Built by Bradford City Waterworks and completed in 1899, the Nidd Aqueduct it feeds water from Angram and Scar House reservoirs in upper Nidderdale, thirty two miles to Chellow Heights water treatment works Bradford. It supplied its growing industrial needs and population.
The construction of the aqueduct was carried out by Morrison & Mason Ltd. A temporary railway line, the Nidd Valley Light Railway, was built to transport materials and workers to the remote reservoir sites.
The image shows the aqueduct over the River Wharfe. Image courtesy of Pam Fray.
I love England
its a really remarkable feat of engineering, basically a three pipe system, the middle one carries the water and the other two air. by careful regulation at points along its length this allows a controlled syphon
It really is and when you think it was basically a local corporation project it is an amazing piece of civil engineering.
I’m envious of the wife, she has been inside the dam at Scarhouse.
I'm envious too, I did once get a look round Lobwood pumping station though. Scarhouse a few weeks back
She went because Goole Grammar School had a camping hut at Lofthouses when she was teaching, I first saw it on my first (character building) Scout Camp at Pateley Bridge aged 11 - ‘find the source of the River Nidd’ hike. The excitement of Good Companions tents, Primus stoves and M&S waterproofs.
Interesting days 😊
Where does the aqueduct go from at the top end. Is Scarhouse just used as a compensation reservoir to keep Angram filled and the water is taken from Angram for drinking?
To the best of my knowledge Scarhouse Reservoir is not just a compensation reservoir; I think it was built primarily to supply fresh drinking water to the city of Bradford. Gouthwaite Reservoir, which is lower down the Nidd Valley, serves as a compensation reservoir to maintain water flow
for industries in the valley, The aqueduct begins just downstream of Scar House Reservoir, near the screening chamber east of the dam. From there it runs beneath Rain Stang hill for 2,486 yards (2,273 m), re-emerging at Armathwaite Gill,
Angram - I meant Gouthwaite. I went to a workshop last week about Alwen & Brennig in NW. Alwen is pipelined to Birkenhead with Brennig as compensation, other local water companies insisted on compensation of 33%, usually around 20%. It’s gravity fed with 4 balancing tanks. Passes our house within ft
It is possible that commercial arrangements are now in place that I am not aware of.
Chester, Wallasey, Liverpool water companies all ganged up against Birkenhead against the Act of Parliament.
I’ve mapped out on Google Earth the Alwen, Elan Valley, Vyrnwy & Eigau schemes, they are all daring & magnificent, we have a lot to thank our ancestors for. I’ll have to map this scheme out now, the route will be on old OS maps.
That sounds really interesting.