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.