Those Horses heads in Falkirk

[Nick Grant]

As attractive as they are, why would anyone build a landmark at the side of a motorway. A sea of breaklights come on as you approach, then rubber neckers with Arnold Clarke stickers on the back of their Citroen Picassos trundle past at 40 weaving accross the road. Next they will be putting adverts up.

[S2red]

Crazy thing is I beleive there ar rules about no advert alongside M'way then they put sculptures which folk look at!

[sherman]

The same probably happened in Newcastle with the Angel of the North and all the things along the M8. After a couple of weeks no one will notice it any more.

[Papa Hotel]

How long have they been up?

I first noticed them on Saturday, it's maybe only a couple of months since I was last up that way and they weren't there then. At least, I hope they weren't, I'd like to think I'd have noticed a couple of giant metallic horses heads.

They are pretty cool, but apart from the obvious folly of putting a shiny new landmark beside a busy motorway, how much did they cost?

[haggishunter]

The godfather tribute!

It must of cost a few quid for them. They've been putting them up for a couple of months now.

al

[McWigglebum4th]

I think the were mostly paid for by the national stupid tax

[sherman]

It seems to be between 5-7 million to build and erect. It also seems to have been paid for with lottery money.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-tayside-cent...

[orinoco13]

I travel home on this stretch of motorway every night and think its only a matter of time before a pile up or accident happens. The effect of some rubber necker slowing down to look at these "kelpies" stretches way back to the previous junction slip road and sometimes further back. Once you pass them the traffic flow goes back to normal. Really stupid idea siteing them where they are. Town planners are so inconsistent!

[Nick Grant]

It seems to be worse travelling west as they suddendly appear from behind the trees and people hit the brakes. Travelling east you can see them from further out.

[Robert Burns]

sherman said:

It seems to be between 5-7 million to build and erect. It also seems to have been paid for with lottery money.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-tayside-cent...

Its the millennium project.

The money was set aside in 2000 and its taken 13 years to get to this point.

[Shenanigans]

Robert Burns said:

sherman said:

It seems to be between 5-7 million to build and erect. It also seems to have been paid for with lottery money.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-tayside-cent...

Its the millennium project.

The money was set aside in 2000 and its taken 13 years to get to this point.

Jesus, tops the delay with the trams then!

[sherman]

The trams are only a mere 928 days late currently

but they are now leaving the depot for the first bit of testing on the track up to Edinburgh Park.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-ea...

[dubbedupdaz]

Lets create lots of distractions for motorists in the form of trams and monuments at the cost of millions and brush the pesky A9 under the carpet. ...

[Technomad]

Nick Grant said:

It seems to be worse travelling west as they suddendly appear from behind the trees and people hit the brakes. Travelling east you can see them from further out.

Agreed - I'm used to them and like them, but I've had a few, "Holy st!" reactions from passengers. Our local IAM group chair is however, having something of, ah, a cow about the horses (he's got it in for the Angel of the North too). I actually spent quite some time trying to find out if accident stats have changed pre- and post- AoN but the figures are proving surprisingly elusive. I'm not sure if that's down to incompetence or conspiracy.

Now if they can get the Kelpie's eyes to glow red and their nostrils to belch flame at night, we might be able to dispose of a few of the feckin' camper vans that clog up the Northern roads before they actually get here…

[f1dget]

Yesterday morning at about 10am there was a Dutch registered car stopped on the hard shoulder of the east bound m9 and the driver out taking pictures. Maybe time to install some lightweight bollards to discourage this before someone gets themselves creamed all over the carriageway.

[Robert Burns]

Past them aswell. Opening his door as I passed to get in. Gave him a good blast on the horn.