15/07/2012

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The Falkirk Wheel is an ingenious way of raising boats between two canals without using a long flight of locks.  This photo shows a boat trip about to enter the bottom caisson.

With boats in top and bottom and the caissons sealed the wheel has started to turn.

Nearly there, the chamber the bottom of the wheel fits into is dry, both this, the canal above and the caissons the boats travel in are sealed by doors that lift into place before the wheel moves.

The Wheel having rotated 180° the other trip boat emerges into the basin at the bottom of the Wheel.

An end on view of the wheel while it was rotating.

The Wheel connects the Forth & Clyde Canal, seen here, which was built large enough for small sea going craft to use, and the Edinburgh & Glasgow Union Canal which has a level, lock free, course to central Edinburgh.

This family of swans are making their way from the canal up to the basin at the bottom of the Wheel.

There is one lock involved in the course of going between the canals, this one seen here which lines up exactly with the Wheel.

Visit our Travel Centre for rail, ferry and tunnel tickets.