Orkney Image Library

A few years ago there was an old photo printed in either the Orcadian or Orkney Today for identification. It was a late-Victorian picture looking downwards into what looked like the square basement of a building under construction. There were various builders and, I think, a man in a hard felt hat perhaps holding a roll of plans. I thought it might have been the cellar of the Kirkwall Hotel. But seeing this photo makes me think it might have been these tanks. Anyone have the photo to compare?

Used to walk past there on my to and from school.We'd hear the water whooshing around on occasion and dare each other to jump from the wall onto the roof!Thankfully,none did but I never imagined that the tanks were that deep!

I used to go into the building every month to read the hydro meters and reset the demand indicators. You walked along a flagstone gantry the full length of the tank( the end nearest the camera ). In the dark with the water gushing in it was a bit scary!