Service Reservoir at Bishop Hill [1904- ]
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Submitted by pyktsang on Tue, 2020-12-29 17:23
Current condition:
Ruin
Date Place completed:
1904-08-10
I am interested in any information about the aqueduct.
Year built, Architect, Usage, any similar aqueducts in other parts of the world etc.
Comments
why were they knocking it down
why were they knocking it down in the first place?
Reservoir/Filter Beds???
Looks like the same construction as here https://gwulo.com/atom/14950
Service reservoir
This structure is possibly the service reservoir referred to as part of the general Kowloon Reservoir scheme, on https://gwulo.com/node/2444 - however I'm not familiar with the site and further confirmation is needed:
"(viii) The Service Reservoir is built on the summit of a hill to the north of Kowloon Tong Village. lt is circular in plan with a top diameter of 155’ 0” and depth of 20' 0". The bottom and circumferential wall are of cement concrete and the roof of cement concrete vaulting supported on brick arches and stone piers. The capacity of the reservoir' is 2,183,000 gallons and its top water level is 255’ above Ordnance Datum."
Will be preserved
Happily, it looks set to be protected, in a very quick turnaround by the authorities: https://news.rthk.hk/rthk/en/component/k2/1567684-20201229.htm?spTabChan...
It's remarkable that the site was virtually unknown and does not seem to have had any protected status at all under heritage legislation. The above article says "the AMO would also study whether four other water service reservoirs at the Peak, Yau Ma Tei, Mount Gough and Albany Road are historically or conservationally significant", so there may be similar structures to this one.
re: Service reservoir
@pyktsang, I've changed the page to be a Place so we can see its location, and also updated the title. (An aqueduct is a channel carrying water, like the one underneath Bowen Road.)
@LizB, this is the same structure as the one you've found mentioned in the PWD report from 1910. If you look at the 1920 map, you can see the same circular shape, and location north of Kowloon Tong Village, that are described in the report.
Re: Service Reservoir in SSP
Hi There,
Unfortunately it wasn't known to the general public until demolition had already started. Based on this photo taken by a drone recently added to Google Maps, damage had already been done.
T
Built during 1903-4
Construction began in 1903, as described in item 50.iii of the PWD's annual report for that year:
The following year's report (item 86.ii) says it was completed on 10th of August 1904:
I've set the completion date above.
reservoir mentioned in a Kowloon map 1956
Hi all,
Just browsed the "Metro Cinema" topic within Gwulo.com, the reservoir was mentioned in a Kowloon map 1956.
It is a hot topic in HK now, see whether any other information related to this special reservoir could be found.
Topic link: https://gwulo.com/node/36502
Map link: https://gwulo.com/taxonomy/term/478/places-map#17/22.33029/114.17047/Map...
Cheers,
Chai