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The National Garden Festival, Stoke-on-Trent (1986): Photographs of the Festival
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little of the atmosphere and layout of the 1986 National Garden Festival in Stoke-on-Trent, showing the gardens, attractions, and features experienced by visitors during its six-month run.
Together they provide a visual record of a site transformed from industrial dereliction into a landscape of water, planting, and public space. |
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Etruria Hall was constructed for Josiah Wedgwood between 1768 and 1771 on rising ground midway between the factory and the Ridge House. The house was clearly visible from the other side of the valley, a conscious expression of the wealth and social standing of its owner. Eventually the hall became the headquarters and offices of Shelton Iron and Steel Company - fortuitously the building survived it was restored for the Festival and integrated in a hotel complex.
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 The wooden fort |
 The Cottage and Wild Flower Garden |
The cable cars can be seen in the background. |
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a balloon rally was held on the 26th September
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The train track at the 1986 Stoke-on-Trent Garden Festival was approximately 2.5 miles (roughly 4 kilometers) long. Three diesel locomotives pulled the carriages on the one way loop line. |
The cable car ride extended over 640 meters, rising to a height of 50 meters. Eighteen gondolas traveled in groups of three, pausing on the way up and again on the return route, to give a bird's eye view of the site. |
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Last updated: 5 May 2026 - section completely updated. |
