Falkirk wheel might close (1 Viewer)

WynandJean

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Wow what shocking news. We have visited the wheel in the past and cannot believe such a decision is being made.

Wyn
 

Popeye

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When I visited last year they said to my amazement that the boats are carried FREE and it was all subsidised by us foot passengers so I expect some accountant somewhere has pointed out how many more millions they could make if they closed it to boats, chasing that ever elusive Dollar, or maybe it is the poison dwarf, Krankie, Nicola the fish trying to raise enough revenue to join the EU.

What do you think Roy @Khizzie

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CWH

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That's an absolute disgrace. What do they think it was built FOR? Another bit of Disneyfication. Trade-in practicality for tourism. I guess this is what can happen when useful, practical projects are dual-purposed as art.
I don't have a boat, never even had a boating holiday, but I think this is plain wrong.
It needs fighting.
 

Dognewf

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this was funded by public money for a stated goal, and i am pretty certain it wasn't to be solely used as a cash generator for the company. it hasn't hit the general media yet, expect a huge outcry.

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I don't really get it, the lift has room in it for more than one boat at a time, it could surely take the tourist boat that they still will be running as I read it and the odd other waterway user as needed in with it

If it was being stopped from running altogether that would make some sense, ie mechanical issues but that clearly isn't the case, I do not recall seeing any costs associated with a revolution, but I wouldn't have thought they could be very high
 

Tootles

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When I visited last year they said to my amazement that the boats are carried FREE
That's strictly not true. Like the Huddersfield Canal Passage, the Anderton Lift, and the Ribble Link crossing, (all once charged for), The Falkirk wheel is paid for by boaters in their yearly licence fees. When you consider that the licence for a 50' narrowboat is currently running at almost £900 a year for a modest 50' boat, then it all falls into perspective. And also, 95% of all boats never get to travel through any of the above 'canal wonders', so the income to The Waterways Trust is plain to see.
 

Tootles

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I do not recall seeing any costs associated with a revolution, but I wouldn't have thought they could be very high
As a pointer to costs, David, the famous 'Barton Tank', where the Bridgewater Canal is carried above The Manchester Ship Canal in a rotating tank, which allows big ships to navigate the above and which was designed and built in the late 1800's, propelled by the original electric motors, costs.......Wait for it.........1p each time it is opened, such is the fine balance on the superb and original bearings.

barton tank.jpg


barton tank 1.jpg

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As a pointer to costs, David, the famous 'Barton Tank', where the Bridgewater Canal is carried above The Manchester Ship Canal in a rotating tank, which allows big ships to navigate the above and which was designed and built in the late 1800's, propelled by the original electric motors, costs.......Wait for it.........1p each time it is opened, such is the fine balance on the superb and original bearings.

View attachment 153278

View attachment 153279
They were the days when Britain had an engineering apprentice scheme...(y)
 
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PhilG

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Lets shut the Dartford Crossing , flood the tunnels , and open it to Divers, and the bridge to bungy jumpers and downhill mountain bikers.

I think the people that proposed this should be sacked , on the spot , for basically being a complete and utter tw@t
 

Tootles

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When you consider, Mr B, the use that piece of machinery has had over the last century, (with its accompanying road bridge), that it holds 800 tons of water when opening, has been subjected to tremendous wind and weather patterns throughout that time, and has been closed for serious maintenance on very rare occasions, then yes, the engineering is without doubt the very best that (possibly), the world has ever seen. (y)

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When I visited last year they said to my amazement that the boats are carried FREE and it was all subsidised by us foot passengers so I expect some accountant somewhere has pointed out how many more millions they could make if they closed it to boats, chasing that ever elusive Dollar, or maybe it is the poison dwarf, Krankie, Nicola the fish trying to raise enough revenue to join the EU.

What do you think Roy @Khizzie
Somebody somewhere is sticking down brown envelopes.......
 

PhilG

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its Asshattery of the finest order. If they had announced it on April 1st , it would have been more appropriate.
 
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34127

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As a pointer to costs, David, the famous 'Barton Tank', where the Bridgewater Canal is carried above The Manchester Ship Canal in a rotating tank, which allows big ships to navigate the above and which was designed and built in the late 1800's, propelled by the original electric motors, costs.......Wait for it.........1p each time it is opened, such is the fine balance on the superb and original bearings.

View attachment 153278

View attachment 153279
The cost of operating the Falkirk Wheel is also very low as both pods always weigh the same and are therefore perfectly balanced.
 

Allan & Loren

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The best response to this is to vote with action. If people boycotted the passenger boat and proposed new foot passenger side in support of the narrow boats they would have to reverse the ridiculous decision.

As already said there is room for other boats alongside the passenger boat so what's the issue?
 

Khizzie

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When I visited last year they said to my amazement that the boats are carried FREE and it was all subsidised by us foot passengers so I expect some accountant somewhere has pointed out how many more millions they could make if they closed it to boats, chasing that ever elusive Dollar, or maybe it is the poison dwarf, Krankie, Nicola the fish trying to raise enough revenue to join the EU.

What do you think Roy @Khizzie
Shut it down ,it's just a rip off for us poor english folks who are sponsoring the snp.they don't need our money they have all that revenue from oil and soon maybe from the great European states of Germany..lol

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cornish boy

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As already said there is room for other boats alongside the passenger boat so what's the issue?

I am with you, I cant see the issue here.

One hire company has publically stated thay have made the decision to stop operating at the end of 2017 because of the increase in commercial rates to navigate the wheel combined with the reduction in guaranteed slots for their fleet.
To try and force a better deal they have written a 'story' and put it in a public online 'newspaper' which gives the impression (incorrectly) that boat movements will be completely stopped with the sole exception of Scottish Canals own Falkirk Wheel pleasure boat.
 
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Tootles

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When they closed the Anderton Lift in Cheshire for (15)? years, then spent into the millions re-vamping it, they decided to come the Monty about private boats using it. Charge of 15 quid each way, can only be used on Ash Thursday on the third year after advent.......You all know the bulls**t story. Anyway, there was such an uproar that they made it free on demand, you dont need to book, and it's shared, both in lift and decent, by a purpose built trip boat that coins it in. Plus, they opened an on site museum that the tourists flock to pay to get into. Falkirk is no different, and I suspect something other then finance here. Political?? It will all come out in the wash. Suffice to say that so much public money was spent on building it, that the operators will have their hands tied stopping boats using it.

Anderton-Boat-Lift-2.jpg
 

irnbru

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Though it won't affect the Falkirk rally ..Very sad news if this goes ahead. It's disgraceful. :(

Are the folk who pay for it indirindirectlrectly going to see a reduction in their waterways fees..I bet not.

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Tootles

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Though it won't affect the Falkirk rally ..Very sad news if this goes ahead. It's disgraceful. :(

Are the folk who pay for it indirindirectlrectly going to see a reduction in their waterways fees..I bet not.
Your dead right there! The licence fee has gone up on average 10% over the last ten years, you know, when inflation was almost 0%. :mad:
 
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We specifically asked the question about narrowboats when we visited on Friday, there was no mention of the boats being stopped from using the wheel.
 

cornish boy

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Your dead right there! The licence fee has gone up on average 10% over the last ten years, you know, when inflation was almost 0%. :mad:

Still cheap at £195 for a years navigation licence though. You need a 100 boats worth of fees just to cover the cost of one persons wage. It's no wonder secondary income is required.

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irnbru

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As far as I believe the article is unfounded, a known whopperteller page. :pinocchio:

Will need to wait and see I guess.
 
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Lets shut the Dartford Crossing , flood the tunnels , and open it to Divers, and the bridge to bungy jumpers and downhill mountain bikers.

I think the people that proposed this should be sacked , on the spot , for basically being a complete and utter tw@t
Could add a few minutes to your journey between Leicester to France...:)
 

PeteH

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It`s (another) Sad reflection on the shift and bias of society. When the "Country" loses it`s appreciation of it`s skills and History, purely in pursuit of "Mammon". The Heritage of the Nation, has been whittled away since the ("Greed is Good" (or "God?")) philosophy of the 1980`s. The "yuppie cult" has a lot to answer for.

This country , "made" things, now we buy cheap copies of the things we often design, but are produced by "Slave Labour" in countries with equally no appreciation of custom, heritage or history.

The social advancement of Mankind, was set back a hundred years in the period from 1980 onward.

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34127

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As far as I believe the article is unfounded, a known whopperteller page. :pinocchio:

Will need to wait and see I guess.
I have the same opinion about the article.

It doesn't make sense. For the wheel to operate efficiently both gondolas have to be full of water. If they only allow passengers then they would have to be on a floating pontoon and there would be still be enough room for boats on the gondola unless they are expecting hundreds of passengers on every lift.
 

PeteH

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As far as I believe the article is unfounded, a known whopperteller page. :pinocchio:

Will need to wait and see I guess.

I am not so sure?. I spent a while looking at several articles. including the one about Drowning, Yes I think it is a "Campaigning" website. but I suspect there is at least truth in the posting?. Perhaps there has been a "Suggestion" of closure, and they are trying to give people "heads up"?.
 

cornish boy

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The only real truth is the bit about the Falkirk Wheel being in Scotland! (y)

The Falkirk Wheel was always going to need the tourist £ to survive. The Wheels honeymoon period has ended and now servicing and repairs are starting to become expensive. The hire boat companies who have made significant money transiting through the wheel at a low cost to date are now being asked to pay a more commercial rate from 2018 while at the same time, other revenue streams are being considered.

The article that was linked isn't 'reported news' but more of a company 'statement' written and submitted to look like reported news. :whistle:

Nothing more than another example of the internet being used by a company to feed the public one sided, factless 'news' to manipulate opinion and stir up support for commercial gain.

Well, at least it is in my opinion! :):):):)

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