Glasgow Aqueduct

Category

Library Item

Item no

29040

Title

Glasgow Aqueduct

Description

Image of a stone aqueduct spanning a small valley. The valley is lined by two dirt tracks and on one of these in front of the aqueduct structure stands a group of men and a horse and cart.

Artist / maker

Unknown

Date

1879

Size

12.0 cm x 16.1cm

Type

Photograph

Location

Edinburgh and Scottish Collection

Due to a lack of clean, safe water available to the city, the town council of Glasgow charged the engineer John Frederic Bateman to build a 35 mile aqueduct from Loch Katrine in Stirlingshire to a small reservoir at Milngavie just outside the city. This system would, using only gravity, carry the estimated 50,000,000 gallons of fresh water needed daily to quench Glasgow's thirst. After 4 years of construction the system was opened by Queen Victoria in 1859 and, despite minor alterations and upgrades is still providing Glasgow's water supply over 150 years later proving that when the architect said 'I leave you a work which I believe, will...remain perfect for ages...' he was correct.

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Related images

Related subjects

Landscape > Land > Grassland

Landscape > Land > Hills

Landscape > Land > Valleys

Landscape > Water > Reservoirs

People > Adults > Groups

People > Adults > Men

Places > Scotland > Edinburgh

Transport > Infrastructure > Aqueduct

Transport > Infrastructure > Roads

Transport > Land > Horse and carts

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