wrg/nw clearing the path at Bridge 70 of the Uttoxeter Canal.
Photo: Alison Smedley
If you went boating over Christmas and New Year, I hope that you had better luck than us. Our domestic alternator failed again (second time in 6 years, both on a New Year cruise!). We had to turn and run for home (without exceeding 3mph of course). Evenings were long with just a single light to read by, no fridge or microwave, and no radio or tv entertainment allowed. We made it home, but the voltage was down well below 12 volts (so the battery charger took a long time to refill the batteries from the landline).
Anyway, enough of our problems, what is in this issue?
First, sadly, there is an obituary for our friend and Cheshire Locks organizer John Lawson (see page 14). His death, shortly before Christmas of throat cancer, was expected but still sad. Those of you who knew him will remember his eternal optimism and hard work.
One thing missing from this issue is news of what is happening on the Cheshire Locks work party (which is now organized by Tony Walker – contact details on page 23). The reason is simple: there have been no work parties since Oct0ber because of bad weather. Hopefully we will be able to resume this month!
Speaking of the Cheshire Locks, I was interested to see that CRT have just announced a Summer of work on the flight, with repairs to 4 locks (but no stoppages as they are all duplicated locks):
• Lock 41 Quadrant repairs (April)
• Lock 59 Gate refurbishment (Apr-May)
• Lock 45 New top gate (June-July)
• Lock 49 New bottom Gates (Aug-Sept)
Burslem Port is also quiet at the moment (see page 15), but we do have news of work on 2 other sites.
First we have two reports of a wrg/nw weekend on the Uttoxeter Canal. First we have a report by the local organizer (Alison Smedley) on pages 4-5. Then we have a report by the visiting organizer (Malcolm Bridge) on pages 6-7. There is obviously duplication between the two reports, but I thought that it was interesting to compare how the same weekend was viewed from different perspectives.
Then we have a report on CRT volunteer work at Froghall on pages 8-11. Lots of pictures of the various tasks being carried out. It certainly sounds like they are getting lots of useful work done.
The centre pages (pages 12-13) have the latest social scene news. In particular the details of the April talk are announced with Alan (& Anne) Chetwyn talking us thorough their “home movie of a cruise down the Severn to Sharpness”.
Anne has also contributed a puzzle for you all (see page 15).
That only leaves our 2 staples - Alison’ s chair report (see page 2) and the latest boating adventure from Sonning (see pages 16-20).
Well, what do I say now that I have led you through the entire magazine (apart form the adverts …)?
Basically, hope you have a good Spring on or by our canal system and watch out for news from Sarah as she said that “ we are planning to have a presence at several summer events”. I can’t help you there as I don’t know either. Roger Evans
into the new year, and Spring will be just around the corner. We’ll have a couple more social meetings left before we break for the Summer, though, so we hope to see lots of you at those (see centre pages for details).
I’ve been thinking about heritage a lot recently – including, but not only, the heritage of our local waterways – as I’ ve recently started a part-time Masters Degree course with the University of Edinburgh (distance learning, obviously!). The Cultural Heritage Futures programme takes a forward look at how heritage and the past can help inform current thinking and shape the future of the heritage sector. My current module is looking at climate change and the historic environment so canals makes the perfect (if worrying) case study.
I’ve also recently become a member of IWA’s Heritage Advisory Panel, which is a group of heritage experts and professionals who can advise IWA
branches and waterway organisations on various aspects of heritage. One of the actions coming out of the Panel’s last meeting was to ask IWA branches for examples of heritage at risk in their local areas. In our own North Staffordshire & South Cheshire Branch, for example, the two local canal Conservation Areas both appear on Historic England’s latest Heritage at Risk Register published in November last year. We are keen to work with Stoke on Trent City Council to help improve these areas and hopefully retain their Conservation Area status. If anyone would like to get involved with this do let me know. This is something that we as a committee will be looking at over the next couple of months so, or if you have examples of specific structures or buildings that you think should be on the IWA’ s own “waterway heritage at risk” list do let me know.
Your committee has been busy as usual over the Winter – organising the programme of talks, organising work parties, reporting on navigation, heritage and planning issues, and supporting our local canal societies.
We are planning to take the branch sales and publicity stand to the Etruria Canal Festival once again (Saturday 31st May and Sunday 1st June) – so come and say hello if you are visiting the event, or if you would like to spend an hour or two helping out do let us know.
As ever, we as a committee could do more if we had more volunteers, so if you would like to get involved in any way, specifically in one of the roles shown as “vacant” on the contacts page, do please get in touch with me by phone, or email (details on contacts page).
Alison Smedley Branch Chair
wrg/nw Visit to the Uttoxeter Canal
weekend of volunteering on the Uttoxeter Canal. Rupert and I joined them (well, okay, I was organising it wearing my CUCT hat, but we also felt part of the WRG NW team as we joined them for the whole weekend). We all had an enjoyable and productive weekend doing various types of vegetation clearance. We had 13 volunteers on site on the Saturday and 15 on the Sunday.
On the Saturday we worked initially between Milepost 23 and Bridge 70, clearing a couple of fallen trees (thanks to Paul, the WRG authorised chainsaw operator), weeding the path and cutting back saplings and regrowth on the trees between the path and the canal. Another team tackled the weeds on the path over Bridge 70, and the ivy that had grown back up one side of the bridge since the bridge was first restored. [Photo above]
In the afternoon a small team headed to around the bench (that was constructed and installed by CRT volunteers just over a year ago) and the path along the rear of the lock (which is actually the public footpath). We all had an enjoyable and sociable evening at the accommodation.
On the Sunday most of the team worked at a new site, a couple of miles up the valley at Lord’s Bridge, where brothers Mark and Bill had contacted CUCT about the section of canal that they had recently acquired. Our task was to open up the view along their section of canal from the footpath over Lord’s Bridge, so that people will be able to see the remains of the canal. While there is much more to do, hopefully more people will be now aware that there is a canal there, especially if CUCT is able to arrange an interpretation board in the future.[Photo right]
wrg/nw Visit to the Uttoxeter Canal
Meanwhile another small team returned to the footpath between Milepost 23 and Bridge 70 to clear some more weeds from the towpath, which we realised is now over 10 years old, having been built by WRG during a canal camp in 2014. Before then the public footpath along the former canal towpath was very rough and uneven. It’s holding up reasonably well but some repairs were identified to be carried out at the next opportunity. [Photo right]
It was a beautiful day on the Sunday to be out in the fresh air and countryside of the Churnet Valley – all in all it was a very enjoyable and productive weekend and our many thanks to all the volunteers who helped.
Article & Photos: Alison Smedley
This was undoubtedly a successful weekend, with a resident attendance of 14, including Rupert & Alison, augmented by Roger & Margaret on the Sunday. The accommodation, Rupert & Alison’ s Airbnb, Caldon Cottage at Endon, replaced the usual Greatwood Hall, which had been double booked and now enters the NW annals as our most luxurious accommodation (yet?). The only previous time I had an en-suite was at the Travelodge at Oswestry during lockdown – and that wasn’t as nice in most other respects, particularly the food. Saturday evening’s lasagne was excellent despite much of it having spent 4 months in our freezer after the postponement of this dig [Ed: by Storm Bert!] last November. Thanks Barbara.
Both days were blessed with clear, dry weather, Sunday being warmer and sunnier than Saturday. Saturday was spent clearing re-growth on, and around, the path upstream of Bridge 70 (Crumpwood), completed by us about 10 years ago after a camp narrowly failed to do so. This time our access was along the former railway track from Alton Station, something which seriously taxed our driver as it was simultaneously narrow, slippery and pot-holed. Well done Mike. [Photo above]
Sunday found us on a new site altogether, Lord’s Bridge. The local area is particularly attractive and so popular with walkers visiting Dimmingsdale Forest. As a result, it has a large public car park and cafe, the Ramblers’ Retreat.
The same visit as viewed by
The canal line here has recently come under new (and supportive) ownership and our job was to start to open it up so that it can more easily be seen from the path leading to the adjacent ex-railway bridge. An information board will follow.
This required a chainsaw gang removing the trees closest to the path with the rest of us cutting and burning smaller trees and fallen timber further away. After a fairly slow start both groups progressed well, with a notably good fire. It’ s pleasing to report that the owners visited and were happy with our efforts. [Photos right and below]
Malcolm Bridge
Photos: Barry McGuinness
Originally printed in wrg/nw members’ monthly newsletter
CRT volunteer work at Froghall
CRT volunteers have been working at Froghall. Here is Beth’s report on what they have achieved so far.
In summary the volunteers have been amazing – 18 volunteers plus 2 staff across 3 different days (approx. 57 manhours total) so far.
Main tasks completed:
• Sidings cleared of brambles and overhanging vegetation.
• Bank edge copers edged.
• Smaller clumps of trees on wharf side coppiced.
• Dead hedge constructed along line of coppiced trees.
• Wharf edge path cleared.
• Steps cleared.
• Pond dug out.
Here are some pictures:
Sidings cleared
Copers edged
CRT volunteer work at Froghall
Clumps of Trees coppiced
Dead Hedges constructed
Wharf Edge cleared
(Before and After)
CRT volunteer work at Froghall
Steps cleared
Pond dug out
(Before)
CRT volunteer work at Froghall (After)
We haven’t yet done the following but I will plan it in:
• Repaired pond edge fence. Installed “Deep water” signs (pond is actually quite deep if you look at the pics!).
Removed 2 x trees on edge of canal on steep bank below lock (pontoon and chain saw operator required).
Sowed wildflower seeds in sidings and around pond (waiting for early March).
Article & Photos : Beth Dawid CRT Volunteer Team Leader
North Staffordshire & South Cheshire Branch
Social Scene February 2025
Well, it’s 2025 and our IWA Branch is now into its 51st year. I hope you managed to get along to our social evenings celebrating the 50th Anniversary of both our IWA Branch and the re-opening of the Caldon Canal. Huge thanks to all of the members and friends who helped to put these together and deliver them, as I know many, many hours of work went into researching and preparing these presentations.
We also held our Annual Dinner at the Barchetta Restaurant, beside the T&M in Wheelock. Although the numbers attending were quite small (unfortunately illness and storm warnings all played their part) I understand the meal was excellent and those who did attend enjoyed themselves.
So, after an autumn of talks looking back at some important anniversaries, it’s time to look ahead. By the time you are reading this, we will have welcomed Jonathan Mosse with his presentation on writing and researching the Nicholson’s Guides. In March, on the evening of Friday 14th, we have our AGM, followed by a quiz, which will be mostly waterways-focused but with a sprinkling of general knowledge too.
Our last social of this season will be on Friday 11th April, when we’ll be able to enjoy home movies of a cruise down the Severn to Sharpness from our very own Alan Chetwyn.
Social Programme
Although our social season ends in April, we are planning to have a presence at several summer events and again, support from members at these is always very welcome. Look out for details on our Facebook page, and do share our posts so we can reach as large an audience as we possibly can.
Thanks once again to Stoke-on-Trent Boat Club for welcoming us this season. We plan to be back there in October with a new programme of talks and hopefully we will see you there.
Sarah Honeysett
Friday 14th March 2025
7:45 for 8pm Branch AGM followed by Waterways (mostly) Quiz
Friday 11th April 2025
7:45 for 8pm Talk
Home movie of a cruise down the Severn to Sharpness Alan (& Anne) Chetwyn
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
John Lawson RIP
John was a kind and warm-hearted man, always full of enthusiasm, happy to engage with people with a ready smile on his face. He was a great canal enthusiast and had been the driving force behind the Cheshire Locks Work Party for many years.
This group of volunteers (jointly founded in 2012 by the Trent and Mersey Canal Society and our NSSC branch of IWA, in partnership with CRT) has been responsible for the painting of locks on the stretch of the Trent and Mersey between Kidsgrove and Wheelock. John's attention to detail was second to none as can be witnessed by anyone familiar with that stretch. He will be remembered by the CRT and his fellow volunteers for his unwavering commitment to the cause and for his patient, encouraging and optimistic leadership.
As well as leading the work party, he would often return to site in order to finish off the finer details. His artistic skills can be readily seen in the numbering of the lock gates and the lettering of the canal mileposts. Additionally, he took on the role of Towpath Ranger on the Trent and Mersey near his home in Rode Heath. As such, much to the appreciation of his fellow residents, he took an active interest in the recent towpath improvements part-funded by the local Parish Council.
John had many other interests in his life. In particular, he was a supporter of the RNLI for which he was a keen fundraiser. He was also a lifelong supporter of Stoke City football club, following them both home and away, through good times and bad. At one time he was Chair of the Official Supporters’ Club and contributed in other ways such as being a steward on away coaches and being a member of the matchday staff hosting hospitality guests.
John passed away peacefully at home in the care of his family on 7th December 2024 after a long illness which he bore with true bravery and fortitude. He is survived by his wife Sandra, two sons, two stepdaughters and five grandchildren.
Tony Walker (with help from John Brighouse)
Originally printed in TMCS members’ magazine Grand Trunk
His funeral took place on Monday January 6th at Wesley Place Methodist Church in Alsager. The church was packed with well over 100 people present. Amongst them I recognised several other members of the Cheshire Locks Work Party.
Roger Evans
John Lawson who has sadly died at the age of 76 will be deeply missed by his many friends and colleagues.
There has been little activity over the winter months on site, apart from the visit by CRT on two Fridays which enabled the complete clearance of the old canal edging.
No results have yet been produced by the students of Newcastle Technical College.
The architecture students of North Staffs. University will be working on their designs this term. Results keenly awaited.
Burslem Port
A keen eye is being kept on the proposed alteration to the Eden Valley Properties development. This borders our canal line which depends upon them for the revised route.
Work parties continue to be held every other Friday, weather and health permitting! It is intended to carry out a leaflet drop in Middleport in a search for more volunteers and possible Trust members.
Here is a puzzle for you all, devised by Anne Chetwyn.
Give-up ? The answer is upside-down at the bottom of the first column on page 23.
Dave Broome
Riddle-Me-Ree
The Boating Adventures of Sonning Bear
Bears in the Bulb Fields
Hanley, Endon and I enjoyed our trip along the Rhine so much that we were really excited when Polar told us that we were going on another continental cruise, this time to Belgium and The Netherlands.
Because we had been good on our previous journeys, Polar said we could take an extra friend with us, so Huddlesford Bear came too. We caught the Eurostar train back to Amsterdam and were soon settled in a comfy cabin on one of the Amadeus cruise boats, looking forward to afternoon tea.
The Boating Adventures of Sonning Bear
We said Huddlesford could go on the first excursion, which was a canal cruise around Amsterdam. Huddles had never been abroad before, so it was a great adventure for him. He loved the tall, thin houses beside the canals, busy markets and marvellous museums, but said his favourite thing was seeing the lovely houseboats all along the waterways.
Our journey down to Ghent [Ed: Sonning actually used the local name of “Gent”, just as it was printed on his local map, but I have used the English version of the name of the city.”] took us along the Amsterdam-Rhine Canal and out into some big tidal estuaries, which was quite different to being on inland waterways, even the mighty Rhine.
The outbound journey was mainly at night, so we were asleep and didn’t wake up until we got to a big lock down onto the Ghent Canal. This was deep and wide enough to take sea-going ships as well as the typical canal and river freight barges, so most of the bridges across it were swing-bridges, and the city itself had a very busy port area.
I was travelling bear for the excursion into Ghent, on a very warm and sunny day. The city is a very pretty, medieval town, with lots of handsome historic buildings and a lovely waterfront. It was a Saturday, so lots of humans were having fun cruising about in little boats, shopping and eating ice-creams.
Ghent is a famous chocolate-making city, so I helped Grizzly chose some nice chocolates for Polar (and the other bears, of course).
The Boating Adventures of Sonning Bear
On the Sunday, Huddlesford and Endon went on rather a sad journey, visiting some of the sites of First World War battles. They were not very far from the places Hanley Bear and I visited with our human guardians in 2018, when they took us to see where Grizzly’s father had fought one hundred years earlier. Both bears were very quiet when they came back; we do not understand why humans have such big wars against each other, and it makes us sad.
Storey-Pugh), when Polar saw a huge container ship approaching. She didn’t know if it would be polite to get up to take photos, but Mr Piers saw it too and exclaimed “Good God! Look at the size of that!” grabbed his own phone and dashed out to the deck to take a picture, so Polar didn’t feel embarrassed doing the same.
Our boat set off for an area where there was a lot of fighting in the Second World War that evening and we saw enormous ships on the way to Nijmegen, when we were out on the Scheldt Estuary. Polar and Grizzly were having dinner with Rob the cruise manager and a guest speaker (he was an ex-military chap called Piers
Page 18
Polar and Grizzly didn’t do the warthemed journey from Nijmegen, but went to the Netherlands Open Air Museum instead, taking Hanley and me with them. It reminded us of the Black Country Living Museum as there were lots of old buildings which had been rescued from all over the country and rebuilt there, but we didn’t get to explore as much as we hoped as it absolutely poured with rain!
The Boating Adventures of Sonning Bear
So, after visiting the first few buildings, we stayed on the little vintage tram travelling round the site and then went to the café, where our guardians bought hot chocolate with cream to share with us.
The boat took us back to Amsterdam overnight, through quite a nasty storm, but the next day it was fine again. Hanley Bear visited the maritime museum, where he played at being a pirate on a big sailing ship.
The following day, Hanley and Huddlesford went to see the Medemblick steam railway [See first photo] where they had a train ride through the bulb fields and ate Dutch apple cake. Endon and I didn’t mind, as we were looking forward to being the bears on our final day out.
Endon Bear loves gardening, so he was very excited about going to the Keukenhof Gardens. Before we set off, there was a talk on board the ship from the famous gardener Charlie Dimmock and Endon got chance to say, “Hello!” before our coach left for the gardens.
Endon looked very worried when he saw how rainy it was outside but, by the time we had reached the gardens, the sun was shining again and the flowers looked Spring 2025 Page 19
The Boating Adventures of Sonning Bear
lovely with all the raindrops sparkling on them.
There were tulips everywhere! We had never seen so many flowers, which is not surprising as Polar told us later there were about 7 million of them and fresh bulbs are planted by hand every autumn!
We enjoyed the whole afternoon at the gardens with our human guardians, being very careful not to get lost as there were lots of other people about (although we didn’t see any other small bears). There were tulips of all colours and lots of different shapes, and fields full of them across the canal from the gardens. Endon was determined to plant lots of tulips in our garden in the autumn, although Polar said we couldn’t have millions of them and should look for varieties that would flower for more than one year.
The next morning we caught the train to Brussels and then back through the Channel Tunnel to St Pancras. Our holiday was at an end, but we would enjoy several trips on our local canals during the summer, so I can tell you about some of those in my next article.
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.
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 (held in partnership with Caldon & Uttoxeter Canals Trust). Work parties are unfortunately no longer running due to lack of an 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: 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).
