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Change House on the north side of the canal was originally a stables for the horses which towed canal barges. It is considerably modified. The upper storey is an addition. The land dips considerably and there is a lower level to the building.
This is a 1961 photo of Change House taken through the canal bridge.
“Swift” barges carried 90 passengers by canal from Edinburgh to Glasgow 3 times a day in the 1830's & 40's, taking 7 hours. To maintain a 9 mph speed, horses were changed at frequent intervals. This was the first changing point west of Edinburgh.
The fare was 7/- (35p) in 1842, the equivalent of about £300 now.
A replica of a swift barge "Vulcan" can be seen in Sumerlee museum in Coatbridge. Vulcan operated on the Forth and Clyde canal.
Notice the towpath is only on one side of the canal. Horses pulling in both directions used the same towpath requiring complicated manoeuvres with tow ropes when barges passed. Swifts had priority and other barges were expected to give way. On some canals, Swifts had knives on the bow to cut through the tow ropes of barges which got in their way!
On some canals the tow path would switch sides from time to time so the stress from the tow ropes wasn't always on the same shoulder of the horse. Specially designed bridges allowed the horses to cross the canal without untying the tow rope.
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