A concise history

The second conduit - 1947 - 1950

In March 1947, Mourne's deprived economy received another welcome boost with plans for a three-year pipeline scheme which would increase the supply of water to the City. Awarded to Belfast firm, McLaughlin and Harvey Ltd, the contract was to lay a 4ft 6in diameter steel conduit across country from Silent Valley to the Dunnywater Straining Well above Annalong, a distance of approximately four miles.

Harland and Wolff manufactured all the steel shells with double spigot ends, complete with collars to join the lengths of pipe together. McLaughlin and Harvey hauled the shells using Bedford lorries, standing three vertically at a time. Altogether, they hauled 60 shells per week.

The pipeline being laid in 1949

Before work commenced the Commissioners' Engineers had to arrange site meetings with farmers and landowners concerning wayleave agreements and compensation payments.

By that time news was spreading fast around Mourne that contractors McLaughlin and Harvey were recruiting men for work at the Silent Valley and each morning dozens of men arrived at the office looking for a job. Rates of pay had increased rapidly, and a labourer receiving 9d in 1934 was entitled to 2s. 3d in 1951.

Pipe manufacture - 1949

Fine weather resulted in good progress, but when it rained water pumps worked day and night to clear the water from the trench. On one occasion, during a particularly wet spell, work was stopped for a time and it took the contractor three weeks to get the pipes back in to position.

During another part of the excavation a large number of spades, shovels and picks were dug up, which were later identified as having been used during the construction of Silent Valley some 20 years earlier parts of them were still useable!