Woodhead Reservoir

By 1841 the population of Manchester had grown to 235,507. People were just starting to link the spread of disease with polluted water supplies and there was an urgent need for pure water for the people of Manchester. In 1844 John Frederic La Trobe Bateman was appointed to design and construct a series of reservoirs to provide water from the Pennines for Manchester.
Work began on the reservoirs in 1848 and these were completed as follows: Arnfield and Hollingworth - 1854, Rhodeswood - 1855, Torside - 1864, Vale House - 1869, Bottoms and Woodhead - 1877.
Construction started on Woodhead dam in 1848 but instability in the underlying rock caused the embankment to leak badly and it had to be abandoned.
A second embankment was started in 1862 and was one of the first to use a concrete filled cut-off trench instead of puddle clay. The dam was finally completed in 1877.
When the whole reservoir supply scheme was finally completed in 1884, it was a great achievement as the reservoirs were the longest chain in the world at that time.

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Travel & Events

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• Woodhead
• Woodhead-route
• railwaywalks
• Reservoir

[Isochest]

I drove my family on holiday & back over that road last october, but am sad we don't share the valley with electric trains carrying people and goods.

[iseedeadmonkeys]

CCool so thats where my legassy lies!