On a pleasant Sunday afternoon (reported to be the last day of summer,
weather-wise) it was off to an usual destination, the Crossness Pumping Station,
which formerly pumped sewage from the southern outfall sewers into the Thames.
The pumping engines and buildings were opened in 1865 as part of the major
engineering efforts to solve the mid-19th century sewage problems of London -
see also my
walk along the Northern Outfall Sewer.
The southern intercepting sewers captured sewage from south of the Thames which
previously went directly into the Thames in central London, and transferred it
east to here on the Erith marshes, where it was stored until high water and then
pumped into the river to be taken out to sea by the side.
The old engine house, in a state of rust and decay, but with hints of better
things in the distance.
The engines were taken out of use in the 1950s when replaced by the new pumping
and treatment plant next door. They were allowed to rust and decay. The
beginnings of a change in attitude came in 1980 with the engine/boiler house
being given Grade 1 listed building status in 1980, and restoration began in
1985.
And here is part of the fruits of those labours. What an extraordinary place.
MBW - Metropolitan Board of Works
And lest we forget, this intricate detail is for the interior of a sewage
pumping station. It is important to remind ourselves that the whole of the
sewage works were rightly regarded as a triumph of Victorian engineering, and
the opening was attended by the Archbishop of Canterbury among many other
dignitaries.
On the right is Prince Consort, one of the four engines, and the first to be
restored
On the right, the flywheel of Print Consort
Click on the video to play it
In the basement, we can see two of the culverts which carried the pumped sewage
Looking down into one of the sewage plungers
The restored air pump, which takes condensate from the condenser and returns it
to the boilers to generate more steam
And here's one awaiting restoration
Back above ground, on what one might call the mezzanine level, we make our way
past the rusting cylinders...
... to the top floor where the beams make their huge presence felt.
A rusting beam. Although there are fundraising efforts to continue to transform
the Crossness Cathedral, I think in some ways it is wonderful how it is, showing
the machines as the chemistry of the natural world proceeds, and hugely
contrasting with the restored parts - it also serves to emphasise how much work
has been done so far.
The beams of Prince Consort
Click on the video to play it
Looking down the Octagon and some of its wonderful cast iron screens
The upper floor with the four sets of beams.
A fascinating afternoon - see the
Crossness website for details about visiting.
