Tuesday, August 29, 2006

Fascinating Invention No. 6 - The Falkirk Wheel in Scotland

Strictly speaking (which is how The Parents speak ALL the time) The Falkirk Wheel is actually a big, huge piece of engineering but then someone had to sit down and invent it. Or stand up. Or maybe they were on one of those whirly teacup fairground rides and thought it would be fun to make lots of people go round and round in a boat. It was probably therefore invented by someone my age and his mum or dad just snatched away the doodle-drawing, saying,
'Oh that's a terrible idea! Nobody would want to spin round and round in a BOAT! How childish! Ha-ha-ha!'

And all the while they are thinking how they can rub out this bit and add a line or two here and a nice picture there and BOOM! There you have them impressing the boss with their idea for 'the world's one and only rotating boat lift'.
Or something like that. Anyway it is extreme. How it works is, it turns like the sails of a windmill and lifts and lowers boats in the gondolas at either end from one level to another, joining two canals called the Union Canal and the Forth and Clyde Canal.

It is one up on the whirly teacup ride but it could go alot faster for my liking.

See, it is REALLY big and curvy with giant cogs!

11 comments:

Suzan Abrams, email: suzanabrams@live.co.uk said...

What heavenly pictures, Wilf! You've had yourself a truly fun time.

Unknown said...

You know, I'm inclined to agree with you, Wilf. Children's minds are far more open and imaginative. I bet you're right that some kid did design the wheel and then their parent snaffled it and presented it as their own. Wouldn't that just be soooo typical of adult humans! Pah!

Wilf said...

Thankyou Susan. It was brilliant!
Wilf

Wilf said...

Yeah, adults are so annoying when it comes to ideas, they charge over them like trains and then expect you to fall in with anything they say -even if it's a REALLY bad idea.
Wilf

Brandon said...

Wilf, I didn't even know this existed. It's one of the most interesting pieces of engineering that I've seen. Do you doodle-draw things like that? I don't know any adults that doodle that way, and I'm surrounded by engineers.

Wilf said...

You are surrounded by engineers? Wow - you are lucky. I like to doodle all sorts of inventions and the Falkirk Wheel is really simple really, it is just ginormously simple. Thanks for reading my posts.
Wilf

Brandon said...

Yep, everyday when I go to work, there are engineers working right next to me. There are probably 40 of them in the same big room. They don't design anything with that sort of simple magnificence though.

Wilf said...

I am really glad you have a big room. You should have a look at some of my other favourite inventions, including some intersting snowman designs. I intend to look at the bra next.
Wilf

Saaleha said...

Well Wilf, if you're really going to look at inventing a new design for a bra, then you will have to look for one that will help Susan's 'characters' to keep their bazookas at bay. And the pictures were amazing.

Wilf said...

Thanks Saaleha! Jude put me onto the bra idea first but I can't deny that I want to support Susan's characters by giving them...erm support.
Addy

Suzan Abrams, email: suzanabrams@live.co.uk said...

Very funny, Saaleha & Addy!

Dear Wilf,

I plead understanding! I don't have the slightest clue what they're talking about. My good name comes into question and does that of my very best friend, Mrs. Periammah Lewis who once followed me to a safari...to see lions!

Yours sooooooo innocently,