MAD and cakes

After yesterday's extensive activity and late return to the boat, needless to say no-one was in any hurry to get going today. Apart from breakfast and reading, nothing much happened until it was lunch time.

In the afternoon, we headed, as yesterday, tpo the Park and Ride for Stratford. A convenient service every 15 minutes and we were lucky that we hopped aboard just as the next bus was ready to leave.

First, we visited the MAD Museum, just around the corner from where the bus dropped us. MAD = Mechanical Art and Design and is an amazing collection of mechanical exhibits.

The  commonest format was that of ball rolling devices. In most cases the balls can take various paths downwards - either right from the top or in some cases there were stages that changed direction every time a ball passed through. Occasionally there  were quite random choices. Sometimes it took quite a bit of time to watch and work out just what was happening.

This exhibit showed how interlocking gears do not have to be circular to work perfectly well. A press of a button and all of them rotate.

Here, the mechanism marks patterns in the fine sand on the base - the cone impresses a short message whilst it is followed by a set of furrows that wipes it out again.

This orrery illustrates the way in which the moon goes around the earth whilst the latter also circulates the sun. The central face opens and closes its eyes for the time of day.

This machine is called a Spirograph Drawing Machine but uses strange gears and mechanisms rather than the simple gear shapes of the commercial toy from the 1960's.

Someone had a very steady hand and managed  a lot further than many of the adults giving it a go. Even these old ideas still hold an attraction.

After we had tried pressing every button and been mystified by all the puzzles we walked down the  main street and ended up at Huffkins, the same cafe as yesterday for afternoon tea and a chance to try out more of their delicious cakes. Millionaire's Shortbread has never been as extravagant as this.

Christine wanted to visit a couple of shops whilst the others had some store items to buy in Boots or Sainsbury. We met as arranged by the river alongside the canal basin. Jess wanted a picture of this pigeon that she felt looked majestic. Others of us saw it as a pest!

Time then to head back to the P&R bus stop - we just missed one but it was not too long a wait. Unlike earlier, the bus was empty apart from us and one other passenger. The car park was similarly desolate and spotting our car rather straightforward.