council only) 07974 966253
dave.broome@burslemport.org.uk VACANT (all other areas)
Contact Alison Smedley
Membership Officer
Mary Smith membership.nssc@waterways.org.uk
Navigation Officer
Jon Honeysett 01782 772295 navigation.nssc@waterways.org.uk
Heritage Champion
Sarah Jones sarah.jones@waterways.org.uk
Burslem Port Work Party
Dave Broome 07974 966253 dave.broome@burslemport.org.uk
Caldon + Uttoxeter Work Parties VACANT
Contact Alison Smedley
Cheshire Locks Work Party
Tony Walker 07708 320470 walker.tony31@gmail.com
Other committee member: 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.
Our Branch runs 3 work parties each month, helping to maintain and restore our local canals :-
• Cheshire Locks (Trent & Mersey Canal, Kidsgrove to Wheelock) (jointly organised with the Trent and Mersey Canal Society) 3rd Thursday of each month (except December), 10am to 3pm. Contact: Tony Walker Phone: 07708 320470
Email: walker.tony31@gmail.com
• Uttoxeter Canal work parties (held in partnership with Caldon & Uttoxeter Canals Trust) are unfortunately no longer running due to lack of a work party organiser. If you are interested in getting involved (full training and support are provided) please contact: Alison Smedley Phone: 01538 385388
Email: alison.smedley@waterways.org.uk
• Burslem Port, Stoke-on-Trent (working in partnership with Burslem Port Project) Fridays: Jan 10th + 24th, Feb 7th + 21st, March 7th + 21st April 4th + 18th, May 2nd, 16th + 30th
Contact: Dave Broome before attending Phone: 07974 966253
Email: dave.broome@burslemport.org.uk
See the IWA website www.waterways.org.uk under “Events” for dates. Volunteers are advised to wear stout shoes and old clothes, and to bring waterproofs (and a packed lunch and drink if staying all day).
