The Kelpies were designed by Andy Scott, a Scottish sculptor with family roots in Falkirk. He graduated from Glasgow School of Art and is still based in Maryhill in the city. He specialises in public art and many of his projects are site specific. He has completed projects across the whole of the UK and all around the world.
The name for the project was chosen by Scottish Canals and Andy Scott right at the beginning of the project. A kelpie is a shape-changing aquatic spirit of Scottish legend and were said to haunt rivers and streams, usually in the shape of a horse.
The models of the Kelpies were based on real horses - 2 Clydesdales called Duke and Baron. Clydesdale horses originated in Lanarkshire and were bred for their power and stamina, and used exclusively before the invention of the combustion engine. Glasgow Council still keep some Clydesdale horses and Duke is stabled at Pollock Country Park, the only Country Park in Glasgow. Baron was originally stabled there too but is now enjoying his retirement.
Scale models of the Kelpies were made to raise awareness of the Kelpies and Helix Park, and travelled all over the world. One of them now sits at the Falkirk Wheel.
Construction work on the Kelpies began in June 2013. SH Structures in Yorkshire were contracted to make the Kelpies and a team of welder fabricators began assembling the internal structures of the horses. They would later paint and install the horses on site.
Meanwhile, on site, piles reaching 32 metres into the ground were installed, and approx.1200 tons of foundations were laid. In total it took 5 months to assemble the structures and their 18,000 components.
The stainless steel skin panels, of which there are 990, were manufactured and profile cut by Outo Kumpo in Sheffield. They were fixed using an innovative bolting system.
They were officially completed in Nov 2013 and celebrated with a topping out ceremony, featuring Duke and Baron, the real Clydesdale models for the project. As a way of linking Duke and Baron to the art work and to commemorate their contribution to the project, they each donated a horseshoe, which have been put inside the structures.
Each Kelpie stands 30 metres high, weighs 300 tonnes and was built on site in just 90 days.
The extension to the canal, and the turning pool were then filled with water and opened to visitors in April 2014 - on the same day that the Kelpies were opened to the public.
8 years planning and 1 year fabrication and assembly and the Kelpies were finally complete. They are the largest works of art in Scotland and the largest equine sculptures in the world. Helix Park is open 24 hours a day and the Kelpies are illuminated after dark, with 5 alternating colours. There is a 45 minute guided walking tour of the Kelpies, which allows access inside one of the structures to admire the engineering and design of the artwork.
There are some facilities on the site but the official Visitor Centre is due to open very shortly.
The kelpies are a fantastic piece of public art. They may be huge in size, but their features are so lifelike you wonder how they can make them so realistic on such a scale. The construction of the Kelpies is a real feat of engineering but at the same time, looks amazing.
Looking at photos online, of the Kelpies when they are illuminated, just makes you want to go back when it is dark!!
Finally making ourselves move on from the Kelpies, we headed off just a short way to the Falkirk Wheel.
This is a rotating boat lift connecting the Forth & Clyde Canal with the Union Canal. Planners decided to create something spectacular for the Millenium to connect the canals, rather than just the usual lock gates. Designs were submitted, and rejected, until the final design was submitted as a joint effort between the British Waterways Board, Engineers, Consultants and RMJM architects, led by Tony Kettle.
Work began in 1998 and everything was made and assembled in Derbyshire before being dismantled and re-assembled in Falkirk. The structure contains over 15000 bolts, all of which were tightened by hand.
In 2002 HM The Queen officially opened the world's first rotating lift.
The Wheel is 35m tall and raises boats by 24m. The gondolas hold 500,000 litres of water, enough to fill an Olympic size swimming pool. Despite its size the Wheel only uses 1.5kWh of energy to turn - the same as it would take to boil 8 household kettles! No time for a boat trip today but that just means coming back at another time!! A grand day out seeing some wonderful sights.
This is a rotating boat lift connecting the Forth & Clyde Canal with the Union Canal. Planners decided to create something spectacular for the Millenium to connect the canals, rather than just the usual lock gates. Designs were submitted, and rejected, until the final design was submitted as a joint effort between the British Waterways Board, Engineers, Consultants and RMJM architects, led by Tony Kettle.
Work began in 1998 and everything was made and assembled in Derbyshire before being dismantled and re-assembled in Falkirk. The structure contains over 15000 bolts, all of which were tightened by hand.
In 2002 HM The Queen officially opened the world's first rotating lift.
The Wheel is 35m tall and raises boats by 24m. The gondolas hold 500,000 litres of water, enough to fill an Olympic size swimming pool. Despite its size the Wheel only uses 1.5kWh of energy to turn - the same as it would take to boil 8 household kettles! No time for a boat trip today but that just means coming back at another time!! A grand day out seeing some wonderful sights.
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