Ackergillshore, Old Lifeboat House And Slipway
Slipway (20th Century)
Site Name Ackergillshore, Old Lifeboat House And Slipway
Classification Slipway (20th Century)
Alternative Name(s) Ackergill Harbour; Ackergill, Lifeboat Station; Ackergill Haven; Ackergill Life Boat Pier
Canmore ID 331809
Site Number ND35SE 75.01
NGR ND 35856 54543
NGR Description centred
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/331809
- Council Highland
- Parish Wick
- Former Region Highland
- Former District Caithness
- Former County Caithness
Construction (1910)
Believed to be the first ferro-concrete slipway in Britain.
R PAxton and J Shipway, 2007.
Publication Account (2007)
Ackergill Lifeboat Slipway
(Institute Civil Engineers Historic Engineering Works no. HEW 1500)
This unusual structure, erected in 1910, is believed to be the first ferro-concrete slipway in Britain. It was built for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution to provide a launching pad for the lifeboat in heavy seas. The boat was normally kept at the top of the ramp ready for immediate use.
The early use of reinforced concrete rather than mass concrete can be seen in the adoption of a framed structure in the style of earlier timber construction. This is noticeable in the detailing, for example the chamfered edges to the posts and diagonals and the gussets at the joints. It has lasted well in adverse weather conditions as there is little discolouration and no spalling of the cover to the reinforcement.
R Paxton and J Shipway, 2007.
Reproduced from 'Civil Engineering heritage: Scotland - Highlands and Islands' with kind permission from Thomas Telford Publishers.
