WWA Info Exchange

[turnpike]

I've been meaning to visit the Crossness Pumping station at Abbey Wood in South East London for several years but never quite got around to it. I spotted in a local newspaper that they were having an open day on Sunday so decided to go along.

The Crossness pumping Station was the Eastern end of Sir Joseph Bazalgate's huge Victorian achievement of building a new sewerage system for London which had previously discharged straight into the Thames untreated making the river probably the most polluted river in the world at its time.
Check out the specifications of the system at the bottom of the plaque here:



They built 82 Miles of brick lined main sewers. So much brick was used that it caused a national brick shortage at the time!

After separating out the liquid elements of the sewerage, the sludge was discharged into the Thames estuary on the outgoing tide. (This was eventually replaced by a fleet of Sludge Ships which discharged their odorous cargo far out into the North Sea).

Entering into the main engine House you are confronted with the amazing 'confection' of the Octagon. This was designed purely to allow light into the middle of what would otherwise have been a rather gloomy interior.



I find it amazing that so much attention to detail was lavished on something which would normally have only been seen by a small number of people.

(The use of dovetail miters known only to the maker springs to mind or Krenov's dictum of taking as much care in the invisible construction of a piece as the visible).

Turning out of the Octagon you are confronted with the huge beam engines - the largest of their type in the world.

'Prince Consort'




Klick on the picture below to see a short video. (Sorry for the poor quality)



A column capitol:



Un-restored screen:



Ascending up on level:



And all the way up to the highest level:



Another Video of the Beam:




Note the un-restored Beam Engine in the background:







Even the detail in the ridge-work flooring of this top level is impressive:



Views at the top of the octagon:





Back down one level to the top of one of the great cylinders (Un-restored)







Only one other engine is being restored (the first took a very small bunch of Volunteers 15 years to restore 'Prince Consort' )

Back to the ground floor again:



The non-metal architecture also has its merits. This was the main doorway
before it was hidden indoors by an extension to take up graded boilers a few years after building. It looks more suited to a cathedral than a pumping house:



The window decoration is also interesting - every capitol is different:





Hope you enjoyed this little tour.

Ray
_________________
I aim to live for ever.... and it's taking me that long to get my workshop finished!
I completed a 15 mile night-time walk for Fight for sight Please sponsor me @ http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/pageandsmallopticians

[Gene]

Wow!!
_________________
Gene
Photobucket
My Weather

[DennisS]

Absolutely stunning!

Thanks for the tour.
_________________
Nullum Gratuitum Prandium

Cheers - Dennis

[Clipper]

Ray

If you can handle that tour you can do anything.
Congrats on your continued recovery.

Duan
_________________
Duan Packard
Kerrville, Texas
Being a Texan means that you are willing to Go Longer, Work Harder, Give More than Anyone Else.
Annon.

[Rapid Roger]

Thanks for the tour. It is very interesting and pretty.
Looking at those pictures, I couldn't hep but think about our newer public buildings being a little more ornate than necessary these days. I guess if you are spending tax payers money you may as well go for the gold.
Our county spent $2500.00 landscaping the entrance to the dump.
The proposed plans for the new jail seem to be more about having a "Warm welcome" entrance and interesting floor plan than keeping inmates in check.
And I haven't even began to understand the massive addition to the high school now that we have fewer students than when I was there. The high school campus covers four square blocks of land and that isn't including the track and football fields or tennis courts!

Rog
_________________
Dont badmouth no strangers, they just friends you aint met yet.

An ounce of responsibility is worth a pound of State and Federal laws.

I spent most of my money on woodworking
tools and beer, the rest I just wasted.

[tms]

Hey Ray,

Thanks for the tour. I have to ask, does the restored engine do any work? I don't imagine that it's employed as designed, but surely it could be put to some use? How often do they have an open day?

Hey Rog,

Our city has a 1% tax on real estate sales that goes to public art. Most folks think it's a good idea, until they see the art, then everyone's a critic.

Tom
_________________
"There is no path to peace, peace is the path."
Mohandas K. Ghandi

[turnpike]

Sadly no the engine doesn't do any work. The steam for it doesn't even come from the original boilers... they were stripped out years ago but from a small boiler obtained from an old laundry, would you believe!?

They have 4 or 5 open days a year although you can visit at other times when the engine is not in motion.

Ray
_________________
I aim to live for ever.... and it's taking me that long to get my workshop finished!
I completed a 15 mile night-time walk for Fight for sight Please sponsor me @ http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/pageandsmallopticians

[Jess]

That is really terrific! This was my line of work and I really appreciate the effort involved. Thanks for sharing it.
_________________
Jess
my gallery
more photos

[eric]

Thanks Ray, that was super. I think I saw a show about that on Discovery maybe. Anyhoo again thanks for bringing all of us along!


ERic

[PK]

That is just too cool. Glad you're making the best of your recovery. That is some impressive industrial art.

[Ice Pirate]

That is just stunning!

Great shots and thanks for sharing.
_________________
Frank
WWACOAUX#1
"I love the smell of Sawdust in the morning, it smells like, victory."
WWA'ers I've met: Popeye, Ed Avery, Stephen Wolf, Rockfish, Rodedon