Some remarkable old pictures have emerged of Aberdeen road workers constructing a new sewer in the Girdleness area of the city more than a 100 years ago.
The images date from 1900 and 1901 and highlight the dirty and often dangerous work which was carried out in this last year of the Victorian age.
The Girdleness Outfall Scheme came about from the Aberdeen Corporation Act of 1899 and extended from Girdleness through Aberdeen Harbour to the City Centre.
The construction commenced in 1900 and incorporated tunnels to carry cables for the city’s Corporation Electric Works.
The project was completed in 1907 after years of construction and served as the main sewage outlet for the city until 1985.
Construction included blasting of around 40,000 tonnes of rock in order to create a trench for the outfall pipeline.
The Girdleness outfall is connected to the Torry Quay sewer via a 7 feet diameter tunnel up to 90 feet below St Fittick’s Road.
Following construction of the Nigg Long Sea Outfall in 1985, the Girdleness outfall was adapted to operate as a Combined Sewer Overflow, still serving the south and west of the city.
The pictures are courtesy of Bob Nicoll/Scottish Water.
PICTURES: Stunning images capture daily grind of Aberdeen workers 100 years ago
