This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Falkirk Wheel ready to roll
24/05/2002
The
Falkirk Wheel, the world's only rotating boatlift, has
been officially inaugurated by the Queen during her
Golden Jubilee tour of Scotland.
The Queen, accompanied by First Minister Jack McConnell
watched as it slowly swung into action, reconnecting the
canal link between west and east coasts after a gap of 35
years.
Earlier, at Stirling she had handed over the "letters
patent" which designate the royal burgh as Scotland's sixth
city.
On Saturday she will open the General Assembly of the
Church of Scotland, and next week will embark on a trip
encompassing Skye, the Western Isles and Wick in
Caithness.
At Aberdeen on Tuesday she will address the Scottish
Parliament which is convening outside the central belt for
the first time in its history. Visits in the Borders are
also planned.
The Falkirk Wheel, dominant symbol of the £78 million
Millennium Link project, is an exceptional feat of modern
engineering also recognised as an inspirational sculpture
for the 21st Century.
It is part of the largest restoration of an UK waterway
which reconnected the Forth & Clyde and Union
Canals.
Situated in a natural open amphitheatre at Rough Castle
in Falkirk on land reclaimed from a former open cast mine,
the Wheel is able to carry eight or more boats at a time.
It is the height of eight double-decker buses and can lift
loads of up to 600 tons, the equivalent of 100 African
elephants.
A single trip taking about 15 minutes. The distinctive
new visitor centre provides a platform to view the Wheel in
action.