What Are The Kelpie Horses Made Of?

structural steel.
Towering above the Forth & Clyde Canal, The Kelpies are a feat of engineering, each made with 300 tonnes of structural steel, and are a monumental tribute to the horse power heritage that was vital to the early industries of central Scotland.

What type of horses are The Kelpies?

A kelpie is a shape-changing aquatic spirit of Scottish legend. Its name may derive from the Scottish Gaelic words ‘cailpeach’ or ‘colpach’, meaning heifer or colt. Kelpies are said to haunt rivers and streams, usually in the shape of a horse.

What steel are The Kelpies made of?

For its strength and versatility more than 300 tonnes of Tata Steel’s Celsius 355 hot-finished Structural Hollow Section was provided to create the complex frames that form the dramatic internal structure and were crucial factors in bringing The Kelpies ‘to life’.

How were The Kelpies built?

The initial structural design was developed by Atkins who digitally scanned the maquettes to create a virtual 3D model of the two structures. Working from the outside inwards Atkins developed a structural solution for a frame to support the external cladding which was to form the ‘skin’ of the two heads.

Where was the steel for The Kelpies made?

Over 900 tailored platelets of stainless steel grade Supra 316L produced at Avesta, Sweden, and Tornio, Finland, were laser cut to size in Outokumpu’s Service Center in Sheffield, UK.

How do you tell if a horse is a kelpie?

The kelpie is usually described as a powerful and beautiful black horse inhabiting the deep pools of rivers and streams of Scotland, preying on any humans it encounters, One of the water-kelpie’s common identifying characteristics is that its hooves are reversed as compared to those of a normal horse, a trait also

Are The Kelpies lit up every night?

A common question is, do the Kelpies light up at night? The good news, is they do every night! As soon as the sun goes down in the evening, the Kelpies light up in all different colours of the rainbow.

How much did kelpies cost?

Andy Scott, who designed the £7 million public artwork, holds the copyright to the two 30m steel horse’s heads, thought to be the largest of their kind in the world.

How long did it take to build The Kelpies?

Construction began in late 2013 and it took just 90 days for 30,000 pieces of this giant puzzle to be painstakingly slotted into place. It was clear from the moment that the first bit of steel was placed in the ground that they would dominate the landscape.

Where are the metal horses heads?

The Kelpies are 30-metre-high (98 ft) horse-head sculptures depicting kelpies (shape-shifting water spirits), located between Falkirk and Grangemouth, standing next to a new extension to the Forth and Clyde Canal, and near River Carron, in The Helix, a new parkland project built to connect 16 communities in the Falkirk

Why are The Kelpies so called?

The Kelpies are named after the mythical water horses said to be in Scottish lochs and rivers. However, Scott says the inspiration for his sculptures comes from the heavy horses that once powered Scotland’s canals.

Can u go inside The Kelpies?

The only way to get inside a Kelpie is on a Kelpies Tour!
The pinnacle of the tour is that you get to experience a Kelpie from the inside, and see for yourself the breathtaking engineering and design of The Kelpies.

Who invented The Kelpies?

Sculptor Andy Scott
Sculptor Andy Scott is well known for the iconic Kelpies in Scotland, which are sited at the Forth & Clyde Canal in Falkirk.

Where are the metal horses heads in Scotland?

Falkirk
The Kelpies, located in Falkirk, Scotland tower a colossal 30 metres above the Forth and Clyde Canal and form a dramatic gateway to the canal entrance on the East Coast of Scotland. Created by Scotland’s leading sculptor Andy Scott, The Kelpies are a monument to horse powered heritage across Central Scotland.

How heavy is The Falkirk Wheel?

The Falkirk Wheel is 35m tall – the same as 8 double decker buses stacked on top of each other. 1,200 tonnes of steel were used in its construction. The wheel has more than 15,000 bolts, matched to 45,000 bolt holes.

How many kelpies are there?

An estimated 100,000 Kelpies work in Australia and around the world. They appeared in the United States around 80 years ago and have filled working roles ever since. The AKC added the breed as the Working Kelpie to its Foundation Stock Service in 2014. The breed will move to the Herding Group upon full recognition.

What two breeds make a kelpie?

The kelpie was brought to Australia in the late 1800s from Scotland. They are a herding dog derived from the Scottish smooth collie or farm collie.

How can you tell a pure kelpie?

The absence of white is indicative of the Kelpie breed, however some white on chest and toes is permissible. White paws, legs, broad white chest, white collar and tip of tail generally define kelpies cross-bred with Border Collies.

Are kelpies Irish or Scottish?

In Scottish folklore, a kelpie is a dangerous shape-shifting water creature that can appear on land as a horse. The kelpie appears to their human victims as a grey or white horse, entices them to ride on their back, then carries them down to a watery grave.

Why are The Kelpies red?

The Kelpies are being lit up in red this week to mark the culmination of the 2021 Scottish Poppy Appeal and 100 years of the poppy as the national symbol of remembrance. More than 200 iconic landmarks, tourist destinations and business properties across the country will take part in the initiative.

Can you walk between The Kelpies and the Falkirk Wheel?

This short walk connects the stunning tourist attractions of the Falkirk Wheel and the Kelpies equine structures on the historic Forth & Clyde Canal.