The Falkirk Wheel in Scotland When barging gets easier. by Danica Gianola
Linking the Forth and Clyde Canal to the Union Canal, the Falkirk is the most modern structure used to connect basins all around the world. So said, if you're barging in Scotland, forget the time needed to the water to move from dam to dam, waiting for enclosures to refill. 24 metres high (79 ft), the Wheel does everything by itself, replacing something as 11 locks in a single shot.
Engineering jewel, inaugurated in 2002 by Queen Elizabeth II, the wheel has an overall diameter of 35 meters, with two opposing arms shaped as a Celtic double headed axe. The water filled caissons, which serve to transport boats (up to the weight of 600 tonnes) always weight the same, hence keeping the wheel balanced (the why relates to Archimede's principle, thanks to which floating objects displace their own weight in water, so when the boat enters, the amount of water leaving the caisson weighs exactly the same as the boat). Despite its measures, the Wheel needs five and half minutes to rotate 180° using the same amount of energy needed to boil...eight kettles of water.
Designed by Nicoll Russell Studios and engineers Binnie Black and Veatch, the Wheel has been built by Butterley Engineering. Together, they did something unique: the only rotating boat lift of its kind, the Falkirk Wheel - in fact - doesn't only connect Glasgow to Edinburgh, it even revives for recreational purposes, a water route which had fallen into disuse and it is considered today among the tourist attractions in Scotland. "The Falkirk Wheel Experience" offers roundtrip excursion.
The project did cost something as £ 84.5 millions, and a part of the money came from the National Lottery Funds. The Wheel has inspired other projects alike in the UK such as the proposals which have been made in Marston Vale (Bedfordshire).
Bill Ward took outstanding panoramic images of the Wheel. He'd been there once before and planned for a comeback in a bright sunny day, with his camera. He took few panoramas from the same viewpoints with the Wheel in different positions as it rotated to try to illustrate its motion. By aligning the equirectangular images, then generating the neccessary files its possible to fade one panorama into another to get a sort of time lapse effect.
To shot the image, Bill used a Nikon D3 and shaved Nikon 10.5mm lens, self made bracket and a monopod, since he ignored if there were any restriction for tripods.
Photographer among Highlanders for his own pleasure, Bill Ward has had the passion for panoramic images since 1998, when he discovered QuickTime object movies, while listening to the radio. Soon after, he was hooked and started saving money to buy a D100. He picked his knowledge online (at Yahoo groups like PanoTools and PanoToolsNG) and he runs today an homepage full of unforgettable images from that wonderful place: Scotland. If asked, he offers professional services.
