Rivers at Work - Hydro-electric power in the Highlands

The story of the electrification of the Highlands by the North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board. Commentary by John Grierson.

The film includes shots of the construction of Sloy dam at Loch Sloy and Sloy dam in operation; Loch Lairige dam; Loch Tummel and Rannoch dams and power station; Loch Errochty reservoie; Loch Tummel dam at Clunie; Clunie power station; Pitlochry power station and control room; Glascarnoch dam and power station at Luichart; construction of Glenmoriston dam; buttresses at Shira dam; construction work on dam and blasting rock; Loch Cuarch reservoir; Glen Affric dam; workers houses at Cannich; fish ladder at Pitlochry; falls of Lochy; salmon hatchery at Invergarry; electric pylons and telegraph poles in the Highlands; electric powered machinery; electric brooders for poultry; electric dryers for grain and grass; Invergarry power station; shot of puffer with cargo of coal approaching harbour on West Coast and unloading; shots of pit head and of coal in railway wagons on its way to power station; Dounreay power station.

Colour, Sound

Length of clip: 5:12
Length of original film: 20:00

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Questions:

How does the music add to the film?
What examples of figurative language does the narrator use?
Why was that site chosen to build the power station?
Why was there a need for more power in Scotland in the 1950s?

Activities:

Geography / Science: Research the environmental advantages and disadvantages of hydro-electric power?

Geography / Science: Research how much of the electricity in Scotland is generated by hydro-electric power? What other sources of electricity are there?

Science / English: List how many different ways you use electricity in an average day.

Science / Geography: Investigate how your school could use more renewable energy sources.

Media Studies / Technologies: Download the animations showing how the turbine system works and annotate adding in more detail.

Technologies: Research how was water used for power before electricity.

Record details

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Record ID:	007-000-000-295-C
Resource Rights Holder:	National Library of Scotland
Related Records:	Pitlochry Welcomes You Pathfinder Pack on Rivers and Coasts and their Industries (Feature Resource) Pathfinder Pack on Grierson and the Documentary Movement (Feature Resource)
Project Ref:	2240
Date:	1958
Genre:	Documentary, sponsored
Subject:	Technologies, Geography, Science, English, Media Studies, Social History (Curriculum for Excellence)
Who:	Films of Scotland and North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board (sponsor) Greenpark Productions Ltd in association with the Film Producers Guild (production company) John Grierson (narrator) Lew Davidson (director)
Where:	Clunie (Loch) Dounreay (Power Station) Glenmoriston Invergarry Loch Tummel (dams, lochs) Pitlochry Rannoch
Event:
References:

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