The Falkirk Wheel

Source: Hacker News

Overview

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.

History

The Falkirk Wheel was built on the contaminated site of a former tar works and opened in 2002. It 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. Previously, travelers had to spend a day opening and closing 44 lock gates to complete the journey between the two canals. The Wheel reduced this transit time to just a few minutes.

Operation

When one of the structure’s gondolas is lowered, the opposite one rises, keeping the 1 800‑tonne boat lift in perfect balance as it carries canal barges 35 metres into the air in a matter of minutes. The structure uses only 1.5 kWh for each rotation.

Tourism

Now one of Scotland’s busiest tourist attractions, the Falkirk Wheel attracts around 500 000 visitors each year. It has transformed Falkirk into a key tourism destination, drawing visitors from around the world to marvel at the working sculpture that combines modern engineering and technology with ancient principles set out by Archimedes over 2 000 years ago.