made in scotland...

its not just `irn bru` that was invented in scotland!!,rewind nearly 200 years and the start of some world changing inventions began in scotland.., some of which are still in use today..
i watched an amazing programme on BBC2 tonight on what shaped scotlands history,most interesting tv prog on for a long time..,
most original designs of metal ships,bridges canals and alot more were invented by scottish engineers,the programme moved through 150 years of inventions from robert watts steam engine that really started the industrial revolution and brought the railways and the amazing bell rock lighthouse built by allen stevenson which is only 11 miles offshore from my local harbour at north berwick...

an amazing feat as the rock was covered twice daily by the tide and this was out in the north sea,it has stood for 200 years of north sea storms and still continues to function and protect shipping today,
with the invention of steam came the steam hammer which enabled huge iorn castings to be made,best of all showed off by the construction of the forth rail bridge...

also featured is the work of thomas telford, famed for his vast viaducts that carried railways and canals across vallys,suspension bridges and the construction of the calidonian canal which allowed passage between west and east coasts of scotland for trade shipping and fishing boats,also the locks which enabled the canals to ascend and descend between lochs,unreal to think it was all built by pick and shovel,horse and carts and wheelbarrows...

john macadam of course takes the credit for his standardisation of road building,18feet wide,raised in the centre for drainage,these were the first proper roads built since roman road construction 800 years earlier and later tar would would be added on top of his design,just in time for a human propelled machine invented in the south of scotland which the victorians would go on to embrace,
thomas telford also opened up the highlands to the early motorists and the hugly popular bicycle with over 900 miles of road building,many of the same routes and passes are still in use to day..,built over by our present roads,
patrick macmillan was eventually credited with the invention of the human propelled bicycle but it was john dunlops pneumatic tyre which really got things rolling,

from penicillin to the telephone,television and much more that made scotland what it is i think that maybe were going full circle with scotland now leading in wave power research and development and we have embraced wind power technology...

and from the first bicycles which have become recognised as one of the most efficient and important inventions in the world, to now and scotland is now recognised as the number one mountainbiking destination in europe..,see if you can recognise the rider at glentress about 5 seconds in on this visit scotland film you need to be quick as only about 3 seconds of fame!...heres a still from the day they were there filming...

Mountain Bike Scotland @ Yahoo! Video

heres a good film on scots designs...



and a really nice film...