 The reopening of these deep and
wide Scottish Lowland Canals
creates a 69 mile waterway route running from City to City and Sea to
Sea. The dimensions allow Northern European boats to make a journey
similar to Scotland's other coast to coast canal, the Caledonian Canal.
The
Forth and Clyde Canal.
Assistance from the lottery has
provided almost 40% of the costs of recovering from the decision
(1963) to close this canal which halted regular sea-to-sea
passage of herring fishing boats and many pleasure craft.
This
canal has big locks for small sea going craft (68 feet long x 20
feet wide). All major roads that cross it once permitted full
mast headroom by using rolling or swing bridges and the minor
roads used two leaf bascules. Many have been renovated although
modern masts need some adjustment (2001).
In days of sail it was tempting
to contemplate avoiding the trip around the Hebrides that had
sunk the Spanish Armada. King Charles thought to make the
connection for his warships (1650) and the final section from
Glasgow to the Clyde was finished with the help of a Government
loan (1784). The company owed much to the energy of its chief
shareholder, Lord Dundas, who lived in London but whose estates
surrounded the eastern end at Falkirk and Grangemouth. He
encouraged many pioneering experiments. Charlotte Dundas,
the first steam driven narrowboat (1788), pulled two other
loaded narrowboats on a windy day (1803) from Lock 20 for 20
miles in 6 hours. Comet, the first commercial steamboat
(1812), and Vulcan, the first iron hulled passenger boat
(1818). Cyclops, a New Orleans style paddle boat (1830).
They even tried hauling by a bank mounted locomotive for 1 mile
above Lock 16 (1839).
Following
trials on the Paisley Canal supernarrow ‘swiftboats’ (pulled for
2 miles at a time by changing pairs of horses) were introduced
(1831) and halved the journey time to Glasgow. Passenger
services ran four times a day and even (1841) included nightly
‘sleeper’ services. They only stopped when railways bought out
the service.
The
Union Canal
stretches from Edinburgh to Falkirk.
Thirty two years after the Forth and Clyde Canal was open, Baird
designed a contour canal from central Edinburgh to join with it
at Falkirk. With thirty miles of lock free level towpath and
making spectacular river crossings of Almond (5 arch aqueduct
420’ x 76’ high) Avon (12 arches 810’ long x 86’ high), and
Water of Leith (8 arches 500’ x 75’ high) it finally dropped
down a single flight of 11 locks to the top of the Forth &
Clyde’s 16 lock flight leading east to Grangemouth.
The Falkirk Wheel
is now a significant landmark
rising 115feet (35m) into the air above the Carron valley.
Although unique engineering, it has been also praised as a
significant piece of sculpture.
Close to the Roman Fort at
Roughcastle and to the best preserved section of the 37 mile
(59km) Antonine Wall, a type of ‘Ferris Wheel for Boats’ is
destined to become the Eighth Wonder of the Waterways. Two boat
caissons on the end of curving arms balance each other so that
the half-rotation to change levels will take about 11 minutes
and use very little energy. At the beginning of each cycle each
will be at the level of one of the canals whilst boats enter and
leave. The tiny motors will then turn the precisely balanced
wheels through 180° and, when each has come to rest the boats
will be let out at the other canal level.
A ride on this magnificent
structure, which is served by a new section of canal, two
aqueducts, and a 476ft (145m) tunnel, is possible on a
special trip boat departing from the Exhibition and Visitor
Centre. A round trip of about 40 minutes will give passengers
the same panoramic views offered to boats.
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