The Falkirk Wheel
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Taftster
N 56° 00.033 W 003° 50.417
30V E 447595 N 6206460
As the world’s first and only rotating boat lift, The Falkirk Wheel or Millennium Link, is quite simply unique. It cost about 84 Million Pounds, and lowers boats 115' in a single 1/2 rotation.
Waymark Code: WMDWQ
Location: United Kingdom
Date Posted: 05/30/2006
Views: 132
The Millennium Link was an ambitious, £84.5m project with the objective of restoring navigability across Scotland on the historic Forth & Clyde Canal and the Union Canal, providing a corridor of regenerative activity through central Scotland.
One major challenge in this objective was the fact that the Forth and Clyde Canal lay 35m (115ft) below the level of the Union Canal.
Historically, the two canals had been joined at Falkirk by a flight of 11 locks that stepped down across a distance of 1.5km, but these had been dismantled in 1933, breaking the link.
Functionally, then, what was required was a method of connecting the two canals by some means of lifting two boats down the 35m-drop, as quickly and simply as possible. British Waterways, however, were keen to present a more visionary solution taking full advantage of the opportunity to create a truly spectacular and fitting structure that would suitably commemorate the Millennium , and act as a symbol for years to come.
The resultant, perfectly balanced structure that is The Falkirk Wheel - the world’s first rotating boat lift - was the eventual outcome of British Waterways working together with a design team that combined the international experience of joint-venture contractor Morrison-Bachy-Soletanche with leading specialists from Ove Arup Consultants, Butterley Engineering and Scotland-based RMJM architects.
Completion of The Millennium Link project was officially marked by Her Majesty The Queen on 24 May 2002 at The Falkirk Wheel.
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