 |
|
||||
|
|
|
FALKIRK WHEEL: I am a huge fan of water wheels, the Isle of Man 'Laxey Wheel' (Lady Isabella) for example, just so impressive. Whilst touring Scotland in 2009 I noticed a sign to the 'Falkirk Wheel', of course that drew my attention. I expected a water wheel, maybe a very old one in the Falkirk area, something along the lines of the 'Laxey Wheel'. The image below is exactly what greeted me in the carpark, staggering!! I watched, climbed and photographed, I just could not believe the magnitude of this structure which is the world's only 'rotatlng boat lift'. Basically boats enter the top and bottom water caissons which are rotated from one level to the other, a variation in height of nominally twenty four metres. Due to the caissons equal weight the energy required to rotate the complete structure does not exceed 22kW. Some guide to the magnitude of the structure can be referenced from the people and boats at the mainland level.
ROTATION: I still don't believe it, the overall rotation takes nominally five minutes to complete.
BOATS ON THE UPPER LEVEL: Regular boat trips are available, once the cycle is completed a boat then proceeds along the upper level canal. The process of 'lifting' replaces eleven conventional lochs which had fallen into disrepair. The system reconnected the canal link between Edinburgh and Glasgow.
|
|
I LOVE NEW TECHNOLOGY, TABLETS, LAPTOPS, DIGITAL CAMERAS, MOBILE PHONES/WIRELESS BROADBAND, GPS, ETC. ALL SO COOL AND 'PORTABLE'......
|
