Stocks Reservoir is a

reservoir A reservoir (; from French ''réservoir'' ) is an enlarged lake behind a dam. Such a dam may be either artificial, built to store fresh water or it may be a natural formation. Reservoirs can be created in a number of ways, including contro ...

situated at the head of the Hodder valley in the

Forest of Bowland The Forest of Bowland, also known as the Bowland Fells and formerly the Chase of Bowland, is an area of gritstone fells, deep valleys and peat moorland, mostly in north-east Lancashire, England, with a small part in North Yorkshire (however ro ...

Lancashire Lancashire ( , ; abbreviated Lancs) is the name of a historic county, ceremonial county, and non-metropolitan county in North West England. The boundaries of these three areas differ significantly. The non-metropolitan county of Lancashi ...

, England (historically in the

West Riding of Yorkshire The West Riding of Yorkshire is one of three historic subdivisions of Yorkshire, England. From 1889 to 1974 the administrative county County of York, West Riding (the area under the control of West Riding County Council), abbreviated County ...

until 1974). It provides water mainly for Blackpool and the Fylde coast. The reservoir has a fly fishing club which is very popular in the summer months and a small cafe which is popular with walkers. The Board House is a building used for meetings by

United Utilities United Utilities Group plc (UU), the United Kingdom's largest listed water company, was founded in 1995 as a result of the merger of North West Water and NORWEB. The group manages the regulated water and waste water network in North West Englan ...

and is located on the western shores of the reservoir, near the Hodder Water Treatment Works. Stocks Reservoir was opened on 5 July 1932 by Prince George, K.G. Stocks Reservoir, Forest of Bowland, Lancashire

Stocks Reservoir, Forest of Bowland, Lancashire

History

It was created in 1932 by the Fylde Water Board by flooding the Dalehead valley and the surrounding farmland, including the hamlet of Stocks-in-Bowland from which the reservoir derives its name. At the peak of the construction project, over 500 men worked there and most of them lived in a temporary village called ''Hollins''. Prince George officially opened the reservoir by unveiling a commemorative bronze plaque. During the construction phase, the reservoir works were the site of an extensive 3 foot (914 mm)

gauge Gauge ( or ) may refer to: Measurement * Gauge (instrument), any of a variety of measuring instruments * Gauge (firearms) * Wire gauge, a measure of the size of a wire ** American wire gauge, a common measure of nonferrous wire diameter, es ...

industrial railway An industrial railway is a type of railway (usually private) that is not available for public transportation and is used exclusively to serve a particular industrial, logistics, or military site. In regions of the world influenced by British ra ...

system which linked the dam works with a

railhead In the UK, railheading refers to the practice of travelling further than necessary to reach a rail service, typically by car. The phenomenon is common among commuters seeking a more convenient journey. Reasons for railheading include, but are ...

on the Long Preston -

Slaidburn Slaidburn () is a village and civil parish within the Ribble Valley district of Lancashire, England. The parish covers just over 5,000 acres of the Forest of Bowland. Historically in the West Riding of Yorkshire, Slaidburn lies near the head of ...

road (Bowtell, 1988). Nearby stone quarries were also served by the railway. Steam

traction engines A traction engine is a steam-powered tractor used to move heavy loads on roads, plough ground or to provide power at a chosen location. The name derives from the Latin ''tractus'', meaning 'drawn', since the prime function of any traction engine ...

hauled building material between the Tosside railhead and the water board depôt adjacent to

Long Preston railway station Long Preston is a railway station on the Bentham Line, which runs between and via . The station, situated north-west of Leeds, serves the village of Long Preston in North Yorkshire. It is owned by Network Rail and managed by Northern Train ...

. The reservoir is located in the civil parish of Easington. In medieval times, the area was granted to the monks of

Kirkstall Abbey Kirkstall Abbey is a ruined Cistercian monastery in Kirkstall, north-west of Leeds city centre in West Yorkshire, England. It is set in a public park on the north bank of the River Aire. It was founded ''c.'' 1152. It was disestablished during ...

near Leeds. Later, Stocks-in-Bowland, Dalehead and Easington all came under the sway of the

Lordship of Bowland The Lordship of Bowland is a feudal barony associated with the Forest of Bowland in Lancashire, England. The lordship fell into disuse between 1885 and 2008, during which time it was widely believed to have lapsed; it was revived in 2008. In 18 ...

References

* Bowtell, H.D. (1988) ''Lesser Railways of Bowland Forest and Craven Country - and the dam builders in the age of steam'', Platewell Press,

External links

Official publication

Fishing at Stocks Reservoir

History of the flooded valley of Dalehead
Drinking water reservoirs in England Forest of Bowland Geography of Ribble Valley Reservoirs in Lancashire RStocks {{Lancashire-geo-stub