the-BA : Key to the lock

When we think about the millennium wheel, most of us immediately think of the huge construction on the banks of the Thames. But the London Eye wasn’t the only wheel built for the millennium – in Scotland a £17m structure was built to carry boats between the Forth and Clyde Canal and the Union Canal at Falkirk. It’s the world’s only rotating boatlift. It has two gondolas which carry up to four boats at a time in 250,000 litres of water.

Have you ever wondered how canal locks work?

You might like to …

• carry out some research into canals and locks – find out how they work
• design and build a scaled-down canal with a lock; test it using simple model boats
• investigate how much water is lost ‘up-stream’ every time a canal lock is used
• find out how the Falkirk Wheel works; try modelling your own version.

Further links:
http://www.falkirk-wheel.com/

http://www.rcag.8m.com/locks2/locks.htm#Paddles

http://www.starling101.btinternet.co.uk/canals/lckworks.htm

	Home

	Clubs, CREST Awards and Fairs (5-19 yrs)

	CREST Awards (11-19 year olds)

	About CREST

	Project ideas

	Travel

	Water

	If you can't get over it...

	Staying afloat

	Key to the lock

	Deep, deep down

	Bridging the gap

	Further Guidance