Subject:
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Falkirk Wheel's Link with Lego (was Re: Newport Transporter Bridge)
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.loc.uk
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Date:
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Thu, 10 Jan 2002 09:13:33 GMT
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Viewed:
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1271 times
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In lugnet.loc.uk, Simon Bennett writes:
> In lugnet.loc.uk, Larry Pieniazek writes:
> > In lugnet.loc.uk, Mark Morgan writes:
> > > What's your interest in the bridge - purely technical, or closer ties? I
> > > was born and bred there, and missed the chance to do the annual new years
> > > day walk over the top due to food poisoning! (honestly)
> > >
> > > http://www.images-of-britain.freeserve.co.uk/wa/wa00001.htm
> >
> > Wow!!! That has got to be the goofiest bridge I've ever seen.(1) Way cool. I
> > guess it was cheaper than building a lift bridge or a bridge that had long
> > approaches and crossed at the height of the conveyor platform upper carriage?
> >
> > Thanks for sharing that. It WOULD be an amazing model.
> >
> > 1 - previous contenders were canal barge bridges built in the early 1800s
> > and the Millenium Bridge that rolls sideways. Both from the UK...
> > coincidence? I think not.
> >
> > ++Lar
>
> Well I guess that proves that no-one looks at anyone's profile ;-) It's
> been down as my 'Someday I will build' for ages. In fact I thought I'd
> discussed this last year when doing the New Civil Engineer thing (and James
> Stacey mentioned the use of Lego in the design of the Falkirk Wheel)- I
> definitely mentioned it to Ronan Webb and TJ Avery but maybe only on email.
>
> Mark: It's purely technical (and also from a general love of Victorian
> engineering) - I always thought TLC made no effort to do Technic sets which
> weren't vehicles - and as a 'moving structure' the Newport Bridge has plenty
> of interest for a model. I also would like to do Tower Bridge, The
> Gateshead Millenium Bridge Larry mentioned, the Anderton Boat Lift and the
> aforementioned Falkirk Wheel. I'm waiting for a chap from Newport Council
> to send me some plans but I probably ought to remind him as it was some
> months ago I asked and I've heard nowt. I wangled a look in the winch house
> the last time I was there (I told the operator I was planning a Lego model!)
> and took some pictures for reference, damn I love that bridge.
I was lucky enough to get a tour of the Falkirk Wheel site last year. I did
take some pictures (Disclaimer : it was a very dull day & I ran out of film
before I got to the tunnel under the Antoine wall and the double lock). The
bottom of the page also has links to related resources (inc a medal winning
ICE paper):
http://www.civ.hw.ac.uk/research/sysgeo/sa_files/site%20visit%20-%20falkirk%20wheel/Falkirk%20Wheel.htm
4 interesting points (Lego 1 first):
1. The original concept was produced using a Lego model (it was the
designer’s son's Lego ).
2. They are having a number of 30 seat amphibious vehicles custom made so
that day-trippers can take a spin in the wheel.
3. The wheel can turn both ways. However, once opened, it will only turn
anti-clockwise (when viewed on its open face). I think it should go the
other way.
4. The bearing has a life of 100 years.
I hope you enjoy the pics.
Scott A
>
> Larry: I believe I am right in saying there are 4 of these bridges still in
> existence around the world, Two are in the UK, Newport and Middlesbrough,
> one is in France and the other is in Duluth, Minnesota. (Is that too far
> for a visit?) Actually you had better check as I think maybe the Duluth one
> is the one that has been converted into a lifting bridge.
>
> The deal in Newport is that the bridge connects two spits of land and there
> wasn't space for approach viaducts, and I believe the span (which could be
> no shorter due to the depth of the river and the width of the channel
> needed) was too long for a lifting bridge as the self-weight of the deck
> would have been too high.
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