The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Services – 2007

ã Seagull Trust Cruises
March, 10

Falkirk Wheel

The Falkirk Wheel is the centrepiece of the Millennium Link.

In their heyday the Union and Forth & Clyde Canals were joined by a flight of eleven locks from Port Maxwell on the Union Canal to Port Downie on the Forth & Clyde. Due to lack of use these locks were closed and filled-in in 1933 and a road now follows the route of the old locks.
During the works to regenerate the two canals there was much discussion about how to join the canals again and complete the link between Edinburgh and Glasgow. And after many designs had been put forward, this design was the one accepted and on 24th May 2002 the Falkirk Wheel was opened by Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II as part of her Golden Jubilee celebrations.

Many people felt that when the canals were closed in the early 1960’s a valuable community asset was being left to go to waste and that the canals would become communal waste disposal sites and the surrounding areas around the canals would become derelict. This indeed proved to be the case with much rubbish being dumped into the canals, the lock gates rotting and the canals generally becoming dangerous areas.

As a result many local voluntary bodies were set up to clean up and restore their area of canal, use the canals for recreation and lobby for the reinstatement of the canals as viable waterways.

Over the years five of these voluntary bodies became some of the most important users of the canals as they then stood and British Waterways consulted with them during the planning and regeneration works of the two canals.

These five organisations are:

Ronnie Rusack and the Bridge Inn/Edinburgh Canal Centre

The Linlithgow Union Canal Society

The Forth & Clyde Canal Society

The Seagull Trust

Yacht Clubs and the yachting communities on the Rivers Forth & Clyde and beyond.

British Waterways honoured these organisations by giving them a prominent role in the events and celebrations at the official opening of the Falkirk Wheel.

The “Govan Seagull”, the boat operated by the Falkirk Branch of the Seagull Trust was the first boat down and off the Falkirk Wheel when the Queen performed the opening ceremony and she was followed by “Victoria” of the Linlithgow Union Canal Society, “Pride of Bellhaven”, Bridge Inn/Edinburgh Canal Centre, “Gypsy Princess”, Forth & Clyde Canal Society and “Freya”, representing the yachting community.

Once off the Wheel and in the Wheel Basin these five boats tied up alongside each other and toasted the opening of the Falkirk Wheel with a quaich, specially commissioned by British Waterways, containing Rosebank Single Malt Whisky.

A Quaich is a traditional, shallow, two handled Scottish drinking cup used for special occasions and presentations.

Rosebank Single Malt Whisky was produced in the Rosebank Distillery which is located on the side of the Forth & Clyde Canal in Falkirk. What is now the Beefeater Restaurant by Lock 11 was the Rosebank bonded store and the distillery was on the opposite side of the road. The distillery closed some years ago but the Rosebank Single Malt is still available from some outlets.

From left to right:  Freya, Gypsy Princess, Pride of Bellhaven, Victoria and Govan Seagull, line up to celebrate the opening if the Falkirk Wheel.

Volunteers from the Seagull Trust prepare the toast, before passing the Quaich on to the Victoria.

 Scottish Charity Number SC027163. Incorporated in Scotland as a Company Limited by Guarantee. Company Number SC179736
Registered Office: 19 Dean Terrace, Edinburgh EH4 1NL

For further information on Seagull Trust Cruises please E-mail us at seagulltrust@btinternet.com