Leveling up and up.

 We were obviously tired yesterday as we didn't wake up until just before 8. We got away at around our normal time after only a couple of boats passing us ready to head up the locks. Helen walked ahead and there was a hire boat that had just passed us sat there, not hose out. I was confused so pulled up and asked them if they were going up, and after a bit of 'after you, no after you' stuff I went. It seems that the lock workers had found Helen there and thought that meant that we should go first.

The honeysuckle next to Newcastle Road lock was giving off an heady perfume as we penned up with a boat waiting to come down.

There is a turn-over bridge after the second lock up Meaford Locks. I did wonder if this was due to Meaford Power Station being at the top of the lock but that didn't open until 1947. Meaford Hall was on the same side as the power station so it must have been to make the canal more acceptable to the landowner.

It was good to see that the bridge abutments at the top of  Meaford flight are still in place. It seemed to get hit very often at one time but have survived a year or two now.

Before you get to Barlaston hidden away in the long grass is this old original boundary marker. I'm sure I have looked into this in the past but when I can't remember. It is not an old mile marker for the canal, but I suppose could be a part mile marker. As the cast iron posts with the mileage on date fro the 1890's I think.

At the Barlaston moorings there were a pair of osyster catchers futtling around looking for something to eat. always nice to see them. Not much chance of finding a oyster there thought Mate.

The new Barratt Waterside estate has really got underway now. In a very large field on the outskirts of Hems Heath a very large development is under way. It was very controversial among the locals but is a space between the canal and the railway that was just waiting to be filled with new properties. 

As we passed the incinerator near to Stoke City's ground the giant cranes mark some major building work going on.

Just near the Trent Aqueduct, blink and you'll miss it, was some Giant Hog Weed growing. It was living up to its name too.

It turns out that the new building was a major development at the Old railway goods yard and canal transhipment warehouse just opposite where the old Newcastle left the main line. The basement of the warehouses etc were brick vaults that are to be retained. It is to be a new 'urban quarter', part paid for  with government leveling up money. See here, https://www.capitalandcentric.com/goods-yard

As we arrived at the Stoke Bottom Lock we could see two boats waiting, and one coming down. I was able to get a few jobs done whilst I waited, as patiently as possible, as I was hoping that we could get moored up before the rain arrived.

After Cockshutts Lock, and opposite the cemetery, I saw this black cat come for a drink. When I first looked up there was nothing close to it to give it any sort of scale and I thought it was massive. I can see why there are constant reports of giant pumas loose in the UK countryside. In fact there may well be, but I still haven't seen one.

Alongside Cockshutts Lock was this mural 'advertising' the CRT Plastics Challenge. As I had to wait at every lock I was doing my bit and we collected a black bin liner full before the last two locks that are obviously close to where they have lock keepers and so was kept very tidy.

I wondered if the bridge by the Etruria Bone and Flint mill arm was actually a railway siding, but I can't find such a thing it was a short extension of Lower Bedford Street to a another part of the works. This is Helen coming to ask why I hadn't come to the lock. I could swear she had indicated that there was a boat coming down! Still we still had to wait for the boat ahead at the last lock.

We popped round the corner to the services at the start of the Caldon Canal to get rid of all the rubbish we had collected, including sheets of plastic and a big bags etc. I also had my old engine hole deck boards to dispose of. I think the reason that they delaminated was that they were quite thin, 12mm I think. I thought they would be lighter. But in fact the flex more so are more prone to breaking apart.

There was nobody on the water point so we topped up whilst I got rid of everything. As there were no free moorings we winded under the gaze of James Brindley and rejoined the Trent and Mersey and moored up by the gas sellers gate.

And then it bucketed it down!

How's that for timing.