NEW LAKE FOR LONDON

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXII, Issue 19367, 25 July 1925, Page 15

NEW LAKE FOR LONDON

Three arches beneath a white stone bridge on a secluded stretch of the Thames, at Laleham, in Middlesex, closely associated with memories of Matthew Arnold, who was born at Laleham in 1322, formed the beginning of one of the grea l"st engineering schemes of our limes. Now, after 10 years’

work, the scheme is nearly complete says the Daily Chronicle). Millions of geilcu.s of v.ai'-r will pour into the largest artificially made reservoir in the world. In the making of this mighty hole strange things have happened. The River Ash was in the way, it had to be. removed, and cleverly diverted, it now takes a new course. Cottages which had weathered storms for hundreds of years were torn down, but their old carving is preserved. What was once the village of Littleton no longer exists: ail that is left is the church; there is no post-office; no inn.

It may be a year before the work is finished. The concrete lining has yet to be completed, but already the sides arc partly lined, and in places tapped with a curly rim which is so designed that on stormy days the turbulent water will be thrown back into the reservoir as it beats against the edge. It is four miles round the rim. Superintending work-in-progress inspectors have often walked three times a day round the reservoir, where, at times, more than 2,000 men have been engaged in the task of preparing London’s new source of water supply. During the war work was interrupted. Sleepers from the railway line which ’•an round the excavations were recognised by some of the employees of the Metropolitan Water Board near Albert during the Great War. Its war service finished, the railway was returned to perforin its original duty at Littleton. Every pint, of water that passes is automatically registered, so that at any moment the quantity flowing into the reservoir may be known to the officials, not only at Littleton, but in London. The centrifugal pumps are giants of their kind; the pipes through which they will deliver the water are sft. in diameter, while the area covered by the reservoir is 800 acres.