Site Records

St. Fillans Power Station - Surge Shaft

OS Grid Ref: NN 69045 2460
Date opened: 1957
Date closed : Operational

St. Fillans is a very 'vertical' kind of scheme; at the end of the low-pressure tunnel from Lednock is a surge shaft, 200ft high, and below it is a vertical pressure shaft over 600ft deep, taking the water to the power station. The surge shaft also acts as an intake for the substantial inflow of water from the catchment on the North side of Loch Earn.

Following the rough, winding hill road mentioned in the introduction, we arrive at the fenced compound containing the surge shaft:

Inside the fence. A loud roar, a mist of water hangs in the air, and an unconventional surge shaft:

Looking at the bottom left of the above pic, the water flows out from the portal of the North Lochearn catchment tunnel:

The water flows thorugh a screen, with grooves for stoplogs, and into a small pond at the head of the shaft:

The North Lochearn catchment tunnel has a small place in history; in 1956, in this tunnel, was established a new world record for the greatest advance in a single week - 557ft. This picture, taken from almost the same viewpoint as the above picture, shows this record-breaking tunnel under construction:

From the pond at the head of the surge shaft, the water passes through a concrete annulus:

...and drops nearly 200ft straight down the shaft! Hence the noise and spray:

The surge shaft, being so high above the treeline, commands a magnificent view over Loch Earn. Would be a great spot for (summer) cottage - bet it's a bastard of a place to get to in winter...

A little bit below the surge shaft, a branch off the track leads to an enormous spoil heap, and the hole the spoil came out of; a conventional construction adit:

Words and images © 2005 Michael J. Ross