The Falkirk Wheel opened in 2002, and is the only rotat- ing boat lift of its kind in the world. It reconnects two of Scotland's oldest canal systems, the Forth & Clyde and the Union Canals, for the first time since the 1930s. The wheel raises boats by 79 ft., but the Union Canal is still 36 ft. higher than the aqueduct, which meets the wheel, so boats must still pass through a pair of locks between the top of the wheel and the upper canal. Before exploring the engineering behind the wheel, it is useful to first examine the history of the canal systems and the background to the development of this unique boat lift.
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