Forward

This site originates from a booklet draft by Ronnie Rusack MBE, retired former owner of the Bridge Inn on the Union Canal in Ratho, a life member and former chairman of Seagull Trust Cruises.

Ronnie was assisted by his friend Bill Hendrie of Torphichen who is author of several photo book on local history of the area.

The story is largely told from the recollections of some of the Seagull Trust founding members sourced from recollections, annual reports, newsletters and other notes. This is indicated in the text:

Ronnie Rusack (RR) former Chairman

Norman Simpson (NS) former Treasurer

Brian Baxter (BB) former Secretary

Frank Coutts (FC) former Fundraiser

John Hume (JH) Hon President & former Chairman

Hugh Mackay (HM) former Secretary

Stanley and June Ross-Smith (S&JRS)

Elinor Milne (EM) Falkirk

Prologue

The Edinburgh Glasgow Union Canal opened in 1822 and connected Edinburgh to the Forth and Clyde Canal near Falkirk and hence to Glasgow and the West. 20 years later the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway opened taking business away from the canal. The main Edinburgh Canal basins at Port Hamilton and Port Hopetoun closed in 1921, filled in and built on.

In 1933 the Union Canal closed to commercial traffic.

By the 1960s the 11 abandoned locks at Falkirk which connected the two canals had been filled in and the canal culverted for the M8 motorway near Broxburn and housing development at Wester Hailes in Edinburgh. In 1965 the Union Canal was formally closed to navigation and was left to deteriorate during the 1970s and 1980s.