[otd] 24th May 2002 - opening of Falkirk Wheel

[whole diary]

[grahame]

From https://www.scottishcanals.co.uk/visit/canals/visit-the-forth-clyde-canal/attractions/the-falkirk-wheel

The world’s only rotating boat lift, The Falkirk Wheel links the Forth & Clyde Canal to the Union Canal 35 metres above, allowing vessels to sail through the sky thanks to a unique fusion of art and engineering – and the same power it would take to boil eight kettles.

Transforming the contaminated site of a former tar works, The Falkirk Wheel opened in 2002 and replaced a flight of 11 locks that once stepped the Union Canal down to the level of the Forth & Clyde, more than 100 feet below. Whereas weary travellers once had a day’s heavy work opening and closing 44 lock gates to complete the journey between the two canals, The Falkirk Wheel allows vessels to transit between the two waterways in just a few minutes.

Should I be posting this?  Are we off topic?  Knowing that the Falkirk Wheel has attracted a number of our members to take a look (has anyone here ridden it?) and it's talked about on our member's area - yes - I'm posting.  My own picture (probably one of my worst pictures of any time) is via https://www.wellho.info/share/falkirk.html

[Chris from Nailsea]

I am a great fan of David Johns' video blog 'Cruising the Cut' on YouTube.

For some fascinating footage of the Falkirk Wheel, see https://cruisingthecut.co.uk/2022/06/06/vlog-267b-wheel-meet-again/  (19 minutes)

[Oxonhutch]

... Knowing that the Falkirk Wheel has attracted a number of our members to take a look (has anyone here ridden it?) and it's talked about on our member's area - yes - I'm posting.  My own picture (probably one of my worst pictures of any time) is via https://www.wellho.info/share/falkirk.html

I have taken a full revolution of said structure not long after it opened visiting family in that part of the world. We used the touring narrowboat, with half a turn up; through the tunnel and return finishing with a half a turn back down. A wonderful piece of engineering.

[rogerw]

... Knowing that the Falkirk Wheel has attracted a number of our members to take a look (has anyone here ridden it?) and it's talked about on our member's area - yes - I'm posting.  My own picture (probably one of my worst pictures of any time) is via https://www.wellho.info/share/falkirk.html

I have taken a full revolution of said structure not long after it opened visiting family in that part of the world. We used the touring narrowboat, with half a turn up; through the tunnel and return finishing with a half a turn back down. A wonderful piece of engineering.

I did the same thing last month. Highly recommended

[Richard Fairhurst]

has anyone here ridden it?

Yes - on its opening day!

I posted this to the Coffee Shop in 2015...

Way back on the day that the Falkirk Wheel was opened, I went up to report on it for Canal Boat magazine (my employer at the time) and planned to catch the train back to Charlbury that same day. This was in the days that CrossCountry ran loco-hauled trains and 60+ minute delays were not uncommon.

We left Waverley, got to Haymarket... and waited. And waited. There was, apparently, a fault with the train. Eventually we set off again, over an hour late.

Mobile internet wasn't a thing then, but as chance would have it, a bunch of bashers had got onto the train somewhere like Stafford or Crewe and sat down opposite me... and they had a copy of the GBRTT. I looked up the last trains of the night from Birmingham, and found that there was a late Chiltern train which would take me as far as Banbury. But, of course, from Moor Street - not New Street.

I forget how quickly I ran between the stations, but I think it was something like three minutes (I was much younger then!). The Chiltern guard had already closed the doors ready to go... but his back cab door was still open, and he let me on through that. I've rarely been so grateful to a member of rail staff. (I then phoned a friend from Charlbury who agreed to come and pick me up from Banbury!)