In early October we had an invitation to visit Falkirk and talk to the key director in charge of the Falkirk Wheel and Kelpies. Chris and fellow Trust Director Mike Snaith (our IWA representative) took up the invitation and also met with a couple of Dutch guys looking to establish a Boat Lift near the Hague and a funding consultant, who is looking at the possibility of European Money for the Arm and other boat lifts. Chris reports that they had a very interesting time revisiting the Falkirk Wheel and discovering that visitor numbers are now well in excess of the 500,000 previously experienced. In fact in combination with the Kelpies, giant horses head statues at nearby Grangemouth, the two features attract around 1m visitors each year. They had some good insights into the type of activities and financial implications from Scottish Canals, who were rightly proud of the stunning Kelpies addition. This will be invaluable in building the case for the Derby Arm.
Pictures show – The Falkirk Wheel with Chris and Consultant Chris Bailey
The Kelpies, which tower 30m over a lock at Grangemouth. They are hollow and are lit from inside at night.
