Falkirk Wheel

[troutrunner]

Glad you all like em! We dad a great day and the next day we looked at some steam trains after an evening with a mate in the borders supping his single malt Mmmmmmmmmmm!

 

 

[Hairy-Neil]

Your map reading wasn't so hot though....

 

[troutrunner]

You always give me the best jobs

[waggers]

great photo's, thanks for posting them

[bargemast]

great photo's, thanks for posting them

 

 

That's exactly what I want to say.

 

Many thanks,

 

Peter.

[Morat]

Shame that BW (England) didn't have the same ability to attract the euromillions!

[Hairy-Neil]

Shame that BW (England) didn't have the same ability to attract the euromillions!

 

Wasn't the lift built by the Milenium Commission? If so, didn't we get the Rochdale Canal, the Huddersfield Narrow and the Ribble Link...

[Ex- Member]

Visited the Falkirk wheel today, just thought I would post some photo's.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 2, 2012 by Julynian

[Ex- Member]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[iamupforit]

had a 4 day break in the borders during early march, yes, made a point of visiting the

falkirk wheel, visitor centre open, but the bl**dy wheel was closed due to essential

maintenance :angry: but still a good day out

 

 

 

 

 

alan

[the grinch]

2 things that interest me (great pics everyone) why didn't they just build it slightly bigger and thus avoid having a lock within feet of it?

and what happened to the old falkirk tunnel? is it still there or was it destroyed when they build the wheel?

[Ex- Member]

2 things that interest me (great pics everyone) why didn't they just build it slightly bigger and thus avoid having a lock within feet of it?

and what happened to the old falkirk tunnel? is it still there or was it destroyed when they build the wheel?

 

There is an old tunnel a few hundred yards after exiting the top of the wheel about 180 metres long, it's not called the Falkirk tunnel now although it is very old and looks restored, there's a name chosen for it now the

Rough Castle Tunnel apparently it was built adjasent to a castle called Rough Castle so they used that new name for it.

There are another 2 locks beyond the tunnel which are pretty deep.

 

2 things that interest me (great pics everyone) why didn't they just build it slightly bigger and thus avoid having a lock within feet of it?

and what happened to the old falkirk tunnel? is it still there or was it destroyed when they build the wheel?

 

 

There are 2 locks after exiting the wheel but you have to navigate through a 180 metre tunnel to get to them, the additional engineering to incorporate those 2 locks would probably have been impossible due to the tunnel alone, the locks are probably a good half mile from the top of the wheel, so again extremely difficult and expensive.

[haggis]

2 things that interest me (great pics everyone) why didn't they just build it slightly bigger and thus avoid having a lock within feet of it?

and what happened to the old falkirk tunnel? is it still there or was it destroyed when they build the wheel?

 

The old line of the Union canal was down a flight of locks which have been built on so a new route to link the Union and Forth and Clyde canals had to be found. As the Antonine wall and a railway line were in the way, a wheel big enough to do the whole lift in one go wasn't possible. Hence, we have the wheel, a new tunnel (Roughcastle) under the Antonine wall and the railway line then a staircase of two deep locks. The old Falkirk tunnel is still there about a couple of miles further east and it is amazing! It is much higher than most tunnels we have seen down south and it is very atmospheric as uplighting has been installed on the offside which lights up the rough stone roof.

 

haggis

[the grinch]

thanks for the replies but i meant the lock BELOW the wheel rather than the 2 the other end of the tunnel. meant to look up the old tunnel last time i was up in the area but didn't have enough time maybe next time i will spend a while in the vacinity and have a look.

[Billw]

THIS is what happened when I visited the wheel a few years ago. I've since had a more successful visit.

[NbCassie2]

From what I remember, they landscaped an old quarry to create the basin for the wheel and it was cheaper to have the lock rather then excavate more of the quarry to create a level with the canal. Besides watching the lock being worked provides more entertainment for the visitors.

Dave

[hughc]

It is sad to reflect that the Butterley Company, builders of the Falkirk Wheel and other iconic UK structures, was sold off and asset stripped, with its specialised equipment being shipped abroad by the 'developer'. The site of their works has been a derelict wasteland for a number of years the asset stripper having moved on. Only in the UK with its totally open market could this happen. Regards, HughC.