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Underground > Art, Fashion & Design >

The Falkirk Wheel

01:28 / 22.08.01

A 35 meter high rotating boat cradle that transfers ships down the height difference between Edinburgh's two main canals. Public engineering works on a scale not seen in the UK since the Victorian era, says one commentator, and, to my eye at least, quite beautiful...

But this whole "Millennium Link" project--am I correct in assuming that this is connected in some way (funding, or sponsoring organization) with the boondoggles of the Millennium Dome?

At least the Falkirk Wheel, unlike the Dome, actually does something: but is enough freight moved through Scotland by barge to make this an economic necessity? Or is it another exercise in Dome-style imperial self-aggrandizement and tourist trappery?

And what d'you think of it as a work of art? architecture? engineering?

Scots? It's nice to look at, but what's she like to live with?

[ 22-08-2001: Message edited by: Jack Fear ]

14:47 / 22.08.01

I can't see how it'd work, without capsizing boats or cracking hulls.

But it sure is pretty....

deletia

15:07 / 22.08.01

Yeas, it's pretty. But what's wrong with a new channel and a series of locks? Much more fun.

15:55 / 22.08.01

looks great, but I give it two weeks before its ruined by grafitti.

15:58 / 22.08.01

It work like dis...

The cradles rotate as the wheel moves up, just like the cars on a Ferris wheel. As I understand it. Which isn't very far.

GuideHaus: no new channel needed--the Wheel connects two channels that used to be joined by a series of eleven locks.

Why do you find locks more "fun"/aesthetically pleasing? I love the flamboyance of the Wheel, the way it sidesteps the lock issue entirely in favor of a big, flashy approach that's nonetheless surprisingly direct.

The only thing better would an enormous waterslide directly connecting the canels: each ship passing through would be fitted with an enormous inner tube and sent down the slide, great jets of spray splashing the delighted onlookers. Wheee!

17:44 / 22.08.01

That thing's friggin beautiful...glad to see that it's beyond just the simple functional aesthetic and starts playing with shape. Although the "water park" approach looks like it would fun...scare the piss out of those rich folk who could afford a yacht...they could use a little excitement.

22:38 / 22.08.01

Fuctional and it looks cool, I like it, curves and gleaming metal. Nice
Lottery funds seems to be handed out to all sorts who want to build any old crap though.
Some good, some bad. The Eden project in cornwall, this and when they get it fixed that bridge across the thames that wobbles are all cool.
The Dome however is not.

01:34 / 23.08.01

Bring on the Diamond Age.

11:01 / 24.08.01

I'm a sucker for enormous things, especially engineering projects, so I love it. Like the Eden project, it looks like something you'd normally only see in the file marked "Amazing Projects That Were Never Built." It gives me great hope for the future of Big Things In This Country, proof that they can be built and made to work. Er, assuming it works, that is. (Mind you, how eco friendly is it? How is it powered? Don't answer that, I'll check out the website...)

"But this whole "Millennium Link" project--am I correct in assuming that this is connected in some way (funding, or sponsoring organization) with the boondoggles of the Millennium Dome?"

From the Millenium Commission site:

The Millennium Commission is investing around £1.3 billion in the construction and development of more than 200 different projects throughout the UK.

Initiatives range from schemes of national importance, certain to become world-famous visitor attractions, to smaller, community-based developments, designed to enhance the local environment and provide a focal point for the community.

Altogether more than 3,000 sites are involved - 27 projects have received grants of between £15 million and £50 million.
Partnership funding is being provided by local authorities, government programmes, charities, private individuals and
European grants.

I've highlighted that last bit because it seems to be the key to success or failure of the project concerned. The Millenium Commission just hand the money out, the actual organisation, execution and completion of the project is down to local councils, architects, contractors, entrepreneurs etc. And if they screw up, then you end up with boondoggles like the Millenium Tower in Portsmouth.

11:18 / 24.08.01

Sweet divine hairy jeezus... If that's the design the fine upstanding people of Portsmouth chose, what were the other two like? It's a nice enough shape on a small scale, but larger... Fuck, I don't know. Has it been built yet? Any Portsmouthians on the board have opinions?

I love the Wheel. Big and curvy and brushed-metally, just the way i like my massive civic engineering projects.

One other thing - boondoggles? I like the sound of the word, but what the hell does it mean? I can hazard a reasonable guess (big ugly fuckoff waste of money), but...

11:59 / 24.08.01

Courtesy of Dictionary.com...

PRimary meaning
An unnecessary or wasteful project or activity. Coined by a Boy Scout troop leader, apparently.

12:12 / 24.08.01

"Has it been built yet?"

Heh, no, that's the thing. It's been a massive, hugely expensive cock-up involving delay after delay and LOADS of local public money (allegedly). I'm still not sure that it will even get built at all. There were concerns that it wouldn't be enough of a money-spinner so there was talk of incorporating a fun-fair slide or ride of some sort - which initially sounds ridiculous but could actually be fun if they get it right, and given that it's inherenty silly anyway then that's okay.

I agree about the shape, it's almost got a cool sort of Logan's Run sci-fi thing going on but not quite (the curved strut which passes between the 'legs' is horrible). The other two designs? One was a dull rectangular thing that was meant to look a bit like the bridge of a ship (why does everything have to reflect local bloody surroundings and history? Gah!) and the other was pretty cool, a bit like the CN tower with a transparent globe at the top with viewing platforms.

11:27 / 22.08.03

UPDATE

Some cracking pictures of the completed Falkirk Wheel here:

LONG

And a link here to a webcam showing progress on the long delayed, incomplete-but-shooting-up Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth:

TALL

I might nip along and take a few pics from the base. Some weird optical things going on with this - the nearer you get to it, the shorter it looks. From the top of Portsdown Hill, which overlooks the entire city, you can see that it dwarfs everything and looks to be about 3 miles high. From a hundred yards away it seems tiny. Very odd.