Speaker Alasdair MacLennan

Rotary Club of Stirling meeting of 17th February 2017.

President Alan Rankin welcomed our speaker Alasdair MacLennan to our Friday meeting.  The next council meeting will be on 6th March. We are due to visit Castleview School at 2pm on Tuesday 21st February, and the Primary school quiz is on 2nd March.

Retired civil engineer Alasdair MacLennan told us about the building of the Falkirk wheel and aqueduct, one of the last projects in which he was involved.  The site presented several major difficulties, gross contamination of the land arising from old tar works, the Union Canal being 34 meters higher that the Forth and Clyde canal to which it had to be connected, and the need to tunnel under the main railway line as well as the Antonine wall. It was specified that there would be four boats operating on a 15-minute cycle.  The contaminated 'yellow' pond was eventually covered and sealed after chemically precipitating the toxic material to the bottom. Deep piling was required to support the considerable weight of the four-span aqueduct, the piers being made of reinforced concrete, all brought in rather than made on site. The metal parts of the wheel were bolted together rather than welded. The cost £20million.  The finished project has attracted 400,000 visitors, many more than expected, and was awarded the Brunel medal jointly with the Gateshead bridge.  The only disappointed group were the yachtsmen as the aqueduct could be made no deeper than 1.5 meters precluding the passage of keel boats.

The vote of thanks was given by Faye McPherson.  Next meeting 24th February, Speaker's host Bill Bryce, Visitor's host Peter Mehta. For further info  www.stirling.rotary1010.org

Ian Richardson