Forth and Clyde Canal

The Forth and Clyde Canal crosses Scotland, providing a route for sea-going vessels between the Firth of Forth and the Firth of Clyde at the narrowest part of the Scottish Lowlands. The canal is 35 miles (56 km) long and its eastern end is connected to the River Forth by a short stretch of the River Carron near Grangemouth. The highest section of the canal passes close to Kilsyth and is fed by an aqueduct which gathers water from the Kilsyth Hills, stored in a purpose-built reservoir at Banton Loch, from where it feeds the canal near Craigmarloch. The canal continues past Twechar and Kirkintilloch to the Maryhill area north of Glasgow city centre. A branch to Port Dundas was built to secure the agreement and financial support of Glasgow merchants who feared losing business if the canal bypassed them completely. The western end of the canal connects to the River Clyde at Bowling.

In 1840, a short 0.5 mile (0.8 km) canal, the Forth and Cart Canal was built to link the Forth and Clyde canal, at Whitecrook, to the River Clyde, opposite the mouth of the River Cart.

Construction

It was designed by John Smeaton. Construction started in 1768 and after delays due to funding problems was completed in 1790. The geologist James Hutton became very involved in the canal between 1767 and 1774; he contributed his geological knowledge, made extended site inspections, and acted both as a shareholder and as a member of the management committee. The Union Canal was then constructed to link the eastern end of the canal to Edinburgh. Between 1789 and 1803 the canal was used for trials of William Symington's steamboats, culminating in the "Charlotte Dundas", the "first practical steamboat". The canal subsequently became a major route for Clyde puffers, many of which were constructed at Bowling.

In 1842 an Act of Parliament was obtained authorising the Caledonian Railway to take over the Forth and Clyde Canal along with the Forth and Cart Canal; although this did not take effect until 1853.

The canal was nationalised in 1948, along with the railway companies, and control passed to the British Transport Commission. In 1962, the British Transport Commission was wound up, and control passed to the British Waterways Board.

Run down and revival

In 1963 the canal was closed rather than construct a motorway crossing, and so it became disused and semi-derelict. Canal locks in the Falkirk area on the Union Canal near the connection to the Forth and Clyde canal had been filled in and built over in the 1930s.

As part of the Millennium celebrations in 2000, National Lottery funds were used to regenerate both canals. A boatlifting device, the Falkirk Wheel, was built to connect the two canals and once more allow boats to travel from the Clyde or Glasgow to Edinburgh, with a new canal connection to the River Carron and hence the River Forth. The Falkirk Wheel opened on May 27, 2002 and is now a tourist attraction.

The canal and its locks in the Maryhill area are frequently featured in the background of outdoor shots in the BBC television sitcom Still Game.

Locks

There are 39 locks on the Forth & Clyde Canal, as follows:

*1 - ?
*2 - Basin Moorings (Sea Lock)
*3 - Carron Cut Lock
*4 - Abbotshaugh Lock
*5 - Bainsford Lock
*6 - Grahamston Iron Works Lock
*7 - Merchiston Lock
*8 - Merers Lock
*9 - Camelon Railway Lock
*10 - Camelon Lock
*11 - Rosebank Lock
*12 - Camelon Lock No. 12
*13 - Camelon Lock No. 13
*14 - Camelon Lock No. 14
*15 - Falkirk Wheel
*16 - Falkirk Bottom Lock No. 16
*17 - Underwood Lock No. 17
*18 - Allendale Lock No. 18
*19 - Castlecary Lock No. 19
*20 - Wyndford Lock No. 20 (SUMMIT LEVEL)
*21 - Maryhill Top Lock No. 21 (SUMMIT LEVEL)
*22 - Maryhill Lock
*23 - Maryhill Lock
*24 - Maryhill Lock
*25 - Maryhill Bottom Lock No. 25
*26 - Kelvindale (Temple Lock No. 26)
*27 - Temple Lock No. 27
*28 - Cloberhill Top Lock No. 28
*29 - Cloberhill Middle Lock No. 29
*30 - Cloberhill Bottom Lock No. 30
*31 - Cloberhill Lock No. 31
*32 - Cloberhill Lock No. 32
*33 - Boghouse Top Lock No. 33
*34 - Boghouse Middle Lock No. 34
*35 - Boghouse Lower Lock. 35
*36 - No. 36
*Drop Lock - Dalmuir Drop Lock (constructed recently to take navigation below bridge)
*37 - Old Kilpatrick
*38 - Dalnottar Lock No. 37
*39 - Bowling Lock No. 38

*Data sourced from [http://www.waterscape.com/Forth_%26_Clyde_Canal/map www.waterscape.com]

Bibliography

*Lindsay, Jean (1968). "The Canals of Scotland". Newton Abbot: David & Charles. ISBN 0-7153-4240-1.
*Brown, Hamish (1997). "Exploring the Edinburgh to Glasgow Canals". Stationery Office. ISBN 0-11-495735-5.

ee also

*Auchinstarry and its new basin, a £1.2m regeneration project
* Forth to Firth Canal Pathway
* Forth and Cart Canal
* Falkirk Helix
* World Canals Conference

External links

* [http://www.eas.local.gov.uk/CaseStudy.asp?id=SX9452-A781E6C5 Environmental Advisory Service case study on Auchinstarry Basin]
* [http://www.canaljunction.com/canal/forth_clyde.htm The Forth & Clyde and Union Canals]
* [http://www.scotland-guide.co.uk/ALL_AREAS_IN_SCOTLAND/Glasgow/Areas/Canal/surveying_the_canal.htm The Scotland Guide: Glasgow, The Forth and Clyde Canal - surveying the canal]
* [http://www.falkirk-wheel.com Falkirk Wheel]
* [http://www.thefalkirkwheel.co.uk/index.asp?pg=63 The Falkirk Wheel - The Forth and Clyde Canal]