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Pitlochry, Dam, Power Station And Fish Ladder

Dam (20th Century), Fish Ladder(S) (20th Century), Hydroelectric Power Station (20th Century)

Site Name Pitlochry, Dam, Power Station And Fish Ladder

Classification Dam (20th Century), Fish Ladder(S) (20th Century), Hydroelectric Power Station (20th Century)

Alternative Name(s) Pitlochry Salmon Ladder; Port-na-craig Dam; Loch Faskally; Tummel Garry Hydro-electric Scheme

Canmore ID 130503

Site Number NN95NW 62

NGR NN 93536 57750

Datum OSGB36 - NGR

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/130503

Ordnance Survey licence number AC0000807262. All rights reserved.
Canmore Disclaimer. © Bluesky International Limited 2025. Public Sector Viewing Terms

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Digital Images

View of Tummel/Garry Project. Contract 17. Pitlochry Dam and Power Station. Interior. Power Station. Tummel/Garry Album, unnumbered plate
View of Tummel/Garry Project. Contract 17. Pitlochry Dam and Power Station. Interior. Power Station. Tummel/Garry Album, unnumbered plateGeneral oblique aerial view looking across Loch Faskally towards Pitlochry, taken from the W.Oblique aerial view of Pitlochry Dam, taken from the SE.Pitlochry, Loch Tummel Hydro Electric Dam in foreground Moulin, Perthshire, Scotland. Oblique aerial photograph taken facing North/West. Pitlochry, Loch Faskally, oblique aerial view, taken from the SE, centred on the dam, electricity generating station and fish ladders.General view of power station and dam from SEView of Power Station and dam from South-East.General views of spillways and 'nose end' of automatic drum gates from NEGeneral view of N 'pool and orifice' type fish ladderr from WGeneral view of N 'pool and orifice' type fish ladderr from WGeneral view of S 'pool and orifice' fish ladder from WPitlochry Power Station and DamGeneral view of automatic drum gates (left) and power station (right) from SWView of West/Rear of power stationGeneral view of spillways and automatic drum gates from NNEView of Power Station and dam from SEView of Tummel/Garry Project. Contract 17. Pitlochry Dam and Power Station. General view from right bank upstream.
Scan of negative no. 100, Box 889/1Tummel/Garry Project. Contract 19. Drum Gates, Pitlochry Dam. Both gates discharging. View from Roof of Power Station. 
Tummel/Garry Album, no plate number given.General view of power station and dam from SEDetail of automatic drum gate and spillway from NNE during maintenance checksGeneral view of power station and dam from East.General view showing crest of drum gates (left) from NWGeneral view of spillways and automatic drum gates from NNEPitlochry Power Station interiorView from N of construction work, taken from Left Bank upstream of dam.
Copy of negative, Tummel Valley, Box 879/1, Contract No. 17, Ser. No. 27.Interior of Power Station.
Copy of negative, Tummel Valley, Box 889/1, Contract No. 17, Ser. No. 71.View of Tummel/Garry Project. Contract 17. Pitlochry Dam and Power Station. General view from right bank downstream.
Tummel/Garry Album, unnumbered plateGeneral view of spillways and automatic drum gates from NEGeneral oblique aerial view looking across Loch Faskally towards Pitlochry, taken from the W.General oblique aerial view looking across Loch Faskally towards Pitlochry, taken from the W.General view of automatic drum gates (left) and power station (right) from SWDetail of automatic drum gate and spillway from NNE during maintenance checksGeneral oblique aerial view looking across Loch Faskally towards Pitlochry, taken from the W.Oblique aerial view of Pitlochry, Power Station and Dam, Coronation Bridge and Loch Faskally Reservoir, looking WSW.Pitlochry, Loch Tummel Hydro Electric Dam in foreground Moulin, Perthshire, Scotland. Oblique aerial photograph taken facing North. This image was marked by AeroPictorial Ltd for photo editing.General view showing crest of drum gates (left) from NWDetail of west face of power station and damGeneral view of partially drained Loch Faskally from SEOblique aerial view.General view of power station and dam from SEView showing crest of drum gates from NWGeneral view of spillways and automatic drum gates from N-N-E.Detail of automatic drum gate and spillway from NNE during maintenance checksGeneral view from SE showing fish ladder in the foreground, and power station and dam in the background.
Scanned image of 'Pitlochry Dam & Power Station. General View from Downstream. Ser. No. 153. Date: 7/6/50'.View of Tummel/Garry Project. Contract 17. Pitlochry Dam and Power Station. View of fish ladder from central control tower.
Scan of negative no. 25, Box 889/1View of Tummel/Garry Project. Contract 17. Pitlochry Dam and Power Station. General view from right bank.
Scan of negative no. 79, Box 889/1View of Tummel/Garry Project. Contract 17. Pitlochry Dam and Power Station. Interior of power station.
Tummel/Garry Album, unnumbered plateView of Pitlochry Power Station and dam from SE.General view of spillways and automatic drum gates from N-N-E.Detail of S 'pool and orifice' type fish ladder (to the left of power station) from EGeneral view showing crest of drum gates (left) from NWOblique aerial view.Detail of west face of power station and damDetail of S 'pool and orifice' type fish ladder (to the left of power station) from EGeneral view of partially drained Loch Faskally from SEPitlochry Power Station interiorGeneral view of power station and dam from EView of Tummel/Garry Project. Contract 17. Pitlochry Dam and Power Station. Coat of arms, view from spillway bridge.
Scan of negative no. 89, Box 889/1View showing crest of drum gates from NWGeneral view of N 'pool and orifice' type fish ladderr from WGeneral view of S 'pool and orifice' fish ladder from WGeneral view of power station and dam from East.General view showing crest of drum gates (left) from NWView of West/Rear of power stationGeneral view of partially drained Loch Faskally from SEView of Drum Gates from E showing Left Gate Spilling.
Copy of negative, Tummel Valley, Box 831/1, Contract No. 19, no plate number given.Pitlochry, Loch Faskally, oblique aerial view, taken from the N, centred on the dam, electricity generating station and fish ladders.Oblique aerial view.General view of spillways and automatic drum gates from NNE

Administrative Areas

  • Council Perth And Kinross
  • Parish Moulin
  • Former Region Tayside
  • Former District Perth And Kinross
  • Former County Perthshire

Archaeology Notes

NN95NW 62 93542 57719

See also NN95NW 104 and NN95NW 105.

Not to be confused with Clunie Dam, Pitlochry (NN 88432 60282), for which see NN86SE 66.

Port-na-Craig Dam [NAT] (at NN 9354 5780)

Power Station [NAT] (at NN 9353 5773)

Fish Ladder [NAT] (at NN 9355 5769)

OS 1:10,000 map, 1989.

Pitlochry or Loch Faskally power station and dam, along with Clunie dam and power station (NN912 597) constitute the first stage of the Tummel-Garry hydro-electric scheme. Pitlochry has two 7,500kW sets which were both in operation by the end of December 1950. The power station and dam are considered to be, architecturally speaking, one of the most successful of the Hydro-Board's projects. There is no overhead 'clutter' of transformers or power lines as all power is transmitted underground to Clunie power station. The power station is faced in pre-cast concrete to fit in with the mass concrete dam.

The two automatic drum gates were the first of their type and size used in Brtain (they were also installed at Clunie Dam) and were designed and built by Glenfield and Kennedy of Kilmarnock. These provide what Payne refers to as a 'sensitive spill', allowing for very little change in the reservoir levels. The hollow drum gates open automatically, rotating forward on a keel hinge at an angle of travel of 65 degrees into a flotation chamber, thus allowing the impounded water to spill over the crest.

The fish ladder (along with the more extensive one at Clunie power station and dam) is of the 'pool and orifice' type.

P L Payne 1988.

Pitlochry Power Station, Bridge, Dam and Fish Ladder, 1947-50. H O Tarbolton. Ingenious linear amalgamation of power station, bridge and dam across lower end of Loch Faskally, the man-made reservoir. Power station in monumental cubixc style, faced in granite forextra muscularity. Neart nan Gleann (Power of the Glens) reads the Hydro-Electric Board's motto on the N elevation, in case of doubt. Reservoir levels controlled by massive automatic drum gates, and fish ladder enables salmon to retirn to spawning grounds. Completed posthumously.

N Haynes 2000.

This group of structures forms a major element of the Tummel/Garry Hydro-electric Scheme.

Information from RCAHMS (RJCM), 20 February 2006.

Activities

Construction (1950)

Project (2007)

This project was undertaken to input site information listed in 'Civil engineering heritage: Scotland - Lowlands and Borders' by R Paxton and J Shipway, 2007.

Publication Account (2007)

Within a few minutes walk from the centre of Pitlochry are the dam and integral generating station. The dam is 54 ft high and the station was designed principally to benefit the lower reaches of the Tummel by evening out the flow of water reaching Clunie power station (NN86SE ).

There are two automatic spillway drum gates at the dam each having a span of 90 ft. These and the fish ladder, 900 ft long with underwater observation chambers from which the fish can be viewed, have attracted much tourist interest. The generating machinery consists of two 7.5MW turbo alternators.

The construction of the Pitlochry dam, completed in 1950, led to the creation of Loch Faskally and the development of sailing, fishing and various forms of water sports making Pitlochry a major tourist centre attracting about 100 000 visitors each year. In the late 1940s and 1950s, when the works were being planned and constructed, Hydro Board staff and their consultant engineers were often ostracised and refused accommodation such was the fear that the works would blight the scenery and drive away visitors.

R Paxton and J Shipway

Reproduced from 'Civil Engineering heritage: Scotland - Lowlands and Borders' with kind permission of Thomas Telford Publishers.

Field Visit (2010)

This is the bottom station on the Tummel scheme, and re-uses water that has been previously used to generate power up to 4 times. The station is integrated with the dam in a single structure behind which is created a man made reservoir in Loch Faskally. The dam section has a prominent walkway oversailing tow large drum gates which allow for flood management and control of the spill level. Minimum compensation is provided to the river, with a small compensation set. The turbine hall houses two large turbines. A fish pass is located to the south west end of the dam. The dam and station at Pitlochry are considered to be one of the most successful architectural designs by NoSHEB. The composition is confident in expressing the cutting edge nature of the industry with a muscular cubic design which is further re-enforced by the granite facing to the turbine hall and the large coat of arms with the legend ‘Power From The Glens’ emblazoned over the main entrance. The design for this building, set within a high profile scenic area and subject to powerful lobbying from influential Perthshire gentry was a test of the power and resolve of the board. The monumental nature of the final design is an expression of the confidence felt by the board at this time. PL Payne, 1988, 54; J Miller, 2002, 42: E Wood, 2002, 157-169; Scottish Hydro Electric, 2000, 18; J Gifford,2007, 671; C Liddell, 1993, 15, 110

Note (25 October 2023)

The Tummel-Garry hydroelectric power Scheme

The second of the Hydro Board's schemes was an extension of the Grampian Electricity Company's scheme. The Clunie Dam was constructed at the east end of Loch Tummel, increasing its size. A tunnel connects to Clunie power station below the Falls of Tummel. A dam was built at the east end of Loch Errochty whose water was fed by a tunnel and pipeline to a power station at the head of Loch Tummel. Finally, the River Tummel was impounded at Pitlochry forming Loch Faskally. The power station here is built into the dam and incorporates a fish ladder to allow salmon to pass. Loch Faskally forms a balancing reservoir for fluctuations in flow due to the Clunie power station's operations.

The scheme produces a total of 150,000 kW. Work started in 1946 and experienced similar problems to Loch Sloy due to shortages of labour and material, being completed in 1951.

This account relates to the Scottish Hydro collection of photographic images held at HES, Edinburgh. Compiled by a volunteer, Mr George Walker in 2005.

Information from HES (Miriam McDonald), 25 October 2023.

References

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