Roughcastle Tunnel

The Roughcastle Tunnel was built as part of the Millennium Link project to carry the Edinburgh and Glasgow Union Canal beneath the Antonine Wall, and it forms the southern approach to the Falkirk Wheel.

The tunnel is short, straight and of circular section. The sides have been formed by sprayed concrete, and both entrances are of simple form. There is a railed footpath on the East side of the waterway.

The 180m long tunnel links the Union Canal onto the aqueduct, providing a dramatic moment along the canal network. Naturally a dark space, the new lighting design provides an immersive experience, with dynamic and responsive lighting.

The standard lighting mode is deliberately set to low, with only selected fixtures on the towpath side illuminated to a low level. When a person approaches (by boat, foot or cycle) a light scene is activated to suit the time of day, year or occasion – this is energy, safety and environmentally aware.

A vibrant wash of colour ripples across full length of the tunnel in a rhythm that connects visually with the ribcage structure of the Wheel hoops further along the aqueduct.

The result is a very flexible, dynamic and autonomous installation, which can also be tailored to suit specific events or occasions.

Courtesy of: www.lightalliance.com/post/the-roughcastle-tunnel



The above PiP shows the transition from the top of the fFlkirk Wheel through the 'hoops' and eventually into the Roughcastle tunnel canal.



I found the colour changes very exciting and dramatic.