Thirlmere Aqueduct
Encyclopedia
The Thirlmere Aqueduct is part of a water supply system built by the Manchester Corporation Water Works between 1890 and 1925.
The aqueduct was built to carry approximately 55000000 gallons (250,035 m³) per day of water from Thirlmere
Reservoir to Manchester
. The construction of the reservoir and aqueduct
was authorised by the Manchester Waterworks Act of Parliament
. The first phase was completed in 1897 and, for the pipeline sections, subsequent phases were completed in 1925. The first water to arrive in Manchester from the Lake District was marked with an official ceremony on 13 October 1894.
advised Manchester Corporation that the increasing demand for water, then averaging 18000000 gallons (81,829.6 m³) per day, would soon exhaust the available supply from Longdendale
. His first recommendation was to source water from Ullswater
, but it was eventually decided to seek powers to acquire Thirlmere
and build a dam there. In the face of local opposition the project received Royal Assent in 1879. Under this act Manchester was granted priority of right to 25 gallons (113.7 l) per person per day. A pumping station was built at Heaton Park Reservoir
in 1954–1955 incorporating a large relief by Mitzi Cunliffe
signed and dated 1955. The building materials and the reliefs are all symbolic of the achievement in bringing water from the Lake District
to Manchester. The building was given grade II listing in 1988.
was dug by two teams mining towards each other. The two tunnel sections joined within 20 cm of centre.
53.5421°N 2.2614°W, Prestwich
. Its most common form of construction is cut-and-cover, which consists of a of "D" section concrete covered channel, approximately 7.1 feet (2.2 m) wide and between 7.1 feet (2.2 m) and 7.9 feet (2.4 m) high. There are 37 miles (59.5 km) of cut and cover, made up of 12-inch (30 cm) thick concrete horseshoe shaped sections. Typically, the conduit
has 3 foot (0.9144 m) of cover and traverses the contours of hillsides.
It is the longest gravity-fed aqueduct in the country, with no pumps along its route. The water flows at a speed of 4 miles per hour (6 km/h) and takes just over a day to reach the city. The level of the aqueduct drops by approximately 20 inches per mile (30 cm/km) of its length.
and M61
connection a short section was diverted. A short section of the aqueduct near Worsley
, Greater Manchester, was also re-routed in the late 1960s during the construction of the M62
/M63
/M602 motorway
interchange.
The aqueduct was built to carry approximately 55000000 gallons (250,035 m³) per day of water from Thirlmere
Thirlmere
Thirlmere is a reservoir in the Borough of Allerdale in Cumbria and the English Lake District. It runs roughly south to north, with a dam at the northern end, and is bordered on the eastern side by the A591 road and on the western side by a minor road....
Reservoir to Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
. The construction of the reservoir and aqueduct
Aqueduct
An aqueduct is a water supply or navigable channel constructed to convey water. In modern engineering, the term is used for any system of pipes, ditches, canals, tunnels, and other structures used for this purpose....
was authorised by the Manchester Waterworks Act of Parliament
Act of Parliament
An Act of Parliament is a statute enacted as primary legislation by a national or sub-national parliament. In the Republic of Ireland the term Act of the Oireachtas is used, and in the United States the term Act of Congress is used.In Commonwealth countries, the term is used both in a narrow...
. The first phase was completed in 1897 and, for the pipeline sections, subsequent phases were completed in 1925. The first water to arrive in Manchester from the Lake District was marked with an official ceremony on 13 October 1894.
History
In 1874 John Frederick BatemanJohn Frederick Bateman
John Frederick Bateman was an English civil engineer whose work formed the basis of the modern United Kingdom water supply industry. For over 50 years from 1835 he designed and constructed reservoirs and waterworks. His largest project was the system that supplied Manchester with much of its...
advised Manchester Corporation that the increasing demand for water, then averaging 18000000 gallons (81,829.6 m³) per day, would soon exhaust the available supply from Longdendale
Longdendale
Longdendale is a valley in the north of England, north of Glossop and south east of Holmfirth. The name means "long wooded valley".- Geography :...
. His first recommendation was to source water from Ullswater
Ullswater
Ullswater is the second largest lake in the English Lake District, being approximately nine miles long and 0.75 miles wide with a maximum depth of slightly more than ....
, but it was eventually decided to seek powers to acquire Thirlmere
Thirlmere
Thirlmere is a reservoir in the Borough of Allerdale in Cumbria and the English Lake District. It runs roughly south to north, with a dam at the northern end, and is bordered on the eastern side by the A591 road and on the western side by a minor road....
and build a dam there. In the face of local opposition the project received Royal Assent in 1879. Under this act Manchester was granted priority of right to 25 gallons (113.7 l) per person per day. A pumping station was built at Heaton Park Reservoir
Heaton Park Reservoir
Heaton Park Reservoir is a granite sided reservoir in the North-West of England, on the border between the City of Manchester and Bury and is owned by United Utilities, and can be found within the grounds of Heaton Park...
in 1954–1955 incorporating a large relief by Mitzi Cunliffe
Mitzi Cunliffe
Mitzi Solomon Cunliffe was an American sculptor. She was most famous for designing the golden trophy in the shape of a theatrical mask that would go on to represent the British Academy of Film and Television Arts and be presented as the BAFTA award...
signed and dated 1955. The building materials and the reliefs are all symbolic of the achievement in bringing water from the Lake District
Lake District
The Lake District, also commonly known as The Lakes or Lakeland, is a mountainous region in North West England. A popular holiday destination, it is famous not only for its lakes and its mountains but also for its associations with the early 19th century poetry and writings of William Wordsworth...
to Manchester. The building was given grade II listing in 1988.
Tunnel under Dunmail Raise Pass
This tunneled section under Dunmail RaiseDunmail Raise
Dunmail Raise is a hill in the English Lake District, the highest point of a pass on the Keswick-Kendal road, the A591, to the south of Thirlmere reservoir on the way to Grasmere, in the Lake District National Park...
was dug by two teams mining towards each other. The two tunnel sections joined within 20 cm of centre.
Thirlmere Dam
The dam at Thirlmere rises 64 feet (20 m) above the old stream bed, and the reservoir when full has a surface area of 814 acres (3.3 km²), and a holding capacity of 8235000000 gallons (37,437,051.2 m³) above the level to which water may be drawn (540 O.D.) The total dry weather yield of Thirlmere Reservoir is reckoned at about 40500000 gallons (184,116.6 m³) per day, out of which compensation water in respect of the area now draining into the Lake 10120 acres (41 km²)), amounting to 4658000 gallons (21,175.7 m³) per day average), is sent down the St. John's Beck. Manchester Corporation has acquired the drainage area of 10800 acres (43.7 km²) (in addition to other lands).Aqueduct technical data
The aqueduct is almost 96 miles (154 km) long from Thirlmere reservoir to Heaton Park ReservoirHeaton Park
Heaton Park, covering an area variously reported as , 247 hectares, , over and is the biggest park in Greater Manchester, England and one of the biggest municipal parks in Europe. The park comprises the grounds of a Grade I listed, neoclassical 18th century country house, Heaton Hall...
53.5421°N 2.2614°W, Prestwich
Prestwich
Prestwich is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Bury, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies close to the River Irwell, north of Manchester city centre, north of Salford and south of Bury....
. Its most common form of construction is cut-and-cover, which consists of a of "D" section concrete covered channel, approximately 7.1 feet (2.2 m) wide and between 7.1 feet (2.2 m) and 7.9 feet (2.4 m) high. There are 37 miles (59.5 km) of cut and cover, made up of 12-inch (30 cm) thick concrete horseshoe shaped sections. Typically, the conduit
Waterway
A waterway is any navigable body of water. Waterways can include rivers, lakes, seas, oceans, and canals. In order for a waterway to be navigable, it must meet several criteria:...
has 3 foot (0.9144 m) of cover and traverses the contours of hillsides.
It is the longest gravity-fed aqueduct in the country, with no pumps along its route. The water flows at a speed of 4 miles per hour (6 km/h) and takes just over a day to reach the city. The level of the aqueduct drops by approximately 20 inches per mile (30 cm/km) of its length.
Construction history
Sections of the route of the aqueduct have over time been modified for the construction of modern motorways. During the construction of the M6M6 motorway
The M6 motorway runs from junction 19 of the M1 at the Catthorpe Interchange, near Rugby via Birmingham then heads north, passing Stoke-on-Trent, Manchester, Preston, Carlisle and terminating at the Gretna junction . Here, just short of the Scottish border it becomes the A74 which continues to...
and M61
M61 motorway
The M61 motorway is a motorway in North West England. It runs from the M60 motorway northwest of Manchester and heads northwest past Bolton and Chorley to join the M6 just north of the junction between the M6 and M65 motorways to the south of Preston....
connection a short section was diverted. A short section of the aqueduct near Worsley
Worsley
Worsley is a town in the metropolitan borough of the City of Salford, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies along the course of Worsley Brook, west of Manchester. The M60 motorway bisects the area....
, Greater Manchester, was also re-routed in the late 1960s during the construction of the M62
M62 motorway
The M62 motorway is a west–east trans-Pennine motorway in Northern England, connecting the cities of Liverpool and Hull via Manchester and Leeds. The road also forms part of the unsigned Euroroutes E20 and E22...
/M63
M63 motorway
The M63 motorway was a major road in the United Kingdom. It was completely renumbered as part of the M60 motorway in 1999.- Formation of the M63 :The earliest section of the M63 opened in 1960 as part of the M62 motorway...
/M602 motorway
M602 motorway
The M602 motorway is a relatively short motorway, leading traffic into Manchester and Salford by-passing the suburban town of Eccles.The motorway itself was meant to be a part of a bigger scheme, the South Lancashire Motorway...
interchange.