Talla Reservoir
Encyclopedia
Talla Reservoir, located a mile from Tweedsmuir
, Scottish Borders
, Scotland
, is an earth-work dam
fed by Talla Water
. The reservoir is supplemented by water from the nearby Fruid Reservoir
. It was opened in 1899.
To assist in bringing the materials for its construction, the Talla Railway
was built.
in the Scottish Borders
as an ideal site for a new reservoir to supply the increasing water
demands of the expanding city of Edinburgh
, 28 miles to the north.
In the mid 1890s the land was secured from the Trustees of the Earl of Wemyss and March Estates for £20,000.
Construction was by James Young & Sons. On 29 September 1897 a stone-laying ceremony marked the start of construction of Victoria Lodge, at the southern terminus. The building is now a bed and breakfast. Material was lifted from there to the construction site by a ropeway, called a 'Blondin
' after the famous tightrope walker Charles Blondin
.
Materials brought in included stone and aggregates from quarries in North Queensferry
and Craigleith
. Pipes, valve gear and pumping equipment came from central Scotland. Puddle clay, the mixture of clay
, gravel
and sand
used for a watertight seal (which was perfected by canal builder James Brindley
) came from the Carluke
area. Over 100,000 tons of material were transported for the building of the reservoir, and at least 30 of the workmen (who were mostly Irish
) died during construction and are buried at Tweedsmuir churchyard.
Construction work was virtually complete by late 1904 and Talla Water
was diverted into the bed of the reservoir on 20 May 1905.
The official opening ceremony on 28 September was carried out by Lady Cranston, wife of the Lord Provost.
Tweedsmuir
The village of Tweedsmuir is a village and civil parish situated from the source of the River Tweed, in the Scottish Borders area of Scotland....
, Scottish Borders
Scottish Borders
The Scottish Borders is one of 32 local government council areas of Scotland. It is bordered by Dumfries and Galloway in the west, South Lanarkshire and West Lothian in the north west, City of Edinburgh, East Lothian, Midlothian to the north; and the non-metropolitan counties of Northumberland...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, is an earth-work dam
Dam
A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...
fed by Talla Water
Talla Water
Talla Water is a river in the Scottish Borders area of Scotland, near Tweedsmuir. It feeds the Talla Reservoir.The Talla Railway was constructed to facilitate the building work, especially the Tweed Viaduct.-External links:**...
. The reservoir is supplemented by water from the nearby Fruid Reservoir
Fruid Water
Fruid Water is a small reservoir in the Scottish Borders area of Scotland, UK, near Menzion.-See also:*Baddinsgill Reservoir*Megget Reservoir*Talla Reservoir*West Water Reservoir*List of reservoirs and dams in the United Kingdom-External links:*...
. It was opened in 1899.
To assist in bringing the materials for its construction, the Talla Railway
Talla Railway
The Talla Railway was a reservoir construction railway in Scotland active from 1897 to 1910. Located in the Scottish Borders, its most substantial engineering feature was the Tweed Viaduct, a 100 foot girder bridge built to carry the railway and water pipeline across the River Tweed at...
was built.
History
In the late 19th century engineers surveying for the Edinburgh and District Water Trust (EDWT) identified the area around the ancient loch at Talla in the hills above TweedsmuirTweedsmuir
The village of Tweedsmuir is a village and civil parish situated from the source of the River Tweed, in the Scottish Borders area of Scotland....
in the Scottish Borders
Scottish Borders
The Scottish Borders is one of 32 local government council areas of Scotland. It is bordered by Dumfries and Galloway in the west, South Lanarkshire and West Lothian in the north west, City of Edinburgh, East Lothian, Midlothian to the north; and the non-metropolitan counties of Northumberland...
as an ideal site for a new reservoir to supply the increasing water
Water
Water is a chemical substance with the chemical formula H2O. A water molecule contains one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms connected by covalent bonds. Water is a liquid at ambient conditions, but it often co-exists on Earth with its solid state, ice, and gaseous state . Water also exists in a...
demands of the expanding city of Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, 28 miles to the north.
In the mid 1890s the land was secured from the Trustees of the Earl of Wemyss and March Estates for £20,000.
Construction was by James Young & Sons. On 29 September 1897 a stone-laying ceremony marked the start of construction of Victoria Lodge, at the southern terminus. The building is now a bed and breakfast. Material was lifted from there to the construction site by a ropeway, called a 'Blondin
Blondin (quarry equipment)
Blondins were a type of aerial ropeway employed in open pits in the slate quarries in Wales to transport wagons loads of rock between locations. They were named after the famous tightrope walker Charles Blondin.- History :...
' after the famous tightrope walker Charles Blondin
Charles Blondin
Jean François Gravelet-Blondin was a French tightrope walker and acrobat.-Life:Blondin was born on 24 February 1824 at St Omer, Pas-de-Calais, France. His real name was Jean-François Gravelet, and he was known also by the names Charles Blondin or Jean-François Blondin, or more simply "The Great...
.
Materials brought in included stone and aggregates from quarries in North Queensferry
North Queensferry
North Queensferry is a village in Fife, Scotland, on the Firth of Forth, between the Forth Bridge and the Forth Road Bridge, and from Edinburgh. According to the 2008 population estimate, the village has a population of 1,150. It is the southernmost settlement in Fife.The Scottish Gaelic name...
and Craigleith
Craigleith
Craigleith is a small island in the Firth of Forth off North Berwick in East Lothian, Scotland. Its name comes from the Scottish Gaelic Creag Lìte meaning "rock of Leith". It is 24 m at its highest point.-Geography and geology:...
. Pipes, valve gear and pumping equipment came from central Scotland. Puddle clay, the mixture of clay
Clay
Clay is a general term including many combinations of one or more clay minerals with traces of metal oxides and organic matter. Geologic clay deposits are mostly composed of phyllosilicate minerals containing variable amounts of water trapped in the mineral structure.- Formation :Clay minerals...
, gravel
Gravel
Gravel is composed of unconsolidated rock fragments that have a general particle size range and include size classes from granule- to boulder-sized fragments. Gravel can be sub-categorized into granule and cobble...
and sand
Sand
Sand is a naturally occurring granular material composed of finely divided rock and mineral particles.The composition of sand is highly variable, depending on the local rock sources and conditions, but the most common constituent of sand in inland continental settings and non-tropical coastal...
used for a watertight seal (which was perfected by canal builder James Brindley
James Brindley
James Brindley was an English engineer. He was born in Tunstead, Derbyshire, and lived much of his life in Leek, Staffordshire, becoming one of the most notable engineers of the 18th century.-Early life:...
) came from the Carluke
Carluke
The town of Carluke lies in the heart of the Lanarkshire countryside in South Lanarkshire, Scotland, 5.4 miles northwest of Lanark and 4 miles southeast of Wishaw....
area. Over 100,000 tons of material were transported for the building of the reservoir, and at least 30 of the workmen (who were mostly Irish
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
) died during construction and are buried at Tweedsmuir churchyard.
Construction work was virtually complete by late 1904 and Talla Water
Talla Water
Talla Water is a river in the Scottish Borders area of Scotland, near Tweedsmuir. It feeds the Talla Reservoir.The Talla Railway was constructed to facilitate the building work, especially the Tweed Viaduct.-External links:**...
was diverted into the bed of the reservoir on 20 May 1905.
The official opening ceremony on 28 September was carried out by Lady Cranston, wife of the Lord Provost.