Falkirk Wheel

With all the recent snow and ice, apart for some much-needed brass polishing in Albert's engine room, we haven't touched the boat for a few weeks. Because I was suffering boating withdrawal symptoms, I recently went through my "non-Albert" related boating images and discovered some canal photos I took in early April 2007 that I should have posted at the time.


The Falkirk Wheel

For reasons I won't explain I flew to Edinburgh on business and met a colleague, Chris Whetnall who insisted that as part of our time in Scotland we visit that modern wonder of the waterways - the Falkirk Wheel. I found it an inspiring example of engineering. It was relatively quite but the wheel was in operation and we took a ride up (and down) in the BW trip boat. One of the impressive features was the small amount of power (1.5 kW h) required to operate the wheel. The other was the rather clever mechanism adopted to handle the water that remains between the gondola (caisson) gate and the canal gate when the wheel starts to rotate.

I won't add much more to this blog except to show the pictures I took. If you are in central Scotland you really shouldn't miss the the Wheel.


The wheel at rest


Part of the system for draining water from between the gondola and canal gates


Double gates (gondola & canal)


Approaching the wheel from the upper level


In the gondola at the upper level






And don't forget the manufacturer's label!