[niteowl77]

We might consider it quaint, or old-fashioned (or something else along those lines), but this bridge was at one time the most famous example of the cutting edge of non-masonry structures- "high tech," so to speak, circa the American Revolution.

Though I am math-challenged, I picked up an interest in the engineering of those days through a chance reading of L.T.C. Rolt's "Short History of Machine Tools," which led to "Victorian Engineering," which led to (book lovers know how it works) Telford, Trevithick, the Stephensons, Brunel, and so on. Intertwined with them are the Darbys, John Wilkinson, William Hazeldine and all the other "ironmasters."

Gold is for the mistress -- silver for the maid --
Copper for the craftsman cunning at his trade.
"Good!" said the Baron, sitting in his hall,
"But Iron -- Cold Iron -- is master of them all."

(A little Rudyard Kipling for FR this morning.)

Mr. niteowl77

[moose07]

Tom Rolt, a name well known from canal narrowboating.
Instrumental in saving britains old waterways from destruction.
Yes, a fine chap.