Photograph piece: Title. SnailsPace
Situated on the Greenway trail this Sewage pump is a fraction of remains from the now empty Waterworks Building.
Like many buildings for new and cutting edge equipment, the Victorians knew a thing or two about grandeur. This building certainly outdoes its seemingly mundane task of pumping liquid by exuberantly pronouncing its importance with wonderful Gothic details and displays of seamless stonework mixed with the superb finesse of Victorian brickwork. It’s really quite a wonder from any angle, and although I’ve been lucky enough to tour the insides a little, cameras were not allowed due to its use at that time. I intend to get access again next year, so watch this space…
A beautiful building, part of Joseph Bazalgette’s enormous undertaking to build The Northern Outfall Sewer system, which took sewage from all over London to Beckton. Built around the 1860s, it’s situated in plentiful grounds full of mature trees, surrounded by various ancillary equipment buildings at its rear. It’s not easy to spot from the road, is not open to the public, and sits quietly behind tall brick walls, untouched and unused; its working role has long since been superseded by a new stainless steel pumping station nearby.
Nicknamed ‘The Cathedral of Sewage’ in its time, it contained eight steam driven beam engines and was used to lift low level sewage up into the main outfall. (Googlemap Link)
This blog is to be continued…. (Part of the Greenway series)
A connected article list will appear here as and when those blogs are researched and written..
