At Etruria top lock we turned onto the Caldon Canal, this is new territory for us we haven't done this canal before. We used the services by the junction and then continued up the staircase locks. The canal twists and bends away from Stoke, very obviously following the contours. We have left the urban area of Stoke behind and are moored at the bottom of the Stockton Brook Locks, a nice little flight of five locks for first thing in the morning!
More industry along the Trent & Mersey through Stoke, both past and present
The locks are a bit deeper about 10' or 11'
James Brindley statue
Bedford Street Staircase Locks
The old & new, new flats but kept the bottle kilns
All around these bottle kilns has been flattened probably for new
housing as that is what is on the other side of the canal
Looking forward
Looking behind from the same spot, its twisty!
The view from our moorings tonight
John spotted these markings in the locks today,
anyone know what they are? Masons marks?
10 miles, 11 locks, 2 manual lift bridges, 1 electric (stop traffic - road bridge)
Hi both - yes they are mason's marks - each mason has their own mark, and marked the stones as they put them in. Unusual to see them as they are usually covered in weed - these must be new stones, or the inside of the lock has been cleaned.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy the Caldon, but prepare to scratch the paintwork if you go much further than Consall Forge! xxx
Hi Pip. We thought they were masons marks. They do not appear recent though as they were low down in what appeared old stone work within the lock chamber. Each one pictured was in a different lock. We have moored out of the urban area in a pretty location.
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