Civil Engineering heritage: Scotland - Highlands and Islands
Date 2007
Event ID 929397
Category Descriptive Accounts
Type Publication Account
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/929397
A port existed at Aberdeen at least from the 14th century, but it was not until 1770 that a start was made on the modern harbour by commissioning a report from John Smeaton, following which the first North Pier, one of the
most remarkable in Britain requiring exceptional engineering talent to overcome storm effects, was built from 1774 and twice extended later. A southern breakwater was completed in 1815 and another further east from
1870–73. From the pounding they receive from the sea both have required regular maintenance.
In 1810 Telford proposed a scheme for a large dock adjoining the north shore and what was to become Waterloo Quay to be created by impounding water in the harbour at high tide by means of an entrance lock. Between 1816 and 1829 very little was done except dredging. The
1831 version of this proposal formed the basis for the Victoria Dock project later developed by James Abernethy. About this time Telford also advised on the new channel for the Dee, reclamation of the Inches, new wet docks and quays and dredging. The cost of the work done under his
direction amounted to £160 590.
In 1843, after receiving reports from James Walker and Alexander Gibb, the Harbour Commissioners executed the plans of Abernethy, their resident engineer, and the 28-acre Victoria Dock, and an upper dock west of Regent opening bridge, was built by 1848 with two entrances 60 ft and 70 ft wide and about 20 ft deep, one with a lock for the passage of ships and the other with ebb-gates.
From 1869–72 the channel of the Dee was realigned southwards to Wellington Suspension Bridge at a cost of £51 585 and the old channel was converted into a tidal basin with Commercial Road to the north and Albert Quay to the south.
With the advent of the oil industry, in the 1970s Victoria Dock was redeveloped and the tide locks were removed in 1975 making the whole harbour tidal, with deepening by dredging as necessary.
R Paxton and J Shipway, 2007.
Reproduced from 'Civil Engineering heritage: Scotland - Highlands and Islands' with kind permission from Thomas Telford Publishers.
