The Falkirk Wheel
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Looks a lot like a photoshop, doesn't it? Well it's not.
The Falkirk Wheel
The Falkirk Wheel is the only rotating boat lift in the world. It was designed to connect the Forth and Clyde Canal and the Union Canal in Scotland and it's open for tourists, who can take rides on the boats.
The difference in the levels of the two canals at the wheel is 24 metres (79 ft), roughly equivalent to the height of an eight story building.
Here's a video of the wheel lifted from one canal to the other:
Read more about The Falkirk Wheel
amazing,
pics,
video
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6 comentarii:
I can't understand how someone could even imagine building such a thing. Is there really such a need to make an elevator for boats!
Talk about a rube goldberg device. Did they ever hear of these things called locks? Why over engineer a solution when a simple solution is available?
Locks would take much longer than 7 min. Also the pumps would use much more electricity than this counterweighted design.
matais: Locks use very little electricity. They close the door and flood it from above to raise a boat. To lower it they release the water down stream.
This machine is ingenious. Here in america we use our best minds to make war machines that kill people. Hats off to Scotland.
Yeah, in America we just use big slides and conveyer belts to lift and drop our boats at tourist traps =P lmao!