The Weaver...

I managed another check on my bucket list today.

Take the Edinburgh open top bus tour. I work in Edinburgh and used to go there as a freebie day trip when I worked for a bus tour hotel on the west coast but never ever managed to do an open top bus tour which I quite fancied.

We were taking MrsTFP's Aunt and Uncle on a wee EdinDayTrip so we decided to do the bus tour. It was rather good but I found this in between bus hops and it was fascinating.

Just before the Castle esplanade, there is a tartan weaving shop and exhibition. Primarily I guess it's a shop but they have lots of machinery on exhibition dotted about the place. I saw signs for the actual real weaving but didn't see it whilst walking round. I was about to leave and on my way back up the stairs when I heard it starting up. Headed back down and they have a brilliant gallery from which you can watch the machines churn out tartan fabric rather noisily, hence the ear protectors.

The machine operator was just standing there making sure it kept on mechanically chugging along. I'm sure there is a lot more involvement in setting up the machine but as it's going, it's doesn't look computer driven, it looks entirely mechanical and it adjusts the colour and threads accordingly to produce the fabric. My guess is there is some sort of card system that translates the thread into patterns but the insane complication of this machine perfectly carrying out it's job was mind boggling.

If you're ever near the castle in Edinburgh, I heartily recommend checking this out.