at the beginning there were two canals: 1. the forth and clyde canal was built in 1777 between...

At the beginning there were two canals:1. The Forth and Clyde Canal was built in 1777 between harbors Grangemouth and Falkirk, connecting Glasgow with the west coast of Scotland; 2. Union Canal, 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 by a huge water carousel - started in 1963 and finished in 2002.

Scottish Canal Engineering

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…

Lower canal…Lower canal…

Entrance to lower canal…Entrance to lower canal…

A Boat is approaching the A Boat is approaching the “tub”…“tub”…

At top of the “tub”…At top of the “tub”…

There are boats in bothThere are boats in bothupper and lower “tubs”…upper and lower “tubs”…

35 m35 m

Rotation is starting…Rotation is starting…

Boats in both rotating arms…Boats in both rotating arms…

Rotation…Rotation…

Just before “landing”…Just before “landing”…

One 78ft. long “tub”, with water and boat, weights about 300 tons.One 78ft. long “tub”, with water and boat, weights about 300 tons.

Closing of the gate, regulation of level of water, and “tubs” rotation takes only 15 minutes.

The “tubs” are filled according the Archimedes’ Law, so the weight of the “tubs” are balanced.

An engine of 22.5 kW is required to open the upper and lower lock and turn the whole system by 180º, which uses only 1.5 kWh.

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