Waulkmill Glen Reservoir: Self Activating Sluice House, Newton Mearns

set into land-side of embankment, immediately to N of valve tower. 3-arch arcaded frontage with flanking piers. Rusticated red sandstone ashlar with pronounced quirky vermiculation. Plain polished ashlar cornice; parapet. Iron gates to arches. 2 rectangular- plan regulating basins immediately to N with 20th century covers. INTERIOR: triple vault supported by central buttress and 2 cast-iron columns.

Part of Waulkmill Glen reservoir, the largest of the 3 reservoirs built as part of the first phase of the Gorbals Gravitation Water Company´s water supply scheme, constructed in 1847-8. This was one of the first large-scale water supply schemes in Scotland and, although eclipsed by the slightly later scheme from Loch Katrine, is nevertheless of considerable historical and engineering interest. The self-activating sluice is also of considerable interest, though it is unclear whether any of the machinery remains intact (there is nothing visible within the arched structure). Waulkmill Glen reservoir covers an area of nearly 48 acres and has a capacity of roughly 36.5 million cubic feet. Water originally fed into the reservoir from the Brock Burn, but this arrangement was altered with the building of the Balgray reservoir (as part of the expansion of the scheme) in 1853. Water is drawn out of the reservoir through the draw-off tower, and passed through the self-activating sluice (located on the other side of the embankment dam) before discharging into the two regulating basins. From there it flowed through pipes to the low filters, which were demolished 2007-8, but were located roughly 300 yards to the NE. (ref: Historic Scotland)

July 2010: External inspection finds the building under threat from vegetation. The joint between the parapet and the cornice has plants growing along its length. Plants are growing upto the rear of the parapet and hanging down the walls. More plants are growing against the front wall. East Renfrewshire Council and Glasgow City Council are in the early stages of developing a new country park, Dams to Darnley. Part of the park covers the Barrhead Dams, a series of interconnected reservoirs, including Waulkmill, which is owned and managed by Scottish Water.

4 September 2014: External inspection finds the building remains in much the same condition as seen previously. The surrounding settling tanks are now protected by security fencing as the timber deck is rotting.

26 January 2015: Listed Building Consent for the installation of a handrail to the flat roof for the prevention of falls from the roof was conditionally granted Nov 2014 ref: 2014/0491/LBC.