First Working Party in Tameside

Volunteers from the Hollinwood Canal Society, Waterway Recovery Group and Tameside Countryside Service came together last weekend (6th & 7th October) for a joint working party on the Hollinwood Branch Canal at Well Style, between Littlemoss and Daisy Nook.

This was the first time that the Society and WRG had worked with Tameside Countryside Service. Overgrown vegetation was removed from the disused canal bed, bringing back a more open habitat.

Hollinwood Canal Society chairman Frank Smith said, "The volunteers from Waterway Recovery Group and the Canal Society enjoyed working with the Tameside volunteers in a new location.

"Removing surplus vegetation helps to preserve what is left of the canal's structure. Making the canal more visible helps to make people aware of the canal as part of the historic infrastructure of Tameside."

Tameside Countryside Service provided a heavy duty chipper resulting in a very effective weekend's work opening up an area that had become very closed-in and overgrown.


Above: before. Below: after.



Above: before. Below: after.

A lock gate, Jim, but not as we know it...

We are pleased to report the re-appearance of a lock gate on the Hollinwood Branch. Sadly, it is not a 'proper' gate but a representation of a gate and (shortened) balance beam sunk into the ground at the head of Lock 22.



It may not be perfect, but we are pleased because it helps visitors to Daisy Nook Country Park to interpret what they see on the ground as being the visible remains of the in-filled lock.

Apart from being a decorative and educational feature, the Countryside Service hope that it will also be used as an unusual seat. The gate and beam are to be painted black and white, with the number 22 applied to the white paintwork at the end of the beam.We hope this will make it instantly recognisable as representing a canal lock gate.

Events: October Working Party

6th/7th October 2012: Working Party, Littlemoss Canal Section [info: 0161 355 5557]
This will be our first working party on the part of the canal that belongs to Tameside Council, so there is somewhere new to come and work on!

Why not come along and join in? Even if you have not been on a working party before, you will be made welcome! Big muscles are not essential as you can be given work to suit your capabilities! You can come along on just one day or on both days.

Meet at Daisy Nook Car Park, Stannybrook Road, at 9.30 am on either day. Strong footwear and waterproof clothing recommended. Light refreshments provided. Lunch available at minimal cost.

Please phone our Working Party Organiser, Mike, on 0161 355 5557 for more information.

New Venue for Annual Meeting

We are sorry to say that we will no longer be able to hold our Annual Members’ Meeting at the Dog and Partridge pub, as the Garside family, who have been very supportive of the canal society, has moved out. The Garside family has run the pub continuously for the last 95 years, but have decided that recent rent rises were too much.

We will be holding our 2012 meeting in a new venue - the Community Room of Ashton under Lyne Fire Station!

Although it is called Ashton Fire Station, it is just across the boundary in Audenshaw. It is accessed from Moss Way, which is the link road between Guide Bridge and the Snipe Retail Park.

The map below shows the routes by car. It is close to Junction 23 of the M60.
The postcode for GPS is M34 5FS.

The 219 bus between Manchester and Ashton stops near the junction of South Street and Stockport Road and pedestrians (only) can reach the fire station along South Street and across a former railway bridge.

The meeting will be on Wednesday 18th July at 7.30 pm.


Unfortunately the hospitality of the Fire Service does not extend to serving alcohol or hot meals and so, unlike at our previous meetings at the Dog and Partridge, we will have to be content with chatting over hot drinks and biscuits after the meeting!
The fire station has a canal connection as it is only yards away from the Ashton Canal.

(Click map for larger version. Press Back button to return here.)

Members' Boat Trip to Marple

In March a group of Canal Society members enjoyed a day out by boat on the Lower Peak Forest Canal. On a day where the weather was as hot as you would expect in the Summer, the group travelled from Portland Basin to Marple Aqueduct and back on board the day boat "Mary".

The photo above shows "Mary" crossing Marple Aqueduct.

Pinch Farm Footbridge Update

We have previously reported on the state of Pinch Farm Footbridge at Daisy Nook. The bridge is owned by Oldham Council and, while they do not have money available at the moment, they are showing a desire to retain this piece of local heritage.

Repairs to the bridge’s brick abutments are well within the scope of volunteers and the Council has approached us asking if we could carry these out. If all goes well this could be one of our tasks later in the year. If the abutments can be returned to good order then that strengthens the case for restoring or sympathetically replacing the bridge at a later date when funds become available.