Graffiti, Stoke and Graffiti

We stayed at Engine Lock on the Caldon last night (Sun) and early this morning headed down into Stoke to rejoin the Trent & Mersey.  It`s the last leg of our journey and should see us back at Pillings Lock in a couple of weeks. 

Going back into a large city was a bit of a wake up call after the lovely countryside of the Caldon and the bygone era of its historic railway.  Stoke, from what you see of it from the canal, is all litter, graffiti and the feeling of `get through quicklyness` -  it rained as soon as we saw the first discarded supermarket trolley.





Railway engine -  Consall Forge, Caldon Canal

  



Railway engine - Stoke, Trent & Mersey Canal



At Etruria Junction (where the Caldon meets the Trent & Mersey) we stopped and pumped-out using the BW self service kit.  The token needed to work it costs £10 and for this you get 10 (smelly) MINUTES  PLUS MULTIPLE PAUSES - far better than the three minutes for £15 offered at most of the marinas we`ve visited.  Considering that all new marinas seem to have self service `services` anyway, you`re not getting anything extra for your money.  In future we`ll try and use BW whenever we can. 

Coming out of Stoke the wind picked up and a few rainy squalls set in.  I lost my hat in one of them and it was  fished out of the drink by Sue, expertly wielding the boat hook. We went by a boat yard called Dolphin that advertised a wide range of services that included fishing tackle and line dancing.  We didn`t stop.

We are now at Barlaston, moored below bridge 104,  just past the Wedgwood factory.  Tomorrow we`ll continue down to Stone.  The Trent & Mersey has been busy, something to do with half-term someone suggested today, although most of the boats we`ve seen have been crewed by couples - of a certain age, like us - with not a child in sight.

Bottle kiln and graffiti - Stoke, Trent & Mersey



Diversity - fishing tackle and line dancing

 

Directions to The Potteries, and graffiti - Stoke, Trent & Mersey