Grand Junction - # 08/08

Let the furnaces open and blind us with their light! Let them pour forth their streams of molten metal! Let metal goods display the spectrum of light that guides the skillful eye of the foundry master! Let stanchions be cast and and tubes of miraculous alloy be rolled, and stone and pottery be fired! Let England's mighty indutrial heart wax strong and pour out its manufactures and ship them to the Great Metropolis of London and out into the World!

It is 1801 and the Grand Junction Canal reaches Brentford and enters into the Thames. This is a significant event in economic history. The great canal enters the Thames at the point marked by the silver monument mentioned yesterday. (The Thames is behind me, and the Thames Lock, last on the system - or first - is at the far end of this picture). You can read something about it here: http://www.canalmuseum.org.uk/history/grandjun.htm and in other historical references.

Tomorrow we go to a temple and spend some days worshipping the Great Titan......STEAM.

Regarding some questions asked yesterday:
@MarydeB.....this picture is exactly as it came from the camera. There is no tweaking.

@Freefalling.....no it is not usually smelly. The river is cleaner today than it has been for centuries. Salmon can be caught (sometimes).

@Oldmanlincoln........the tide rises and falls, as you say. The community of Strand on the Green that I featured some time ago, with its spectacular rises and falls and quayside houses, is about one and a half miles further down river from here.

Camera: Olympus C7070 WZ