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Summary

Description

James Williamson (engineer for North of Scotland Hydro Electric Board technical panel) and George Wimpey and Son Ltd (main contractors), 1950. Large concrete gravity dam with prominent drum gates and oversailing walkway with fish pass to left (E) all set within steep sided gorge. Pre-cast concrete with metal drum gates. Large central buttress with small buttress flanking spillways integrated with wave walls to base of dam. Wide depressed segmental arches carry deck access walkway over automatic drum gates with battered fixed spillways beneath. Cascade of linked concrete pools to left (E) forming fish ladder.

INTAKE GATEHOUSE TOWERS: large central tower adjacent to upstream face of dam with attached lower block to N flanked by 2 smaller rectangular towers to outer wings of dam. All in reinforced concrete with moulded eaves course and slightly recessed deep parapet above. Regular fenestration in plain surrounds. Large vehicular access doors to N elevations, all with boarded teak doors. Further small control towers to SE of upstream face of similar design controlling tunnel intake to power station.

Statement of Special Interest

Clunie dam is a well detailed dam of a striking Modernist design incorporating the early use of automatic drum gates. The dam is prominently sited in a steep gorge and is a good example of the use of exposed concrete by the North of Scotland Hydro Electric Board (NoSHEB). The dam is a significant work by James Williamson who was chief consulting engineer to NoSHEB until his death in 1953.

Clunie dam forms an important component of one of the major post-war hydro electric developments by the NoSHEB, expanding a scheme developed during the 1930s (see separate listings for Tummel Bridge and Rannoch power stations). The scheme played a key role in the realisation of the social agenda of NoSHEB by providing power for export to the populous central belt and in turn subsidising other schemes to supply power to remote north highland communities and stimulating economic regeneration. Under the leadership of eminent chairman Sir Tom Johnston the board undertook developments throughout Highland Scotland and his aspirations saw the development of schemes in locations such as Loch Dubh near Ullapool and Storr Lochs on Skye. Johnston's social aspirations and wider wishes to reinvigorate the economy of the Highlands were behind these projects which were a key part of the NoSHEB development plan.

All of the developments carried out by NoSHEB were subject to parliamentary approval and objections on the grounds of scenic amenity were common. In order to meet these objections the board appointed a panel of architectural advisers. Reginald Fairlie (1883-1952), James Shearer (1881-1962) and Harold Ogle Tarbolton (186-1947) were appointed in 1943. Initially the role of the panel was to adjudicate on competition entries for designs, but by 1947 it had become one of designers. The panel had little control over the form of the buildings, as they left this to engineers, but they did influence the appearance and the style of the designs.

The design of Clunie Dam is typical of Williamson's approach, with an innovative solution designed specifically to suit the requirements of a particular site. In the case of Clunie Dam he made an early use of automatic drum gates to accommodate the changes in water level at flood and to allow the water level to be controlled in conjunction with Pitlochry power station (see separate listing) which lies downstream of the dam. Williamson was a prominent engineer who specialised in the design of dams following his work on the Galloway Hydro Electric scheme (see separate listings) in the 1930s. He acted as one of the chief engineering advisors to NoSHEB and was the lead engineer for a number of schemes until his death in 1953 after which the role passed to Williamson and Partners Ltd.

(Listed 2011 as part of Hydro Electric Power Thematic Survey)

References

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