The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Controversial dam plan gave power to the glens
An electricity revo lut ion , designed to power some of the remotest communities in Scotland, sparked into action 70 years ago.
Ho m e s in Hi g h l a n d Perthshire in the 1940s were far from luxurious.
Only one in six farms and one in 200 crofts had electricity.
However, when visionary politician Tom Johnston realised the untapped potential of hydro power in Scotland, things changed forever.
Plans to create a dam across the River Tummel in Pitlochry promised to turn natural energy into affordable electricity.
Before construction got under way in 1947, many feared the scheme would desecrate the glorious Perthshire landscape.
A petition encouraged people to write to their local MPS and organise protests.
It read: “No one acquainted with the scenic beauty of the Pitlochry district can fail to feel dismay at the prospect of that beautiful and historic piece of country being desecrated by the proposed scheme.
“River beds will be dried up; the Falls of Bruar will become a mere trickle; Clunie Bridge, the recreation park and many homes and farms will be submerged; and the Queen’s View and many other delightful scenes will be altered out of all recognition.
“There will, too, be great monetary loss to the township of Pitlochr y, where many a weary city dweller has spent a restful holiday.”
The protests fell on deaf ears and construction on the new hydro station began, with the Countess of Airlie laying the first block of stone on April 26 1947.
Because the dam would have been an impassable obstacle for economicallyimportant migrating salmon, a fish ladder was constructed, allowing the
salmon to swim from the Tummel into the loch.
A walkway across the dam and a viewing chamber in the fish ladder were added.
Construction finished on January 10 1951.
Tr a g i c a l l y, the head engineer of the Hydro Board, Sir Edward Maccoll, died just before the opening and a subdued ceremony was held in 1952, during which a plaque in his honour was unveiled.
Former SSE archivist Alasdair Bachell, said: “With the creation of new lochs, roads and tunnels, the ver y landscape of Scotland was changed.”
The man-made reservoir, popular with anglers, kayakers, paddleboarders and walkers, was built to stabilise river flows below the dam at Pitlochry.
Pitlochry Dam is part of the Tu m m e l - G a r r y scheme – a system of dams and power stations incorporating two older power stations (Rannoch and Tummel) which were built in the 1930s by the
Grampian Electricity Supply Company.
Men from across Europe were employed to build the dams and at its peak, there were around 12,000 working on the schemes including prisoners of war.
“Conditions would have been quite dangerous, with few, if any, health and safety regulations,” said Alasdair.
“Photos from the time show very few workers wearing hard hats which would be completely unthinkable now.”
The dam’s new visitor centre, opened in January 2017, boasts interviews with former workers which
highlight such harsh working conditions.
They include the memories of original Donegal Tunnel Tigers such as John “Gonna” O’donnel. He recalls: “My role was a ‘ spanner’ man. It was a tough job which involved holding the drill machine for the four men working above me.
“Closing my eyes I can still feel the tumbling rocks coming down on my bare knuckles and how the constant drilling affected my hearing so that my ears rang constantly for that first fortnight in Perthshire.
“It was horrendous. But it was work, and for that I was very grateful.”
It is not known how many people died during construction of the Tummel-garry scheme.
“At least five men died building Clunie tunnel and their names are on the memorial arch by Clunie power s t a t i o n ,” said Alasdair.
Pitlochry power station’s importance has grown, believes Alasdair
He said: “For Scotland as
a whole this is its most valuable contribution especially considering our efforts to reduce carbon emissions.
“Its contribution tourism is not to understated, though.
“It is a unique hydro station in just how easily accessible it is to the public, to be
unlike most dams and stations which are quite remote.
“This makes it a valuable historic and educational resource for Pitlochry.”
It is hoped the 70 th anniversary can be marked in summer with a celebratory exhibition.