TNC On Tour 2010 page 4

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The Tuesday Night Club on Tour

Tour 2013

4 - Cheddleton to Eturia - Caldon Canal.

Thursday 18th April 2013.

09:25 start from Cheddleton. Lots of towpath work around Cheddleton Locks going on, so got help with locks from contractors. Pound above Oak Meadow Ford Lock No 16 had just had extensive dredging to remove silt washed in by floods. Also dredging done below the lock in the river section. No problems at all. Stopped at Consall Forge for water top up (to lower bow for Froghall Tunnel) from 11:35 to 12:30. Stopped above Froghall Tunnel to remove cratch board and cover, 13:30 to 14:00. Though Froghall Tunnel with no scrapes, then down the first lock of the Uttoxeter Canal into the basin. Stopped at 14:15 after a rather gentle wind, as there were hundreds of mating toads swimming around in the basin! Mrs TNC / LA plus dogs and tortoises arrived soon after. Nice meal and a pint in the friendly Railway Hotel, by the new Froghall station. Went to sleep with the sound of croaking toads!

Friday 19th April 2013

Left at 09:10. Gentle entrance and operation of the lock as infested with toads, many relocated to the overspill "weir" at the end of the basin. Cratch had been left off, faltering start through Froghall Tunnel, due to a Canal Cruising Co (Stone) hire boat lining up for the passage! We dunno if they got through, as their nice shiny boat was rather higher that Earnest. Stopped at Cheddleton Flint Mill Moorings for lunch, 12:00 to 13:25. Hazelhurst Junction at 14:20 and then proceeded up the Leek Branch. As usual we carried on past the last 70ft winding point and struggled to reach the feeder / old Aqueduct. A wind was now not possible in a 60ft NB, due to much silting (we have winded Earnest there a couple of times before) End reached at 15:40, then reverse back to winding point. From here we reversed back to nearest available mooring beyond the winding point. This was also silted up and required a bit of "dredging". Finally stopped at 16:00. That evening it was a (long!) walk UP into the centre of Leek, where we had a Chinese in the Laurel Inn, then a shop back down the hill at Morrisons.

Saturday 20th April 2013

09:35 start from Leek. Hazelhurst Junction and back down to Consall Forge. Stopped for lunch at Cheddleton Flint Mill. Flint Mill museum open so visitation by LA armed with camera. Consall Forge at 15:00. Lovely sunny afternoon. LA walk with dogs up valley. NA took piccies of steam on the North Staffs Railway.

Sunday 21st April 2013

10:00 start, Cratch removal on the fly. Through Froghall Tunnel, then straight down to the final wharf at end of Caldon Canal, reverse back to the Uttoxeter Canal Lock No 1 and down to Basin (11.45) Yet more toad rescue. With car available we go for tour of Manifold Valley, including the road which utilises the course of the Leek and Manifold Railway. Nice meal on boat that night, serenaded by croaking toads.

Monday 22nd April

NA picks up PW from Stoke Station, then LA leaves in car at 13:30. NA plus PW depart at 13:35, after Froghall Tunnel NA reassembles cratch on the fly. Run straight through the Caldon, arriving at Eturia in the dark at 22:00. This must be the easiest and trouble free passages of the Caldon we have ever had, not one trip down the weed hatch.

Cheddleton Flint Mill Wharf.
Caldon Canal.

Cheddleton Flint Mill Wharf Crane.
Caldon Canal.

Cheddleton Flint Mill Wharf.
Caldon Canal.

Cheddleton Bridge No 42.
Caldon Canal.

Cheddleton Lock No 13, Lock No 14 beyond.
Caldon Canal.

Cheddleton Bridge No 42.
Caldon Canal.

Cheddleton. BAL grouts / adhesives factory.
Caldon Canal.

Basford Bridge No 44.
Caldon Canal.

The Boat Inn at Basford Bridge No 44.
Caldon Canal.

Locos on the North Staffs Railway.
Caldon Canal.

Woods Lock No 15.
Caldon Canal.

Bridge No 45 and Woods Lock No 15.
Caldon Canal.

Remains of Bridge No 46.
Caldon Canal.

Oak Meadow Ford Lift Bridge No 47A.
Caldon Canal.

Oak Meadow Ford Lock No 16 and Bridge No 48.
Caldon Canal.

Now on the River Churnet, looking back at Oak Meadow Ford Lock No 16 and Bridge No 48.
Caldon Canal.

River Churnet, raised towpath walkway.
Caldon Canal.

River Churnet, North Staffs railway on the left bank.
Caldon Canal.

Filling with water at Consall Forge Visitor Moorings.
Caldon Canal.

Timeless scene - The Black Lion, railway and canal at Consall Forge.
Caldon Canal.

Consall Forge.
Caldon Canal.

The perfectly recreated Consall Forge station.
Caldon Canal.

Ex railway workers houses at Consall Forge.
Caldon Canal.

Looking back at the perfectly recreated Consall Forge station.
Caldon Canal.

London Bridge No 50B.
Caldon Canal.

Flint Mill pottery.
Caldon Canal.

Flint Mill Lock No 17.
Caldon Canal.

Flint Mill Lock No 17. Plastic headroom gauge for Froghall Tunnel.
Caldon Canal.

Looking back at Flint Mill Lock No 17.
Caldon Canal.

Bridge No 52.
Caldon Canal.

Spillway built at the site of the 1975 breach.
Caldon Canal.

Cherryeye Bridge No 53.
Caldon Canal.

Concrete lined narrow section
Caldon Canal.

Approach to Froghall, the remains of the old Thomas Bolton copper works.
Caldon Canal.

The remains of the old Thomas Bolton copper works.
Caldon Canal.

Froghall Tunnel.
Caldon Canal.

Froghall Basin.....infested with mating toads!
Caldon Canal.

Satnav tortoise!

Coming back from Froghall Basin.
Caldon Canal.

Coming back off the River Churnet. Oak Meadow Ford Lock No 16 and Bridge No 48.
Caldon Canal.

Hazelhurst Lock No 11.
Caldon Canal.

Hazelhurst Top Lock No 10.
Caldon Canal.

Hazelhurst Locks from the Leek Branch.
Caldon Canal.

Leek Branch, Bridge No 3.
Caldon Canal.

Looking down at the Froghall Branch from Hazelhurst Aqueduct.
Caldon Canal, Leek Branch.

Looking down at Denford.
Caldon Canal, Leek Branch.

Looking back at Hazelhurst Aqueduct and Bridge No 3.
Caldon Canal, Leek Branch.

Looking down at the North Staffs railway from the aqueduct.
Caldon Canal, Leek Branch.

Bridge No 4.
Caldon Canal, Leek Branch.

Bridge No 5.
Caldon Canal, Leek Branch.

Silted up winding point.
Caldon Canal, Leek Branch.

Bridge No 6.
Caldon Canal, Leek Branch.

Bridge No 7.
Caldon Canal, Leek Branch.

Caldon Canal, Leek Branch.

The wides before Leek Tunnel.
Caldon Canal, Leek Branch.

Leek Tunnel.
Caldon Canal, Leek Branch.

The final bridge, Bridge No 11.
Caldon Canal, Leek Branch.

The final 70ft winding point, Visitor Moorings beyond.
Caldon Canal, Leek Branch.

Waiting point before Leek Tunnel.
Caldon Canal, Leek Branch.

Leek Tunnel.
Caldon Canal, Leek Branch.

Leek Tunnel, relined section.
Caldon Canal, Leek Branch.

Hazelhurst Flight from the Leek Branch.
Caldon Canal.

The preserved cottage at the Cheddleton Flint Mill museum.

Cheddleton Flint Mill.

The pair of Cheddleton Flint Mills.

Cheddleton Bridge No 42.
Caldon Canal.

USA Transportation Corps 2-8-0 ALCO on the North Staffs Railway.
Caldon Canal.

Consol Forge.
Caldon Canal.

Consall Forge, lime kilns.
Caldon Canal.

USA Transportation Corps 2-8-0 ALCO passing the Black Lion at Consall Forge.
Caldon Canal.

Uttoxeter Canal Lock No 1, down to Froghall Basin.
Caldon Canal.

Bridge No 55, past the junction with the Uttoxeter Canal, to the final wharf on the Caldon Canal.

The final wharf at Froghall.
Caldon Canal.

Mating toad orgy.
Caldon Canal.

Froghall Basin.
Uttoxeter Canal.

Uttoxeter Canal Lock No 1, down to Froghall Basin.
Caldon Canal.

Froghall Basin.
Uttoxeter Canal.

Froghall Basin - yet more mating toads.
Uttoxeter Canal.

Froghall visitor centre.

Froghall lime kilns.

Inside Froghall Tunnel.
Caldon Canal.

The Tour Continues...

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