Jan 2 2008Rotating Boat Wheel In Scotland Has Potential
The Falkirk boat wheel in Scotland is the world's first and connects the Forth and Clyde Canal with the Union Canal. "With a diameter of 35-meters, it boasts two axe-shaped arms and water-filled caissons boasting an 80,000-gallon capacity, capable of lifting 600-tons (combined)." The thing cost almost $35 million to build, but only needs 22.5kW to run its motors. Pretty neat, I think it's got some potential. Potential for a role in an action movie that is. I'm thinking a boat chase, and this thing going maybe 20 to 30 times faster than it normally does, and then the bad guys getting chopped up and all bloody in it. Yeah! Then the scene ends with a dolphin humping a sea otter. Someone notify the Academy Awards, I want a trophy.
A couple more pictures and a 10-second time-lapse video after the jump (the process normally takes around 7 minutes).
The World's First and Only Rotating Boat Wheel [techeblog]
Reader Comments
1. Big City - January 2, 2008 4:41 PM
First!
Also, this is nuts.
2. Bob - January 2, 2008 5:05 PM
Saw this on the Discovery Channel years ago, way to stay on top there fellows
Or maybe I'm just so cool I live in the future? but in the present, but my present is like your future.
Nickelback
3. Necromanson - January 2, 2008 5:38 PM
Okay call me retarded but what is the point behind this contraption?
4. Mitch - January 2, 2008 5:42 PM
necromanson is retarded.
5. nrgspike - January 2, 2008 5:57 PM
You're retarded. It's 'point' for one is to do in 7 mins what a series of 11 locks used to do in several hours. The fact it's an amazingly graceful peice of heavy engineering is just a bonus.
Oh and it was opened in 2002... Got your finger on the pulse there Geekologie!
6. guate6 - January 2, 2008 7:05 PM
Hmmm...potential for rides, roller coasters, etc. ? In any case, whether it was opened up in '02 or not, I never saw it, it looks neat, and I want one!
7. Jared - January 2, 2008 7:43 PM
on an unrelated note, how god damn ugly is the Angela chick in that microsft ad on this page
8. Konrad - January 2, 2008 11:15 PM
Angela is a cow yes, but I think what Microsoft was going for was "If this fatty can test games then anybody can!"
and nrgspike no one likes a smart ass.
9. Alche - January 3, 2008 1:34 AM
The little video looks like it was done by the guys that make the show 'thomas the tank engine'. Which is the perfect segway for me to brag about seasons 1-3 of Thomas the Tank Engine for Christmas!
10. Apotheker - January 3, 2008 4:35 AM
But what's that thing that seems to jump out of the water on the left bottom of the first picture? R2D2 meets Flipper?
11. cerebulon - January 3, 2008 5:42 AM
Dude, that thing's been around for like 6 years now. Where have you been?
12. wd-40 - January 3, 2008 9:14 AM
It can lift 600 tons, huh?
That's almost strong enough to lift yo' mama off the couch.
13. Hazel - January 3, 2008 10:03 AM
Been there ^_^ - it looks huge in real life.
Anyway as for a movie appearance, there were rumours for a while that it would be featured in the next bond film. I guess that never happened, but it would be pretty cool.
14. Dougie - January 3, 2008 10:48 AM
I can see the falkirk wheel from my house, it's pretty cool.
15. Joe Mamma - January 3, 2008 11:29 AM
^I can see a homeless guy pissing and not wearing pants from my house, it's not pretty cool.
16. Fred - January 3, 2008 11:35 AM
Watching homeless guys piss is gay.