All Done With Mirrors

On our way from our overnight stop to our home for the week we visited SS Great Britain, Brunel's innovative iron-hulled ship now in dry dock in Bristol.

Launched in 1843 the ship had a long working life; in 1886 she was badly damaged in a storm, no longer seaworthy and was used as a floating warehouse in the Falkland Islands for 47 years until, after further deterioration, she was scuttled.

On the suggestion by naval architect Ewan Corlett, who determined she should not be forgotten, in 1969 she was rescued and, following repair to enable her to travel on a pontoon, was towed to Avonmouth, her hull repaired with steel plates and floated off the pontoon. She returned to the same dock from which she was launched, arriving 127 years later to the day, on 19 July 1970.

Main photo is looking through the promenade deck skylight which has a mirrored base reflecting the cupola on the top deck. Extra of the (reproduction) propeller, in line with the rudder.