Etruria Industrial museum is steaming it’s engine again I think this weekend.

Wet weather is still in the forecast, but we might go up and see what’s happening. It’s good to see historic things like these old barges. It’s amazing how they can stay strong when effectively they are half in and half out of the water. Every few years mu friend used to put his barge in dry dock to recaulk the gaps between it’s wooden planks. You can get steel hulled barges, and I think they last longer?

There is a whole art of decorating barges, look up roses and castles if you are interested. They are traditional designs that are often painted on barges together with spectacular lettering for their names and the companies they belonged to such as Fellows Moreton.

The canal system in Britain has been greatly improved by volunteers that help keep them going. This after years of neglect until the 1960’s and 1970’s when groups of people got together to restore them. We have a lot to thank them for X.