oil painting of the Potteries? maybe? anyone recognise the scene please

I've bought this as a present for OH, partly because we're both from up North and it just reminded me of that, partly because *I* like it, not a good excuse for buying something for someone else I know. I ummed and aahed and left it for a week but had to go back and get it (whereupon I found it was reduced ). I can't find a signature. I absolutely love it - my favourite scenes/settings are industrial (my favourite views being from the M5 looking at Avonmouth and the other being from the train going through Port Talbot )
Does anyone recognise where this may be? I thought it might be somewhere in the Potteries maybe?
thanks for any thoughts :)
m

thanks Tenpot - that makes sense. I was looking for a place rather than a region, but perhaps it is not as narrow as a place.
m

The odd thing is that the label on the back is for a dealer/framer in Haslemere - the heart of Surrey.

It reminded me of something that I had seen by Alan Lowndes, who came from Stockport (subject rather than style) and, as someone who isn't a fan of landscape painting, I would be very pleased if someone gave it to me as a present.

thank you all!
Dan I feel it could be the Stoke area definitely. My only other instinct was Birmingham possibly or Newcastle for some reason - but I think that was to do with the hill (coal?) and the two up two downs kind of houses and I sort of discounted that. I know what you mean about the tourist poster.
Ed, I thought the same! so I've been looking for somewhere with the canal going through it that has a similar set of bridges, and looking for somewhere with that church behind the bridge. I've also been searching power stations.
Tenpot - absolutely - the theme of power is very strong in this painting. And all dependent I would guess on the canal/water, so that being the focal part of the painting (for me at least). I think there is a power station in the Stoke region (can't remember off hand the name...something beginning with R I think ...shall go look that up again).
Studio-pots thanks!! - reassuring to hear your view on it. And I shall go and look up Alan Lowndes ( I visit Stockport very regularly). I must admit I thought it strange that I couldn't find a sig yet it seemingly had a good framers label, and odd that the two places could not be more diverse.
thank you all - I'll see what more I can find out.
m

It could be signed on the reverse but that would mean taking the back off the frame.

I've looked up Alan Lowndes - thank you. I do like some of his paintings. I prefer Lowry though but perhaps that's because they are darker, more intricate and detailed. But Lowndes led me on to another artist whose work I absolutely thing is fantastic - Geoffrey Key. I would love one of his paintings. I'm not suggesting this painting is his at all, but there is more of a similarity with his 70's paintings I think? ( see first link for pics of Amsterdam). so I do wonder whether whoever painted my picture was from the 60's/70's and perhaps from the North. Thank you for the lead :)
http://www.geoffreykey.com/gkey/collections.aspx
http://www.createwrt.net/features/gateway_gallery.htm
m

Another here of Geoffrey Key 70's - I love this one
http://www.andrewhartleyfinearts.co.uk/thumb.asp?image=585dec08.jpg
m

an earlier Alan Lowndes work 1950's - I think I may have been looking at the wrong era - I love some of his 1950's work.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/arts/yourpaintings/paintings/halifax-west-yorkshire-72357
Thanks so much for the lead! I've found some wonderful work.
m