Artwork Installation at Ratho on the Edinburgh and Glasgow Union Canal.
Originally known as the Edinburgh and Glasgow Union Canal to reflect it’s role of linking Edinburgh with the Forth and Clyde Canal at Falkirk. The Union Canal opened in 1822 after four years' construction so providing a through route between Scotland's two major cities. When built the canal was 31½ miles long and Scotland's only contour canal, following the 240ft (73m) contour throughout its length. This design made locks unnecessary which, together with the 62 fixed bridges, helped speed up the flow of traffic along the canal. Although it had no locks, it boasts the only canal tunnel in Scotland (690 yards long) and the largest and tallest aqueduct. Despite being a great feat of engineering it came too late. Just 20 years after its completion the railways started to take away the traffic it depended on resulting in a long period of decline. This culminated in 1965 with the formal closure of the canal by Act of Parliament. In 1994 British Waterways announced its intention to seek lottery money for restoration of the Forth - Clyde and Union Canals. The Millennium Link project was established with the objective of restoring the two Canals. This was achieved at a cost of £ with the assistance of funding; included funding from the EU and the Millennium Commission. A new stretch of Union Canal had to be dug at Wester Hailes. and the canal diverted through a new channel and a bridge created where it was cut by the M8 motorway. In the absence of the original 11 locks, a way had to be found of linking the canals together. The answer was an extension to the Union Canal leading to the top of the Falkirk Wheel which was opened by the Queen in May 2002, marking the completion of the Millennium Link. As well as boaters the canal and its towpath is very popular with walkers, cyclists and fisherman.
Size: 5400px × 3600px
Location: Lothian Scotland UK United Kingdom GB Great Britain Europe
Photo credit: © Gus Nicoll / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: artwork, boat, britain, canal, cycle, distance, europe, funding, gb, great, installation, kingdom, leisure, link, lothian, lottery, millennium, scotland, signpost, towpath, uk, union, united, walking
