Slateford Aqueduct, Edinburgh
in Slateford, in the western suburbs of Edinburgh.
It was constructed between 1819–22 by Craven, Whitaker and Nowell, with Hugh Baird as the Engineer, with advice from Thomas Telford[1]. One source states that the castings for the iron troughs of the Avon and Slateford aqueducts were supplied by Mr. Anderson's Leith Walk Foundry. [2]
It has eight arches, is 600 feet (180 m) long and 60 feet (18 m) tall, and carries the Union Canal across Inglis Green Road and the Water of Leith at Longstone (just at the edge of Slateford) in south-west Edinburgh. The use of a cast iron trough avoided the need for a deep layer of puddle clay, which in turn allowed a considerable reduction in the amount of masonry required. This, and similar aqueducts on the Union Canal, were no doubt inspired by the Chirk Aqueduct.
A drawing[3] shows that the sides of the iron trough comprise a series of curved plates backed by triangular bracing frames. The floor is also made of cast iron plates, presumably bolted to the iron side plates. The masonry below the trough is not solid, having an alternating series of longitudinal walls and passages. Some or all of the passages are designed as walkways, with stone floors, although the height is greatly reduced over the crown of the arch. The iron trough is 7 ft deep and 13.5 ft wide.
The canal runs over a contour line of 73m and is very popular with cyclists and walkers (visiting is best done outside the bicycle commuting rush hours, on account of the narrow towpath!).
See Also
Sources of Information
- [3] Wikipedia