1. Falkirk Wheel

3. At the beginning there were two canals:
Canal Forth and Clyde was built in 1777 between harbors Grangemouth and Falkirk connecting Glasgow with west cost of Scotland.
Canal Union between Falkirk and Edinburgh was finished in 1822.
Because of geographical difficulties, which created a difference of 79ft.in elevation, the two canals were connected by 11 locks.

4. Canal Map

5. Artist’s Conception

6. Architectural Rendering

7. Schematic Diagram

15. In 1963, after 150 yrs of existence of this water way with 11 locks, the construction of a huge water carousel started. This extraordinary idea was finished in 2002 and became a symbol of Scotland. This invention saves not only time, but also energy.

17. Entrance to lower canal

19. There are boats in both “tubs” upper and lower
35 m
There are boats in both “tubs” upper and lower

20. Rotation is starting

21. Boats in both rotating arms

22. One “tub” 78ft. Long with water and boat weights 300 tons.

23. The “tubs” are filled according the Archimedes’ Law.
So the weight of “tubs” are balanced.
To open the upper and lower lock and turn the whole system by 180◦ they need an engine of 22.5 kW, which only use 1.5 kWh
Closing the gate , regulation of level of water, and “tubs” rotation takes only 15 min.

24. Otáčení...

25. Just before “landing”

26. Upper canal

27. View from above

30. This is the only rotational boat transporter in the world
This is the only rotational boat transporter in the world. It has two arms and each arm forms a kind of huge tub filled with water. Boats enter the tub, then the tub locks up and the huge arm starts rotating .

32. Luxury Canal Boat

37. lower canal