‘Tunnel Tigers’ feature on radio

The construction workers behind the Scottish hydroelectric network have been featured on BBC Radio Scotland earlier this week.

The workers, known as the Tunnel Tigers, worked to create the system in the 1950s, including the Pitlochry Dam on the River Tummel in Highland Perthshire.

The lunchtime broadcast of Our Story on Tuesday, April 18, saw host Mark Stephen talking to four men who came to Scotland to help build the hydroelectric dams in an effort to boost infrastructure in the country after the Second World War. Over 300km of tunnels were built to connect 54 main power stations up and down the country by the Tunnel Tigers.

Gillian O’Reilly, SSE’s head of heritage, said:“SSE was delighted to take part in the Radio Scotland programme as the four engineers featured all had amazing stories to tell and their testimony should be preserved for future generations. Many of the tunnel tigers risked their lives to build the dams and schemes which brought hydro power to Scotland during the 1950s and power to many highland homes for the first time.

“SSE has also recently opened a new visitor centre at Pitlochry Dam where people can learn more about this fascinating chapter in Scotland’s engineering and social history.”It will be repeated on BBC Radio Scotland at 7am on Sunday, April 23, and available on BBC iPlayer.