FALKIRK WHEEL ON 16TH DECEMBER 2001. 

The following photos were taken by Iain during a visit to the Falkirk Wheel site. Enjoy!

This was the second time we have had access to the actual wheel site and it was good to see how far on most things are. The wheel itself is virtually complete and had it's first powered revolution last week. The visitor centre is about to be handed over to BW and it will also be an impressive place to visit. As well as retail and food outlets it will have an interactive video display and of course, the glass front looks out  - and up-  to the wheel. I would imagine that if you are in the visitor centre when the wheel revolves you will think that the beak is coming in beside you!. The locks look almost complete although the boaters present had some misgivings about certain aspects. These have been relayed to BW. On the staircase, which is the first part of the drop from the Union Canal, the top gates are very twee. As Richard said, they would look more at home in a garden! The other gates are massive as the locks are very deep. The tunnel is now in water and this time we walked through on the towpath. A year ago we walked on the bed of the canal  which let us see the huge back pumping pipes which are laid under the towpath. There are traffic lights on the tunnel to control the passage of boats to and from the wheel. When you come out of the tunnel, the view is awesome as you look ahead to the hoops above the aqueduct to the wheel and to right and left you look across to the Campsie Hills. We were able to see a caisson up close and see how the water seals will work. There are two which will fold down  to allow boats to pass. The sealing mechanism was explained but I don't think I would do it justice if I tried to tell you how it will work! Standing on the aqueduct to the wheel you look down on the visitor centre and this brings it home just how massive the wheel is. Until you see it , it is very difficult to conceive just how big it is. The areas round the wheel are now being landscaped and are beginning to look good. 

We can't wait for our trip down the wheel on Gamebird.

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