Soggily from Stoke to Stone.

We were going to stop for the next night around Barlaston, or the Wedgewood Factory, but we decided to go through to Stone as if it was going to be wet we may as well get it done when wet anyway! 

We set off fairly early but a boat had already gone down, however we did meet boats at all of the other locks so it was a busy ole day on the whole. It actually never really threw it down just 'heavy' drizzle every now and then. But once again it was warm with no wind to speak off, so not a bad day.

I'm sure I take this photo every time we come through Stoke Locks. This is Cockshutts Lock with the railway bridge right next to it, just up from Stoke Station.

Again an old favourite photo, of the River Trent as it passes beneath the canal on its journey to the Humber. We have been on every navigable bit of it too.. More water in it today than when we passed heading north. Not many photos today as it was a bit wet and we have been this way a fair bit recently it seems.

Just by Sideway Bridge is this winding gear stock from a colliery nearby. In fact it was on the other side of the canal and was from one of the two pits that formed the Stafford Coal and Iron Company works at Great Fenton. It was started in 1885 and finally closed in 1969. It had an explosion in 1885 when seven were killed and it was used for training 'Bevin Boys' in WWII'.

It had the most elaborate square profile chimneys and engine house buildings in brick and stone. Where the complex was is now where the Stoke City Ground, Britannia Stadium is today.

This is what remains of the Trentham Branch Line bridge that  was a short line that went to Trentham Gardens. It was opened in 1910, but by then road traffic was taking the passengers away from the rails. However it was at its busiest in WWII as the Bank cheque clearing house was moved to the ballroom at Trentham Estate and many timetabled trains ran to the station there. After the War excursion trains ran from the West Midlands occasionally, the last one being 1957.

We moored up for the night above Limekiln Lock in Stone and later went for a walk to find the Borehole Brewery Tap for the Lymestone Brewery that is just in the Mount Industrial Estate by the pub. This mini pub has been created from an old office building on the original site of the Bents brewery and is over the borehole used to make that beer. Hence the name. It had been a music school at one time too.The Lymestone Brewery is on the industrial estate behind too.

We had the stove lit and the TV on for a nice lazy evening, what could be better after a couple of pints.